The big complaint employers always make about training employees is that "you train 'em up to leave for a better job".
The horrible reality about this statement is that it is often true. Not because the employees being trained are wicked or selfish, but because the opportunities to apply their training and to advance their career are limited if they stay where they are. This is not the employee's fault.
There should be mutual self-interest in all training plans. The employee improves their skills and the employer gets someone who can take on new responsibilities and provide more flexibility to the business.
If the training is for training's sake, or to solve some disgruntlement the employee has expressed, then the chances are the employee will use it as a stepping stone to another position with more money and/or prospects.
But of course the other scenario is also damaging. Where there is no training or development in a growing business then you end up with a business where everyone is struggling to cope, there is limited employee flexibility and people leave anyway out of sheer frustration.
This is a strategic issue. Having a clear vision of where the business is going should also mean the workforce is designed to suit the business objectives. If the employees will develop as the business develops then initial employment will not be so expensive, but the job will still seem attractive.
The opportunity to grow into new roles and advance a career and pay in line with the business growth is an attractive proposition to people of all ages and backgrounds. It means you are not just providing employment today, but there is a brighter future ahead - this is not a dead-end job.
Of course not everyone in the business is going to be, or wants to be, a manager. The training or advancement has to be in line with their capabilities as well as their aspirations.
For someone where the manager route is not appropriate, a cross training plan that allows them to take on other roles in the business can be a reason to increase their pay in return for greater flexibility.
Moving around the business creates interest and challenge - this itself can be better than a pay rise for many and a reason to stick around.
The key to successfully establishing a training plan is to always remember you are not handing out the opportunity for advancement as an act of charity, but making a deal where there is mutual benefit to be had. The employee must be made to see this too.
There is benefit on both sides so there should be commitments on both sides. It makes sense that if the company is giving up working time for the training, then the employee should also give up some personal time for preparation, practising or theory.
It may also make sense to share the cost in some way. This may be a 50/50 split or 60/40 or whatever makes sense.
The benefits of sharing the cost run beyond the reduction of the risk of the spend on the training. If the employee also contributes financially their commitment is assured and the risk that the training will fail through lack of interest will be reduced.
This arrangement also reveals something about the employee that cannot be discovered in an interview.
In agreeing to commit their own time and money to a project that will improve their skills and their prospects within the business, the employee is demonstrating real ambition and a sign they are not just there for the money. They are also seeking meaning and purpose in their employment.
This may ultimately change your view on what the employee can and should be doing in the business.
To seal the deal you can consider refunding the employee's contribution on completion of the training or perhaps on achieving a realistic objective in the business that will utilise the new skills or knowledge learned.
This type of arrangement drives home the message that the training has a purpose and is part of the development journey of the business and the employee together.
When someone can see they can advance in the way they want in the business and the business is developing (no matter how slowly), then the risk of the employee jumping ship after their training is significantly reduced and the business can fully benefit from the investment.
