The modern workplace is continuously evolving, and so is the job market. As the pandemic pushes unemployment to record lows, job seekers have more options than ever. But hiring new talent is always a challenge, considering the time, money, and effort involved. Thus, it’s not surprising why employers work hard to keep their current employees engaged and happy.
From all the corporate chaos, HR professionals are finding ways to address skills gaps. They encourage employees to learn new skills to advance their careers and use their acquired knowledge to help their employers succeed. Online MBA programs are available for employees who want to pursue postgraduate education while balancing work and family life.
When it comes to company benefits, learning and development are crucial. Employers should invest in innovative programs and tools that provide support and training to avoid career stagnation and address the skills gap. For these reasons, this article will discuss why employee education is a priority in the modern workplace.
Promotes workplace positivity
Employee education is an effective way to promote a positive attitude in the workplace. If implemented well, this gives workers enhanced self-worth and a sense of value towards their careers. In fact, employees are likely to become more confident and assertive if they have a lot to offer in their work.
Organizing training programs also provides opportunities to acquire or develop a new set of skills and knowledge, contributing to increased productivity. Meanwhile, those who feel unmotivated and unfit at work tend to be more apathetic and prone to procrastination, causing a dip in productivity.
Although investing in employee education is quite costly, the results make it worthwhile. There are plenty of advantages in simply encouraging employees to work on their professional knowledge and skills. In fact, many companies today are offering continued education opportunities in their benefits package.
Sadly, not all companies are open to the idea of supporting employees who want to pursue graduate studies. This is because educational perks will only encourage the employee to pursue other careers or transfer to other competitors after obtaining new skills. But, research tells otherwise. The truth is, employees are likely to stay in their jobs if they feel appreciated and empowered.
Enhances productivity, self-esteem, and self-development
No one likes to get stuck at a dead-end job; every person strives for career advancement and professional development. When employees feel they’re contributing something worthwhile to their company, this gives them a boost in their self-esteem.
Employee education encourages self-positivity because people feel more confident if they know they have a lot to offer. The skills and knowledge they acquire also contribute to their personal lives, which results in enhanced work morale and personal satisfaction. For example, an employee taking a foreign language course will help the company interact with international clients and also widen their cultural perspective.
With better knowledge and skills, employees become more productive and equipped to deal with various problems in the workplace. Well-trained workers are capable of extending their responsibilities in other areas, leading to increased productivity.
It’s also worth noting that not all training and development programs lead to immediate results. Sometimes, training also falls short in terms of value. Offering employee education programs is a great way to supplement training initiatives, helping employees towards future success.
So, by offering additional learning opportunities, you’re also investing in your employees’ career advancement, which puts more value on the company. In other words, the more capable and successful your workforce is, the more successful the company will be.
Increases employee retention
As an HR professional, you’re likely aware of the associated costs of employee turnover. Employers are addressing this by investing in employee engagement strategies to keep workers satisfied and happy. But unknown to all, training and development also affect employees’ decision to stay with their current company.
Providing employees education opportunities contributes to employee satisfaction, resulting in decreased turnover and increased company loyalty. Employees today, especially the younger generation, are putting career progress as their top priority when choosing an employer and assessing job opportunities. So if the current employer opens the door to help employees progress professionally, they likely have a lesser urge to search elsewhere.
Remember, hiring new employees is more costly than training an existing one. Current employees serve as long-term assets by giving them the ability to develop skills needed by the company.
Building learning opportunities for employees leads to strong retention, recruitment, and talent development outcomes. It also addresses skills gaps that inspire employees to do better in their own careers. In turn, this offers rewarding results for companies by helping them discover new talent in the workplace.