Corporate Training - Tips to Help Your Business
Alice Tuffery, writer
Corporate training is a way of improving the overall productivity and profitability of a business by providing those involved in the company with additional skills or knowledge. Corporate training can be considered a part of an employee’s professional development or incorporated into induction processes to provide promising new recruits with the skills needed to carry out their job to the best of their abilities.
There are a number of benefits for businesses that opt to provide corporate training. Employees that undergo corporate training are likely to experience higher levels of job satisfaction and morale, as they are able to complete their job to a higher standard. This, in turn, reduces the chance of employees leaving their job, saving the employer time and money when it comes to recruitment and selection. In short, by investing in employee development in the short term, businesses can improve their profitability in the long term.
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Vocational training is nothing new. According to E-Learning Industry, training has been a part of the workplace since 1880, when apprenticeships were given to new workers. Studies show that the majority of employees embrace training, and many seek it out as a way to distinguish themselves from colleagues and give themselves an advantage in the workplace.
Corporate training can also be used to ensure that employees and clients understand the company’s vision and values, which has positive implications for any business. Corporate training can cover a diverse range of areas, but the principal categories are leadership training, software training, management training and customer service training. When designing a business’ corporate training structure, employers should think about the specific requirements of their business. Where are the gaps in employees’ knowledge? Are there any processes that frequently raise issues? How would you like the business to progress over the next year?
What does corporate training involve?
Corporate training can be provided in a variety of ways, depending on the business’ requirements. Small businesses that are based in a single location might choose to offer classroom-based training, as face-to-face learning can increase information retention. Large businesses or businesses that choose to provide tailored courses for different groups of employees might prefer to use a Learning Management System (LMS). This delivers training through computer software that allows learners to access educational material online.
Many businesses opt for a combination of the two methods, a strategy that has come to be known as ‘blended learning’. A webinar is just one example of a blended learning practice that delivers information through human interaction but joins learners together online.
Corporate training should be undertaken with clear goals in mind. These should be set out by the employer, as employees are more likely to feel satisfied with their progress if they reach predetermined targets.
Corporate Training Programmes
Many businesses have started incorporating their own corporate training programmes into their business model, either as a yearly practice or to keep employees informed and efficient during periods of change for the company. Let’s take a look at three types of corporate training:
Employee training: keeping employees up to date with business objectives, ensuring compliance and equipping employees with the skills to take on a certain role or perform their role more efficiently.
Customer training: providing customers or clients with industry information or skills, e.g. teaching them how to use a product or how to carry out tasks that make up part of the service the business provides. This is beneficial as it reduces customer enquiries in the long run.
Partner training: providing a business’ partners with the right information and tools to effectively sell the products or services sold by the business. It forms part of a ‘partner enablement strategy’.
Corporate training programmes could give participants the opportunity to earn qualifications or certifications to demonstrate their level of expertise. The prospect of earning a new qualification is an incentive to participants, as it gives them the edge over their colleagues and increases their value as an employee.
Corporate Training Companies
There are many dedicated corporate training companies that provide training services to other businesses. These are useful for companies, as they can choose a specific programme to suit their workers or sector and count on high-quality teaching and reliable information. Here, we take a look at three of the most popular ones.
Future London Academy
This company provides one-week, immersive courses in three key areas: innovation, branding and product design. This covers everything from digital brand strategies to trend forecasting and virtual reality. Courses are provided by a diverse group of London-based creatives from across the world.
London Corporate Training
Despite being based in London, this company works with clients in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. It offers more than 100 courses, ranging from three days to three weeks in length. The courses cover advanced management, law, oil and gas, soft skills, operations management, finance, human resources, public relations, sales and secretarial skills.
BOC Global Events and Training Group
This company also serves Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Clients can attend one of BOC’s 70 courses in a range of different locations, so training is conveniently accessible to those who need it.
Conclusion
Corporate training can vastly impact a business’ productivity and profitability – if done right. Surprisingly, despite the obvious benefits of giving employees the tools to perform their job with maximum efficiency, many companies don’t prioritise corporate training, providing inadequate training courses or none at all. It is worth noting that running insufficient courses could end up costing a business money, as capital is invested in training while productivity is lost during the sessions. However, if employers can identify the specific areas in which employees would benefit from additional know-how or skills and find a programme that delivers them, the business stands to benefit from increased output and a high turnover in the long run.
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Alice Tuffery, writer