Training Trends
News Headlines
- Are there any part-time team members who may want to work more hours or have the potential to shift to a full-time position?
- Are there any team members with an especially strong skill set or capability, that can be applied in a new way?
- Are there any team members whose scope of work could be expanded, based on their skill sets or interests?
- Is there any benefit in merging the efforts of two teams that have historically worked separately, into one?
- Is there an opportunity to cross-train team members, so that more people can pitch in and help out with various roles and responsibilities when there are gaps to fill?
- Who should be considered for a promotion?
- What are some new, creative ways the company can back-fill entry level positions, as team members are promoted?
- What kinds of training and professional development opportunities could pave the way for success and growth, for both people and the company as a whole?
By: Leonardo McClarty, President and Chief Executive Officer, Howard County Chamber of Commerce
The workforce is complex these days. Companies are facing ongoing staffing shortages. Retention is difficult. Turnover rates are high. So, business owners and managers are getting creative in thinking about new ways to build and grow their companies. In many cases, they are finding the answers they need by taking a different and closer look at the people who are already standing around them. Sometimes the best recruitment efforts can take place, inside the walls of your own company.
Some key questions to ask yourself:
We’ve applied answers to some of these questions right here in the Howard County Chamber of Commerce office. We are a small team of six, and everyone has very specific, concentrated roles. However, our experience during COVID has taught us about the importance of being nimble, flexible, and adaptable. There have been times when every person in our office had to step out of the comfort zone to pick a project for another member of the team who was out ill, or to support a special initiative that was different but necessary, in line with these challenging times.
Through my conversations with many local business owners, I know for sure that many have, and still are, experiencing similar changes and transitions. At the end of the day, most are focused on three things: creating a positive work environment for their staff, meeting the needs of their customers, and putting the right strategies and processes in place to grow their businesses. The reality is that all three goals can be accomplished by considering answers to the questions above, and working to build a team from within.
One final point: there is tremendous value in investing in training and ongoing professional development opportunities for your team, especially as staff members are transitioning to different roles and moving into management-level position. Training is often the first thing to be cut from a budget, when difficult decisions need to be made. But I believe it’s actually one of the last line items that should be cut. It is so important for companies to give their people the knowledge, resources, and tools to continuously learn and grow. These are the things that earn loyalty and a deeper level of commitment, which typically translates to higher levels of productivity, and a new reason for people to stay.