Albert Einstein once said, “Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death.” Learning therefore should be an individual’s lifelong pursuit of knowledge, either for personal or professional reasons. Choosing which company to join is a critical decision to make. An individual who is looking for work stability and long-term employment should consider the culture of the company and its continuous training and development program offerings. An organization should not just be an institution that can compensate employees generously, but also allow career growth, and offer learning and development (L&D) courses, corporate training, as well as leadership training.
Focus on employees should not stop after a month of onboarding and training. Companies should invest in their talents as they are very vital to sustain business growth and success. Employee development should be a continuous effort to strengthen work performance. Bob Nelson, author of 1001 Ways to Engage Employees, reports that learning and development courses are among the top factors in employee engagement. These courses are essential to the success of any business. Not only do these offer opportunities for employees to improve their skills and widen their knowledge, but also for employers to enhance employee productivity and improve company culture. This way, employers will be able to reduce employee attrition.
The pandemic should not hinder career growth. I personally applaud companies who pivot well in the implementation of their development programs according to the new normal without foregoing it, totally.
Continuous learning in the workplace is essential as it helps improve employee performance. One of its benefits is getting trained for new responsibilities. Whether it is cross-training to understand multiple roles or moving into new positions, where employees can prepare for additional responsibilities through L&D courses. Corporate training can help employees learn the skills they need in their current roles and introduce leadership skills and knowledge they will need in the future. Secondly, it provides employees an opportunity to learn more about industry and technology updates. It helps them stay up to date on the changes in their industry, especially now when everything is changing fast. Thirdly, it enables employers to help employees build on their strengths, address deficiencies identified in their performance evaluations, and improve soft skills that are essential in adapting to workplace and societal changes.
Another area where the value of learning and development can be seen is employee productivity. It has been recognized that employees who take part in effective L&D programs work more efficiently. It also helps lessen employee turnover. Regularly providing impactful training and development opportunities improves employee motivation and job satisfaction and opens up opportunities for advancement and promotion.
Lastly, L&D improves company culture as it helps attract and retain talents, boosts employee morale, helps employees feel recognized, embraces individual values, provides a path for improvement, reduces the need for constant supervision and enhances company reputation.
There are a lot of values we can get from learning and development courses, which both employers and employees should take advantage of. Therefore, we should never stop learning to keep up and stay ahead in this changing world.
To learn more about how your company can benefit from corporate learning services such as leadership programs, executive coaching, and more – please visit The John Clements Leadership Institute.
