Employee training provides benefits to not only the individual but also the business, helping your restoration company to continue running effectively. However, once you run initial job training, such as with a new employee, is there a need for further training investment?
Training, especially ongoing training, is a crucial area for debate in many restoration company boardrooms. However, several reasons suggest that initial training should only be the first step of longer-term professional development. An investment in regular technical training will effectively increase the company’s bottom line.
A restoration business should never stand still. The development of your workers should always be noticed, who are the critical asset in driving a restoration business forward. The emergency technicians’ regular technical training is essential in helping this ongoing skill development. Though, this can often concern business owners due to its ongoing cost. However, if you look past this, there are several important reasons why ongoing technician training can benefit the business and should therefore be prioritized. A quality training plan will also show your return on investment within your balance sheet!
Let’s look at the ten benefits of ongoing technical training and development:
#1 Industry Changes
The damage repair industry is constantly changing, so a business must continuously develop and fine-tune when necessary to avoid being left behind. It’s also essential to ensure your business complies with the industry standards and regulations, which can be achieved through ongoing training and ensuring your workers’ skills and knowledge are current.
#2 Latest Technology Innovations
New technology is constantly being developed for the restorer, so running a yearly training session is not sufficient. Frequent technical training will ensure that workers are comfortable using the latest technology to its full potential.
#3 Stay Competitive
Restorers are constantly looking for a competitive edge to remain the market leader in their service area. Advancing the technical knowledge of your workers will enhance business operations and lead to a better claims experience for your client and adjuster.
#4 Identify Skill Gaps
A business can recognize gaps in the field and proficiency disparities among the current workers through routine training. Skill gaps will inevitably hit your business. By identifying these gaps early, there is time to train workers in these essential areas so they can fulfill the role successfully.
#5 Maintain Knowledge and Skill
While early training is provided to new technicians and other employees as part of their continuing professional development, structured training programs can be established to develop and improve the skills of your workers. When a new worker joins your company, it’s vital to provide them with training specific to their role and responsibilities. To retain knowledge, skills need to be practiced consistently so they aren’t overlooked or forgotten.
#6 Develop Employee Skills
Providing training programs for your workers reveals the company’s eagerness to invest in their success and growth. Self-confidence, productivity, and employee retention improve when workers believe the company invests in their professional development. In addition, as you provide ongoing training opportunities, workers learn new skills, develop existing ones, and take on greater responsibilities, providing a win-win situation for the organization.
#7 Incentives to Learn
If training is provided as part of a company’s career development program, workers will be more motivated to learn, participate in the training, and put their new skills into practical use. Allowing employees to expand their knowledge and skills boosts productivity and staff optimism.
#8 Job Satisfaction
Because of a constant training investment from the company, workers have a greater feeling of job satisfaction, which can expand their enthusiasm towards their work. This typically reduces employee turnover and increases productivity, directly improving profitability. Offering training incentives helps prevent competitors from poaching your best workers.
#9 Promotion Opportunities
Employing new workers involves high recruitment costs. Still, with continuing training, your existing employees can become more qualified for internal promotions. Unlike new or inexperienced workers, you can ensure they have comprehensive knowledge of your business, the appropriate skill set, and people you can count on.
#10 Attract New Talent
All businesses want to have the best employees, so ongoing training will not only mean better worker retention, but the business may also attract better talent from the start, as this gives the company a good image and is a key feature many people look for within their job search.
As you can see, ongoing training is essential not just to worker development but also affects the success of your business. Your current and future workers will surely gauge company training programs not only for the pertinency in doing their job but also for the effectiveness in advancing their career opportunities. By investing in quality formalized technical training, your business can make a tangible and measurable impact in the lives of your workers and clients. I’ll leave with one of my favorite quotes “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to” – Sir Richard Branson.
Lorne McIntyre is a veteran of the cleaning and restoration industry with more than 30 years’ experience. 
