Archive for March, 2009

Need Training Now More than Ever

March 20th, 2009 - by chrismall

It seems like every time I log on to CNN there is more bad news about the economy.  Although things look pretty bleak now, I’m confident the economy will come back as it did after the Great Depression (1929-1933).

In the meantime, we are all having to learn to do more with less.  This is especially true for businesses that are struggling to become more efficient in these uncertain times.

Despite the current economic outlook, many forward thinking companies continue to invest in their employees in many ways, and one of the most important is by providing them with training.

When you think about it, training provides employees with the skills they need to do their jobs more efficiently and results in increased productivity - something smart CEO’s realize is a key factor in maintaining profitability (especially in difficult economic times). Training also builds employee morale which results in a more loyal workforce and increased retention.

I am impressed that many of our clients across the country such as Autodesk, CF Industries, Maxygen, McKesson Corporation, Providence Equity Partners, to name only a few, are continuing to provide employees with training during these challanging times.

Equally impressive are the record amount of new V Team clients who have invested in training since the beginning of the year.  They too realize they need training now more than ever.

Those are my thoughts. I’d like to hears yours….

Benefits of Training

March 5th, 2009 - by chrismall

We all know the old proverb that says “give a person a fish and you feed them for a day, teach them how to fish and you feed them for a lifetime”.

What does this have to do with training and how does it apply to today’s companies?

The American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) conducted a study of over 2,500 companies to determine how training investments affected their bottom line.  Using a sophisticated statistical model, they found that training resulted in significant improvement to a company’s bottom line. 

It seems so obvious but you would be surprised at how many companies are hesitant to invest in their own people.

When you think about it, the companies in the study simply gave their employees the tools they needed to become more productive.  That’s just one of the reasons why I believe that forward looking CEO’s consider training to be a key component in their overall organizations success. 

The bottom line is that training can lead to increased productivity, customer satisfaction, and overall higher quality, as well as improving employee development and retention.  Makes sense to me.

Those are my thoughts. I’d like to hear yours.