Years ago, when an apprentice was brought into a trade the purpose was to be trained. The path may have taken years for the student to learn all the skills of the job. Today many skills can be learned in a specialized school. However, the passing down of wisdom and experience from an expert is still needed. We tend to think of this type of training applies to only certain types of work such as construction but in reality, training and developing employees can reap benefits in any field. And those benefits are for both the employer and employee.
Why invest in developing your employees? First off, it will grow trusted leaders that will be able to handle the business if you are not available or need to take some time off. Second, an employee who is growing and feeling an integral part of the company will be encouraged to stay in the job. This in itself can save money as we know how expensive employee turnover can be. Thirdly, you can become an employer of choice which in turn brings high-quality employees. We all know establishments that are great places to work and get started in a career. Why not be one of those. Once the word gets out that your company is a great place to work, you will have the pick of choice talent. Providing self-development for every employee is a great job benefit. Some examples are, sending employees to business-related training, providing some education assistance is, or setting up mentoring programs. Mentors can come internally or externally.
You might say, I’m just a small establishment with simple work. How and in what can I develop my employees? They can learn from you how to work hard and have good ethics. Develop in them important customer service skills that will help in any job. Employees can learn the right way to deal with confrontation and the unhappy customer. Many soft skills need to be demonstrated.
Developing others is a great way to pass on your legacy. One of the questions asked in Emotional Intelligence coaching is to name individuals that made a difference in your life or career. Why not become one of those remembered. We never know who will emerge as the next great leader in business. Think how gratifying it would be to hear that they got their start, at your business.
Ted Saul is a business coach that assists with Business Plans and Project Management. He earned his MBA from Regis University along with a Masters degree in project management. He is also ITIL 4.0 certified. Ted can be reached on LinkedIn or by emailing TedSaulbiz@gmail.com.
