In today’s economy, spending your resources on employee training and new technology might not be at the top of your priority list as a business owner.

But did you know that employee training is one way to ensure employee retention?

According to a post on Lorman’s website, “74% of employees are willing to learn new skills or even go through a retraining program in order to remain employable.”

Employer Expense or Investment? 

According to Forbes, employee training is often viewed as a company expense. When viewed in this way, training is not seen as a means to retain employees, which ultimately costs less than the rehiring process.

This short-sighted mindset only hurts the company in the long run.

According to The Washington Post, employers should consider just how expensive the rehiring process is. 

From interviewing and onboarding to training and development, the costs can add up quickly. Not to mention, “high turnover is associated with loss of productivity, customer service issues, impact on company culture, and lower engagement,” the article states.

In addition, Lorman’s website states that “companies with unsatisfactory onboarding processes are twice as likely to experience employee turnover when compared to companies with more comprehensive training.”

Retaining employees greatly reduces or eliminates these costs. When your employees’ productivity and quality of work increases, so too can your profits.

Adopting new technologies can empower your employees and your business to thrive. By fostering a culture of continuous learning, providing a supportive environment, and tailoring training programs, organizations can effectively equip employees with the skills they need. 

Investing in Your Employees

OK, so you’ve decided that investing in training, technology, and resources will pay off in the long run. How do you go about implementing these changes?

First, recognize the obstacles that you face. Acknowledge that administering new technologies may require employees to adjust their mindset. Employees may be afraid of making mistakes or feel hesitant to change. Help them feel more comfortable by creating a welcoming environment where making errors is accepted as a necessary part of learning.

Take note of your employees’ individual ways of learning. Some may benefit from visual aids, step-by-step directions, one-on-one training, group training sessions, or a more hands-on approach. 

Next, promote learning. Create customized training plans. Adapt training plans to meet the needs of various learners. Provide options such as online lessons, self-paced learning modules, group workshops, and one-on-one sessions.

First things first, start with what you know. Build confidence gradually before introducing more advanced tools and training.

Provide opportunities for hands-on training. Encourage experimentation and exploration in a safe environment where mistakes can be corrected without consequence.

Provide clear instructions. When introducing new technical concepts, use simple, jargon-free language. Break down tasks into manageable steps and supplement with illustrations or examples to enhance understanding.

Promote teamwork. Foster a culture of peer support where employees can learn from colleagues who are already proficient in a specific technology. Peer mentoring can often be less intimidating and highly effective compared to formal training sessions.

Provide frequent assessments and constructive feedback to track progress. Recognize and celebrate achievements to boost motivation and reinforce learning.

Creating A Positive Work Environment

While employee training is essential, it’s not the only factor that plays a role in retention. 

A study done by Harvard Business Review (HBR) found that while 41% of workers are contemplating quitting their job, 59% are not. 

At surface level, this seems obvious. But HBR took it one step further. They investigated why the 59% of people who are not thinking about quitting are staying in their positions. They found that the businesses who were keeping their employees had one common practice: they humanized the workforce. 

Different departments displayed this differently, but some examples include creating a workplace culture, both virtual and in-person and emotionally engaging in one-on-one meetings rather than focusing only on work-related items.

What does “humanizing the workforce” look like?

“You can’t fix what you don’t know is broken,” said On Your Mark Transportation’s President and CEO Mark Szyperski. “Take the time to listen to your employees and really hear their concerns and fears.”

Highlight the benefits of implementing new technology. Emphasize the personal and professional benefits your employees will gain from mastering new skills. Showcase opportunities for career advancement, expanded skill sets, and increased efficiency.

Practice empathy and patience. Remind your employees that mistakes will be made while they attempt to master new technology and efficiently implement it within their roles. 

Offer ongoing support beyond initial training. Make resources, help desks, and refresher courses readily available to ensure the transition to the new technology is as seamless as possible.

Adopting new technologies can empower your employees and your business to thrive. 

By fostering a culture of continuous learning, providing a supportive environment, and tailoring training programs, organizations can effectively equip employees with the skills they need. 

Embrace the challenge of mastering new technologies and equip your staff with the tools for success.

According to a study published by the National Institute of Health, positive work environments promote employee commitment. 

And, employee commitment can help enhance the performance of employees, the study states, because employees show a higher level of performance when they are committed to their employer. 

“Similarly, employees with higher achievement-striving ability tend to show a higher level of task performance even in difficult situations,” the study concludes. “Further it can be endorsed that motivational activities in organizational cultures are triggered under social exchanges, and positive behaviors at workplace are promoted in shape of employee commitment. This increased commitment can result in enhanced and improved individual and organizational performance.”

Retraining employees to develop professional skills while fostering a workplace that promotes human connections are the leading forces in promoting employee retention. These should work together to ensure that employees are satisfied with their management, stay sharp with their skills and contribute to the long-term success of their employer. 

In turn, the company will save money, with less onboarding training costs and increased revenue through a more efficient workforce.

Amy Nixon is a writer for On Your Mark Transportation LLC