Training employees is a critical part of management at most
businesses. Even the best qualified or most experienced new hires will need to
become accustomed to the practices and expectations of a business. Training is
also important for experienced employees to adapt to policy or product changes
and improve employee motivation. Understanding some of the objectives of
employee training is critical to help develop an effective training program.
Career Development
Among the most important objectives of training employees is
the opportunity for career development and personal employee growth. As
employees acquire new skills and abilities, they develop the potential to move
up within the company and replace employees that may leave or retire. To
maximize career development, managers often have to take an active role in the
process. According to the University of California, San Francisco's Guide to
Managing Human Resources, "since career development is an ongoing, dynamic
process, employees may need encouragement and support in reviewing and
re-assessing their goals and activities."
Maximizing
Productivity
Training is important to ensure business productivity and
growth. Highly skilled employees are more likely to have the abilities and
experience to efficiently execute projects and deliver value for customers. In
some cases, this objective underlies efforts to get employees up to speed with
recently developed technology. In addition, training for productivity is often
an effective way to prevent and address ongoing performance challenges, without
losing the prior investment the business has made in the employee.
Improving Motivation
According to CliffsNotes, "many people incorrectly view
motivation as a personal trait—that is, some people have it, and others
don't." In reality, motivation is probably only partially innate: it is
also quality that can be learned and unlearned. One of the objectives of
training is also to foster and retain motivated employees and provide them with
the tools to take on new responsibilities. With this in mind, it is also
important to remember that motivation cannot be developed by training alone,
and some employees may be harder than others to motivate.
Maintaining Safety
and Compliance
Employee training is often motivated by workplace
regulations. Employees must be kept up to date in the regulatory requirements
of their industry. Occupational health and safety regulations mandate that
employees receive regular training courses on practices and precautions that
prevent accidents or quality control failures. In addition, employees in some
fields may be required to receive regular certifications for skills such as
cardiopulmonary resuscitation or liquor service practices. Businesses are often
held responsible for accidents and failure to meet regulatory training
requirements.
SOURCE:
http://www.ehow.com/info_12018400_key-objectives-training-employees.html
