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All employers know that building a strong workforce requires ongoing training for staff and management to maintain that top-tier productivity.
And it’s up to the leaders of a company to always assess the effectiveness of their strategies, as well as any skill gaps of staff.
If you add to this the ever-changing work landscape, which created by updating technology and competition going global, you’ve got a real challenge on your hands.
Many businesses are starting to realise that a high-performance workplace is only as good as its employees and the skills they bring to the table. As a result, they’re investing the time and energy into training. But what areas are most important to the modern workplace?
TAFE Enterprise conducted a survey of managers from more than 400 businesses with 100 or more employees in a range of industries to compile its Skills And Australian Business Report 2018 and find the answer.
Technical skills
A full 49% of respondents to the survey realised that training in technical skills — like data analysis, programming or the latest research techniques specific to your industry — is crucial to their company’s productivity.
The ability for individual staff members to have up-to-date technical skills means they can gather meaningful insight on their own work and make improvements with autonomy.
IT skills
Yes, IT skills do fall under technical skills, but 38% of responders feel they are important enough to get their own category.
Investing in the necessary IT training for your staff to keep up with technological advancements and programs keeps the entire workforce up to date and able to smoothly transition through change. Plus you avoid the need to keep hiring new ‘experts’ in different programs.
Management & leadership
Coming in just behind technical skills in importance is management and leadership training, with 47% of employers focusing their staff training in this area.
This is a reflection on the rising demand for soft skills and includes things like teamwork, written and verbal communication, adaptability and problem-solving. It’s these soft skills that make an employee adaptable and willing to learn.
How do you train for these real-world skills that are often hard to measure in the same way as hard skills? You find training by industry experts who have the time to deliver on-the-job lessons and the flexibility to do so on or off-site with a customised program for your own strategies.
Customer service
Despite a recognition of the ever-increasing demand from customers for a better experience, only 19% of respondents feel customer service is a key focus of training.
Competition is fierce, especially with increasing globalisation. The rising expectations of this customer centricity places pressure on organisations to raise customer service standards
Ensuring your staff are equipped with the right skills to keep the customer happy will result in growing profitability for your company.
How to train staff
Despite so many businesses being willing to invest in training for their staff, nearly half of employers surveyed rated their own training as less than effective.
According to the survey, about 35% of skills required for jobs in all industries are expected to change in the next few years, so it’s time to start looking for a better option.
Time-poor managers need to look for customised training programs that align with their key business priorities. One size does not fit all here.
You also want to find trainers who have achieved success in their fields, because in the end, nothing beats real-world experience.
Flexibility to fit in with your employees’ work schedules is also essential. It might sound like a lot to find in one place, but TAFE Enterprise has plenty of short courses and micro learnings that are a great way to upskill your team whilst minimising time away from work.
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