Why is staff training important?

Staff training is an essential aspect of employment. It enhances individual performance and keeps employees safe. From a business point of view, ensuring staff have received the correct training can also help to reduce the cost of insurance policies. It also helps to make sure your business is complying with employment law.

In this article, we take a detailed look at what staff training is and what is required by law. We will also dive into the reasons employee training is so important and look at some of the key benefits it can bring.

What employee training is required by law?

There is no universal list of training modules that must, by law, be provided. However, businesses should focus on adhering to specific training requirements. If these requirements are not upheld, the employer could be liable. For this reason, it is in the best interests of the employer to provide any training that is relevant in their employee’s line of work.

All businesses in the UK must adhere to two main health and safety acts. These are the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. The first piece of legislation states all employers should provide any information, training or instruction that they deem fit. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 expands on this and identifies situations where training is especially important. For example, it specifies health and safety training is required when a person first starts a new job.

More specific health and safety training regulations may also apply to your employees. However, this will depend on the industry your business is in. This may include specific training requirements regarding food hygiene if you are a caterer, for example.

Interestingly, few training regulations are written into employment law. Instead, businesses have the discretion to implement training as they see fit. However, employers should comply with these regulations wherever possible. Failing to provide adequate training can result in costly accidents that are likely to be far more expensive than the cost of training. Oversights in training could also void certain health and safety insurance policies you may hold.

Why is staff training and development important?

In many respects, employees are a company’s biggest asset. For this reason, investing in their training and development is vital to business success. Below we outline the main benefits of staff training.

What are the benefits of staff training?

1. Retains employees

As the job market becomes more crowded, retention is more of a challenge for businesses. Strong employees are more likely to remain in their jobs if staff training and development is a central part of a business’ culture. Training programmes can also be tied in with internal career development opportunities. This can give employees an enhanced sense of value and help to foster loyalty.

2. Reduces insurance premiums

Properly implemented staff training can lead to lower insurance premiums. This is because, in the eyes of your insurer, well trained staff are likely to be safer. From personal accident insurance to employers’ liability insurance, business insurance policies of all kinds can be brought down by the introduction of better staff training.

3. Boosts employee performance

Training can locate and fill skills gaps employees may have. It can lead to improved skill sets, deeper knowledge banks, broader key competencies, and more efficient processes. With the right training in place, businesses can boost company-wide performance.

4. Increases productivity

Good productivity is vital when it comes to profitability. Through training, businesses can produce a more skilled workforce that operates more efficiently. By providing soft skill training, processes can be streamlined further still. This may include delegation and time management training.

5. Improves employee engagement

A high level of employee engagement can also lead to increased profits. According to Gallup, businesses with a high rate of engagement are 23% more profitable. Similarly, employees who believe they have time to learn at work are 3.5 times more likely to be engaged. This suggests better training opportunities can contribute to a higher engagement level.

6. Increases employee morale

Employees that have access to good training and development programmes are likely to feel more satisfied in their role. Training brings with it a sense of security and increased value. In turn, this can boost morale and harbour a positive working environment.

Staff training can be provided in a number of ways, from induction training to development upskilling. It can lead to increased performance and a stronger retention of staff. As discussed above, it can even help to lower insurance premiums. For these reasons, it makes sense for businesses to offer relevant training and development wherever possible.