Advantages and Disadvantages of Employee Training

To put it in the simplest words possible, you see, employee training is a stage wherein companies give their workers the skills and knowledge they need to make their company or organization run smoothly. And if you are wondering like what it is all about, well, you should know that it actually includes a bunch of things like learning new tools, improving the existing skills, or preparing the staff for future tasks of the organization. All in all, you can say that it tries to promote the main force and the right people through the implementation of the newest methods and tools as well as the update of the actual ones. And it is often seen that to ensure that the workers have the capability and willingness in the job, organizational leaders need to put a proper training program in place. This is how it works. Let’s explore merits and demerits of Employee Training:

Advantages of Employee Training

1. Of Course, Boosts Employee Performance

Just so you know, employee training is nothing but a process where employees are given the required knowledge and skills to perform their jobs even better, you know? Want an example? Well, for instance, effective training could make an employee make fewer mistakes and accomplish the tasks in their job sector more efficiently with necessary modern equipment. That’s boosted performance right there.

2. Keeps Employees Around Longer

See, it really is a case that when an employee feels like he/she is actually needed for the job, they are likely to stay with the organization or business for the long term. That’s how it is. This can mean savings in costs and a reduction in the amount of time and productivity that would otherwise be required to go through the expenses of bringing in new employees and training them from scratch. That’s just a headache, to be honest.

3. Good For Preparing Future Leaders

A single person can’t just hold onto a title or job posting for eternity, they’d have to retire at some point in time, right? Well, that’s why it is super important for organizations and companies to prepare new leaders who’ll eventually play a part in running the company/organization. And that’s what employee training does, you know?

4. Better For Engagement and Morale

See, when employees are regularly trained, they feel more engaged and excited about their work, and why shouldn’t they? The training provides new challenges and learning opportunities that can keep them from getting bored or dissatisfied, you know? And yes, it’s true that when employees are confident in their work, they become happier and more satisfied, and this can create a more positive atmosphere in a corporation.

5. Keeps Up with Industry Changes

Without a doubt, industries and technologies are changing every day and continuous training courses offer employees the opportunity to be aware of those changes, no matter what. There may be new software, new regulations, or new tendencies but with the help of training, the employees are able to get the knowledge that they need and adapt to their industry.

6. Strengthens Company Culture, But How?

Training can also enhance a good organizational culture by encouraging core values, such as teamwork, diversity, and a continual improvement mindset, you know? When a worker receives training on these elements, he/she becomes more aligned with the company’s goals and objectives resulting in a more connected and positive work life, which is simply what attracts more and more talent to a particular company, business, or organization out there.

Disadvantages of Employee Training

1. It Can Be Pricey

Cost is one of the main disadvantages of employee training programs, and how’s that? Well, it is quite expensive, if not more, to initiate and execute training sessions internally or externally. By paying for the trainers and training materials as well as making new content for training it sure becomes pricey. And yes, the time employees spend in training instead of on their daily tasks is yet another cost that can reduce productivity, so these indirect costs can be quite high as well.

2. Temporary Productivity Dip

Individuals who move to training are the least productive ones as they miss out on their direct tasks, you know? Notably, teams or businesses with fewer employees where each worker’s contribution is important are affected most. Sure, the long-term benefits of training can outweigh the short-term challenges overcoming will be a major issue for small firms​.

3. Risk of Losing Talent

After gaining some new skills through training, employees become more valuable to other companies, and you should be aware of that. This may result in a company that has invested in an employee’s professional development watching that employee shift to another better offer the following day, you know?

4. Not All Training Is Equal

See, if training is not relevant or well-designed for the job’s requirements, it can be less effective and even counterproductive. And sure, a bad run on training can result in a lot of employee annoyance, they may feel that they are wasting their time and it may also bring about no financial returns to the company​.

5. Some Employees Might Resist

As some wise man once said, change is hard, and people don’t like change. And that’s somewhat true when it comes to employee training as well. How? Well, it could be that some employees in your company are too hesitant about the entire training program, and that’s how it is. And just so you know, to get past this issue, careful planning and communication are literally the keys that should ensure employees are aware of the training’s benefits and that they feel they are supported in the learning process.

Comparison Table for Advantages and Disadvantages of Employee Training