Just like other business owners in other industries, MSP owners are oftentimes conflicted about training employees. While providing employees with training programs seems like the right thing to do from a business standpoint, some employers avoid improving employee development — but why?
You would think small business owners would want to train their employees (for instance, why wouldn’t you want a more tech-savvy workforce?), but that’s not always the case, even though there’s evidently a growing skills gap in today’s modern workforce.
Eighty-three percent of talent development professionals report a skills gap in their organizations, according to a whitepaper released by the Association for Talent Development’s (ATD) Public Policy Advisory Group.
This skills gap isn’t going away anytime soon. The survey also found that 78 percent of respondents expect their organizations will have a skills gap in the future.
To bridge the skills gap, some businesses are investing in their employees by providing training and development programs, but this approach can backfire; sometimes, employees leave for better opportunities, bringing their newly acquired skills with them — so what should MSPs consider?
There’s Always an Excuse Not to Do Something, so Just Do It
Employee training and development is a two-way street. For both parties to get the most from the mutually beneficial transaction, employees and employers must be willing to devote time, resources and money, even when there’s more at stake.
Many employees avoid training opportunities for a variety of reasons, including heavy workloads and time constraints, but to excel in their roles and acquire new skills — employees must commit whatever time they have to professional development, especially if employers provide development programs. This dedication can increase not only their value but your company’s worth.
The same goes for employers. Some view training and development programs for employees as a waste of time and money pits. Instead of recognizing the long-term benefits of training, some employers pass on opportunities to improve employee performance. Many small business owners dismiss calls for training and development from their employees mostly out of fear.
One of the biggest fears employers have is employees leaving after completing training. While this may happen from time to time, the positives outweigh the negatives, so it’s well worth taking the risk. Plus, providing your employees with training and development opportunities is the right thing to do.
As a Business Owner, It’s Your Responsibility To Train Your Employees
When your employees are ready — and even when they’re not — it’s your responsibility as a business owner to educate and train them; you do this to not only improve the lives of your employees but increase your company’s value.
It’s a win-win deal for you and your employees. When your employees are well versed in their respective fields, they acquire skills they can use wherever they go, and your business flourishes. Of course, that’s the best-case scenario.
The worst-case scenario is your employees leave after completing their training programs. While this fear is valid, it’s not a good enough excuse to deny employees opportunities to improve themselves.
If you do shut down training opportunities for your employees, they’re more likely to look elsewhere.
This Is How You Prevent Employees From Leaving You
It’s simple: Create a company culture where employees never want to leave. That’s how you prevent employees from leaving you after fulfilling mandatory training requirements.
You don’t want your employees looking at training as a way out; instead, get them to view training as the path to moving up in your organization by maintaining an employee-centric environment.
Not providing employees training out of fear is selfish (and it will backfire down the road). By putting your employees first, you improve the chances of them staying with you. The more you do for them, the more likely they will look for reasons to stay instead of reasons to leave.
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