For fresh graduates, the next big step to take is to look for a job. However, many individuals face a huge skills gap between college and the actual work environment. According to a 2016 survey, 44% of hiring managers and recruiters reported that writing skill was the most lacking among these fresh graduates.
The thing is, this doesn’t exactly translate to having a crisis of literacy. The real issue here is that the writing skills required from students in college aren’t exactly the same as the demands in an office job. Sad but true!
The problem is that professional development training is often overlooked and underappreciated. In fact, it’s one of the first things that get slashed when a company is on a tight budget.
Professional Development Training: What It Means to Your Company
Let’s face it: Training your employees is not only time-consuming, but is also expensive!
But despite the potential drawbacks, offering professional development training will give your employees the opportunity to perform better and prepares them for more challenging tasks ahead. It’s also a way for you to retain your best workers and discover future leaders. Below are some benefits you’ll realize if you take the initiative to train your employees to write professionally:
1) It addresses weaknesses.
A lot of employees have some weaknesses to overcome and, in many cases, it can be their writing skills that need improvement. By providing a training program, you allow them to strengthen their writing skills and bring them to a higher level of competence. And by letting your workforce have similar knowledge and skill sets, you’re reducing weak links within your company, especially those who tend to rely heavily on the skills of others in order to accomplish writing tasks.
Conducting regular training programs for your employees foster a skilled staff that can take over for each other whenever needed, work as a team, or work independently without constantly seeking assistance and supervision from others.
2) It improves the collective knowledge of your staff.
Inspiring and encouraging your employees to train in relevant writing courses or programs can greatly boost workplace productivity. This can be especially beneficial to you if your employees belong to different backgrounds and levels of experience. By sharing new knowledge and information, you can significantly boost your staff’s overall expertise in writing.
If company funds allow it, consider supporting your employees’ continuing education by covering costs of writing workshops, seminars, and/or courses. You can also offer tuition reimbursement, or by simply allowing them to participate in educational webinars during work hours. Paying for professional development is a simple but valuable way to help them develop their skills in writing.
3) It boosts productivity and adherence to quality.
This doesn’t just apply to training your employees to write professionally. It’s a no-brainer, but companies that implement professional development training for their employees usually see an advance in overall workplace productivity.
An increase in your employees’ efficiency in writing processes ensures project success. This, in turn, contributes to the improvement of the company’s turnover and potential market share.
4) It improves employee performance and morale.
Investing in training not only creates a supportive work environment, it also shows that you value your employees. When employees feel appreciated, they feel a sense of satisfaction towards their job which in turn, allows them to perform better at work. Training an employee to be better at writing also builds confidence because they get to have a stronger understanding of their responsibilities at work. It’s a win-win situation!
Most of today’s employees constantly look for growth opportunities. If they’re not satisfied with their current job, they’re more likely to change employers and move to one that allows them to improve their craft. With that said, providing continuous training to your employees will allow them to be on the cutting edge of professional development. Those who are competent and on top of their game can help your company become a leader and a strong competitor in the industry you are in.
5) It enhances your company’s reputation.
With strong, successful, and continuous training, you can develop your employer brand and make your company a top choice for fresh graduates and mid-career changes. This also makes your company a prime consideration for those who seek to improve their writing skills, as well as opportunities associated with it.
Remember that training can be of any kind, as long as they’re relevant to your company or the responsibilities of your employees. It can also be delivered by any appropriate method or strategy, like on-the-job training, in-house learning, mentoring, etc.
The importance of training your employees – both new and experienced – to write professionally, cannot be emphasized enough. As you can see, training both the employee and the company as a whole comes with a whole lot of benefits that make time and money a worthwhile investment. Does your company offer employee training benefits? Let us know!
About the writer: Carol Duke works as an editor at IHateWritingEssays writing services reviews, an excellent source to find writing help and inspiration. She is very keen on teaching students new, effective ways of learning. When not freelancing and blogging on HR-related matters, Carol enjoys traveling, taking immense pleasure from visiting new countries.
