Staff Training - 'Every Little Helps'

Good employees are the greatest asset for any organisation and to invest in them provides a definite return on investment, adding value to the company as a whole. Sarah Alsop head of operations at leading global recruiters Source People discusses how companies like McDonald's are 'supersizing' their workforce through professional development.

April 11 2008 - There are already significant numbers of companies that have recognised the rewards in utilising employee training, McDonald's, Flybe and Network Rail to name a few. One such company that can demonstrate the benefits is Tesco, the supermarket claims it was the first British retailer to make the grade and have its in-house training accredited by the Qualification and Curriculum Authority and run an in-house NVQ-accredited apprenticeship scheme for hundreds of employees each year.

"Tesco is a good case study for the benefits of investing in your staff through professional development and training. Sir Terry Leahy, the supermarket's chief executive, was recently quoted as saying 'We're not doing it at Tesco because it makes us feel good. Among apprentices we have higher employee satisfaction levels, which leads to higher retention levels and an increase in staff performance'.

"In-house SVQ/NVQ's can be custom built in order to coincide with an individual company,s culture and can be geared towards specifically fulfilling their business objectives - it is a way for companies to demonstrate their high level of service, dedication and commitment to their industry" commented Sarah.

As well as being rewarding for the organisation, the advantages are plentiful for employees too. Sarah continues: "Employees who feel they are able to add value to the company through their new skills and knowledge will feel appreciated and motivated to excel. By investing in your employees, you are making them feel a valued member of the team.

"Increasingly at Source we are interviewing candidates that list professional development as an important job benefit and on some occasions can be a deciding factor in whether they move from one company to another. We are certainly seeing a noted increase in the number of oil and gas clients that are investing into in-house qualifications and focused skills development programs are becoming the norm."

A recent Recruitment, Retention and Turnover survey published by the Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD) found 30% of the organisations stated 'a lack of career and development opportunities' as the main reason for high employee turnover within their company. Showing dedication to the training of employees can make a big difference to motivation levels and ultimately staff retention. In a time of skills shortage, investing in the continuous development of your people is likely to result in greater business success.

Source specialise in recruiting for the finance, legal, HR and engineering markets within the global oil and gas industry. To find out more visit the website www.source-people.com.

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