It's not always financially feasible to invest in external training for all your staff. Read our tips on how to train your staff effectively without a huge layout.
- Carry out training needs analyses to assess the skills levels in your business.
- Ask your staff what they consider their training needs to be - they are well placed to know what skills they need to develop.
- Determine what is essential training and what might be seen as a luxury - perhaps some areas of your business need more attention than others?
- Set out your training objectives in a plan, allocate a budget and make sure your objectives are SMART - specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based.
- Share the skills you already have in your business - for example, senior staff could provide coaching or mentoring, and new recruits could shadow more experienced colleagues.
- Be prepared to outsource some training if you lack in-house resources or know-how.
- Apply rigorous criteria when choosing external training providers - look for accredited-trainers and check if providers have worked with businesses of your size and in your sector before.
- Consider cutting costs by focusing your training on key individuals - for example, if you send managers on courses they can relay information back to team members.
- Look at flexible training options which can minimise disruption to your routine - there are many opportunities for online learning as well as distance learning packages.
- Find free advice and training - make the most of available government support as well as that from professional and trade bodies.
- Review your training programme to ensure it is meeting your objectives and you are getting value for money. Evaluation methods might include the use of staff questionnaires and staff appraisals.