Making training relevant and ensuring that staff are enthusiastic makes the
training at Swizzels Matlow more effective, said Salt.
“Staff get the chance to do optional units relevant to their role and they are
promoted to a new pay scale when they qualify. You can really feel the
difference walking around. The motivation levels are so much higher.”
Finding the best training suppliers is also important. Skills brokers paid for
by Train to Gain offer a free and impartial service using accredited brokers
that can help firms choose from thousands of providers, said Robin Clarkson,
vice-chairman of the Skills Brokerage Association.
“They act much like a mortgage broker, wading through thousands of products to
find you the best provider and advising on the type of training as well as
the speed, place or method of its delivery,” he said.
“They should help identify what skills are needed to take the business to the
next level of growth and help you find any gaps and weaknesses.”
A skills broker will be a good starting point for some businesses, but it is
not the only way to identify the right training for your company.
Small firms can also learn from their peers. Well-connected firms that share
information with other businesses on the most effective ways to train stand
a better chance of training effectively, said Campbell.
“Sector skills councils, chambers of commerce and trade associations are all
good ways to plug into the right networks. Networking more is a great way to
pick up new ideas and find out what’s working for others.”
Salt agreed that networks were important. “Talk to your sector-skills people
before you use any training providers. Talk to your local university and
discuss how it can tailor its services to your business. It’s something we
do.”
Clarkson said that reviewing the effectiveness of training by measuring the
outcomes in your business was another feature of effective training
programmes.
“Whether you’ve got four staff or 40, get them to complete an anonymous
employee-satisfaction form and then ask them again six months after the
training. Measure sickness levels at six and 12-month intervals.
“Don’t stop with a single initiative either. Training is a continuous
investment. You’ll reap more benefits the more you do. You wouldn’t stop
upgrading your software, so why would you stop training your people?"
Useful links:
England: train2gain.com
Scotland: skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk
Northern Ireland: delni.gov.uk/index/successthroughskills.htm
Wales: www.learningobservatory.com
