Benefits of Providing Continuing Education to Your Employees

Think back to a time when you were on a job and wished you had a certain skill. Maybe that skill would make your job easier, more enjoyable, or more profitable. Whatever the skill might have been, do you wish your employer would have provided you with the tools to learn? Providing continuing education to your employees is an investment in both your employees and your business. You will see this investment come back to you through productivity and efficiency, employee retention, and workplace climate and culture. 

Productivity & Efficiency

When you provide employees with continuing education, you will see an increase in productivity and efficiency. As your employees learn new or improved skills, they will implement them at your business, therefore being more productive and efficient. For example, if an employee is responsible for sending out weekly emails to constituents, they might attend a workshop on automated emails. The new skill will not only make their job easier, but they will also have more room in their schedule for more responsibilities. This will save you time and money in the long run. 

Retention

Employees know continuing education is not free. When they see you are willing to make an investment in them, they will stick around longer. Instead of looking for new employees with the skills you need, consider training your current employees. This will make them feel valued and appreciated. Employees will also take pride in their jobs when they are trusted to learn new skills and experiment with new responsibilities. Who knows, your current employees may have untapped potential waiting to be unlocked with some continuing education. 

Climate & Culture

When employees feel valued and appreciated, the climate and culture of your workplace will improve. With more opportunities, responsibilities, and skills, employees will have less time and reason to complain or create a negative environment. If a new employee is hired, the others will be able to talk about their growth with the company and how much that new employee will be able to learn. This avoids the feeling of being stuck or burnt out. 

When it comes time to analyze your budget and calendar, look for opportunities to include continuing education. Continuing education will improve your company’s productivity and efficiency, employee retention, and your workplace climate and culture. Think back to the time when you wanted to learn that skill, but were never given the opportunity. Give someone that opportunity to grow and shine in your organization.