In this post we will explore some ways to select training areas and methods.

Selecting Areas to Train

Determining the areas in which to provide training requires an evaluation of those areas of your business that can create opportunities for growth. Once they have been identified, you can then begin providing the training to capitalize on them. On the flipside, you need to see where potential liabilities might lie and train employees to avoid them.

Core Activities Training

This includes training to keep your employees updated in the areas in whcih they work. For example, if you are a software provider and your programmers need to learn cutting-edge programming language or tools, you should consider providing them with a few days of training. With their new found skills, they will provide more comprehensive services and enhance your software products.

If your business is service oriented or customer-facing, programs to educate your employees on how best to interact with customers is essential. Communication, customer service, listening skills, and more are all things that need continual review and brushing-up. The quality of your service will reflect the amount of training your employees receive in these areas.

Management Training

Managers certainly need to be educated on the myriad issues they deal with daily. From motivating staff to managing difficult employees, the list of issues is immense. Providing ongoing education, for even just one or two hours a month, will ensure that your managers learn leadership kills, working with diverse cultures, hiring/firing, discrimination, work laws, safety and more.
In all areas, it’s important for senior management to listen to managers and employees and hear what they think is important. As they are your people on the ground, they are likely well attuned to what they really need to learn.

Selecting a Training Medium

Providing in-person training is definitely ideal with all participants interacting and engaging each other. However, this is not always feasible. In large companies with teams of employees scattered across the globe, sometime using E-learning or webinars will be a highly effective option.

As always, working with your employees to discover what methods work best for them will ensure they learn what they need to.

Creating a Training Program

It is not always practical for small employers to create and implement their own training programs, as the time, staff, and financial resources required are not always available. Procuring the services of an outside training firm is usually a more cost-effective and practical solution. For more information on CPEhr’s Management Training Courses, please contact us at 877-842-4987.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), prospective employees value benefits second only to pay when considering a new job. And for good reason – the BLS reports that benefits account for 30% of employers’ total compensation costs. What this means to employers is that they must give serious consideration to providing a range of benefits to maintain a happy and committed workforce.

The challenge, however, is investing the time to research, plan, and roll-out benefit plans. With small employer resources already strapped, finding the manpower to implement a benefit program can prove overwhelming.

PEOs Enhance Performance with Health Insurance and Voluntary Benefits.

Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) provide small employers the unique opportunity to offer their staff a rich and comprehensive array of employee benefit programs that are typically available to only the largest corporations. These robust offerings include a wide range of major medical plans and voluntary benefit offerings. The PEO provides these benefit packages to hundreds of clients, and has the experience to research and procure these top-rated plans for their clients. When joining a PEO, clients merely select they plans they intend to offer, and the PEO takes over from there. From open enrollment, to addressing employee questions, to administering the monthly billing, all the plan management is the responsibility of the PEO.

Most large PEOs offer the following range of benefits:

• Multiple health insurance coverages
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Disability and alternative insurance
• 401 (k) Retirement Plan
• Pre-tax Cafeteria 125 Plans
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Employee Assistance Programs
• Credit Union and financial services

PEO clients are assigned a benefits manager to address all employee inquiries and to manage any related administrative issues. Clients can literally sit-back, and let the PEO manage the process.

Containing Benefit Costs Through Economies of Scale

While most employers recognize the need to offer rich benefits to their staff, the ever-increasing cost of health insurance is forcing them to think twice before rolling out a new plan. Luckily, in  a PEO relationship, small employers can offer the scope and pricing of their large competitors. By pooling hundreds, and even thousands of businesses, PEOs aggregate health benefit plans, retirement plans, workers’ compensation insurance, and legal expertise. The PEO establishes relationships with large regional insurance companies and can offer better plan selections with lower premiums.

Another benefit of working with a PEO is that it provides the insurance carriers greater stability by offering insurance coverage to employees in a broader employee base. The pooled employees come from different industries and geographic areas which stabilize the premiums over the long-term. This provides the PEO greater negotiating power at renewal, thus typically keeping renewal rates below market averages.

There is little question that in today’s economy, employers must  offer their staff a rich benefit plan to maintain morale and commitment. PEOs have become a serious option for small business looking for ways to roll-out robust plans, quickly and cost effectively.

Surveys support the need for management training.

Ken Blanchard Companies recently conducted a poll of over 1,700 executives and managers in their “2009 Corporate Issues Survey”. In the survey, the executives were posed the question, amongst others: “What tactics will your firm implement to cope in a down economy?” The overwhelming response by close to 2/3 of respondents was “Invest in productivity and performance maximizing strategies”.  These businesses recognize that the most promising way to weather tough economic times is to have skilled talent help grow the organization. Additionally, numerous surveys directly link employee training with lower turnover, lower accidents, and increased performance and productivity. Successful companies embrace training as a central part of their philosophy.

Outsourcing training to a Professional Employer Organization

According to the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) over $134 billion was spent on employee learning and development in 2008. In their 2009 State of the Industry Report, the ASTD reveals that over $45 billion was allocated to external services such as workshops, vendors and external events. Businesses recognize the value of accessing external resources to train and develop their staff, as opposed to creating and implementing these programs internally.

A Professional Employer Organization offers a wide range of employee training and management development courses, often built into their standard services, or for an additional nominal fee. This training goes  hand-in-hand with additional Human Resources support services, to round out a company’s corporate policies to ensure a safe, compliant, and positive work environment.

Robust Course Offering

PEOs offer a complete range of training, but the most common ones appear below. CPEhr provides over 40 customizable trainings that can be delivered via the internet, or live, on-site at the client’s workplace.

Courses typically offered can include:

•    Sexual Harassment    •    Workplace Safety   •    FMLA    •    Interviewing Skills   •    Progressive Steps of Discipline    •    Motivating Employees   •    Performance Appraisals    •    Effective Communication Skills   •    Principles of Time Management    •    Diversity in the Workplace   •    Preventing and Defusing Violence    •    Customer Service Training   •    Effective Business Writing    •    Managing Difficult Employees

FREE Webinar on the Value of Training

If you like to learn more about the benefits of training for your organization, please join on THIS THURSDAY, January 21, 2010 for a free webinar: The Business Value of Training. Register here.

Don’t forget the human side of downsizing.

Employees are people too. Whether you intend on keeping, or firing an employee, treat them fairly and with respect. Recognize that layoffs affect all employees, not only those being let go, so show compassion in all your activities; it is likely to go a long way in shoring up the respect of your staff.

Bonuses and incentives.

Best practices encourage bonuses or recognition rewards to show your appreciation for your staff. In tough economic times this may not be feasible, but many inexpensive incentive programs exist. Be creative, think out of the box, and you and your remaining staff will enjoy a successful business relationship.

Remember – you are not alone.

While the process of downsizing can be painful for any size organization, know you are not alone. Unfortunately, our unemployment statistics tell us many employers are going through some level of layoffs as well. Some are confident to go through the process alone. However, many are not, and have reached out to professional HR firms to assist them through this difficult period. If you anticipate laying off staff, we  highly recommend contacting an HR Consulting or HR Outsourcing firm to help you. CPEhr has a team of experts ready to guide you. Be confident you are doing the right thing!