Your employees are the backbone of your company, as they are responsible for running various departments, such as sales, finance, and human resources. It’s important to build a motivated team, which requires you to invest in their growth and success. However, companies may struggle to attract, develop, and retain top performers in today’s competitive market. Investing in their careers is vital to building a great team, as employees view training as a priority.
Investing in employee development is crucial for a company’s success, for industries and companies of all sizes. According to LinkedIn’s 2018 Workforce Learning Report, 94 percent of employees admitted they would stay at a company longer if it invested in their careers. Consider the following methods of investing in your employees to benefit your company and your team.
Facilitate Frequent Training & Workshops
Employees thrive when equipped with various tools, resources, and extensive knowledge. The best way to help employees perform their best is by facilitating frequent training and workshops. When you arrange frequent training and workshops, you allow the employees to learn more and implement that knowledge at their workplace. This involves training on security, learning to use new software or a new and practical approach to a key task. When employees feel more knowledgeable, they are likely to feel empowered to apply for higher positions in the company and eventually get a promotion or raise.
In addition to building a more productive team, frequent training and workshops may increase employee engagement and productivity. Encourage group activities that allow employees to get familiar with their team members, as this can improve communication and collaboration.
Provide Mentorship Opportunities
Mentoring is a longstanding technique for developing in-house talent, allowing employees to gain knowledge and develop their skills. A study found that 97 percent of individuals with a mentor say they find the experience valuable, but only 37 percent of professionals have a mentor. When employees feel that they can learn from higher authorities, they may feel more confident about their positions in the company.
You can provide mentorship opportunities for new and existing employees by allowing them to shadow executives or rotate to different departments. A key factor here is to teach managers how to respond to requests for help and practice how they can offer guidance. A membership program can help employees gain leadership skills and grow in their field, as they will likely feel more confident after shadowing a mentor.
Mentorship programs can be formal and structured or casual and take place one-on-one or on a group basis. Consider how you can implement a mentorship program to find one that best works for your organization.
Address Staffing Challenges
Your team cannot perform to its maximum potential if they are overwhelmed with too many tasks. If your employees feel like they are being overworked, they are less likely to feel valued in the company. An effective way to ensure an appropriate workload among employees is by addressing staffing challenges. When you invest in adding new members to the team, your current employees are likely to feel more satisfied with their job.
When hiring new employees, invest in the process to ensure that the onboarding process is seamless. Work with an experienced recruitment agency like IQ PARTNERS to guarantee a smooth hiring and onboarding process. Their qualified team of specialists can help you find the right applicant for the role and enhance the onboarding process.
Investing in onboarding is crucial for your company’s success, as it helps new employees acclimate to their new work environment, become productive contributors, and integrate into the company culture. Some practical ways to onboard a new employee involve creating an employee playbook, matching them with a mentor, offering helpful training sessions, and asking for feedback.
Encourage Participation in Networking Events
Encouraging employees to participate in networking events can help them feel more confident. Making new connections opens the door to learning opportunities and makes them feel more confident in the workplace. Building connections with other professionals also helps your team feel recognized and create better connections with other employees. Employee engagement can boost collaboration and improve employee engagement, resulting in 22 percent higher productivity.
Large, expensive, on-site events aren’t the only way to encourage networking. You can also offer live webinars and online seminars for professional skill-building. This will foster a learning environment and allow employees to walk away with resources to help them perform their key workplace tasks better.
Your employees play a crucial role in your company’s growth, reputation, and overall success. Investing in your employees to motivate them to do better is essential. Implement some of the methods above to build a stronger and more motivated team.
