If you want to be considered a top employer, improve employee retention rates, and boost overall employee morale, you need to embrace ongoing professional development. Promoting both personal and professional development is strategic and supportive. It’s a win-win situation for both you and your employees.
Here are 10 ways to foster a learning environment:
1. Always share opportunities with your employees. Post a list of upcoming training and certification events. Although most employees find ongoing education important, far too miss out for simply not knowing about opportunities.
2. Provide in-house training. The benefits of internal training are too numerous to count. Your team learns new skills while also participating in a collaborative team-building activity. This creates a rippling effect that breeds positivity throughout the workplace.
3. Offer a tuition match. Don’t let the cost of education keep your employees from improving their skills. Reduce their financial burden by providing a tuition match program and creating flexible work options for those who choose to participate.
4. Create an in-house library. Make available materials used from past training sessions, industry books, and other types literature in a common area. Encourage your employees to ‘check out’ materials as needed.
5. Assist with career planning. Regularly meet with your employees and discuss the trajectory of their careers. Where do they see themselves in five years? Discuss how you can actively help them meet their goals and what would give them the incentive you exceed them.
6. Allocate a bank of dollars for each employee. Let your team to choose which training opportunities that they find most interesting and worthwhile. It encourages them to actively search new opportunities to further their corporate strategy.
7. Cross-train employees. Not only does cross-training create greater flexibility within your organization, but it also helps employees learn new skills and combat boredom when they’ve completed their daily duties.
8. Discuss education yearly. Budget season is an ideal time to meet with your employees individually to discuss plans for the upcoming year. Review possible opportunities and set aside money to ensure that the plan and the budget are in alignment.
9. Post opportunities for promotion or transfers. Hiring from within is one of the best ways to invest in your top employees. It allows you to develop new leaders and improve retention..
10. Create a mentor program. Let your employees help one another by taking an active role in sharing knowledge through mentoring. It develops individuals and improves leadership skills.