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Training is a Waste of Money

Posted by Steve Austin 15-10-2015 09:00 AM

There are three misconceptions in the digital word today; Windows 10 is the last Microsoft operating system, robots will soon do everything, and giving employees new software will make them more productive. Wrong. Wrong. And probably wrong.


New software products like Office 2013 and Adobe Creative Suite are nothing short of awesome in productivity features. The mistake that is often made is that the new software is made available to employees but little effort is made to show users how to take advantage of all the new bells and whistles. The result is an increase in operating cost but no corresponding increase in productivity. In fact there is often a lingering decrease in productivity and an increase in staff dissatisfaction.

Here is the list of reasons why software training is a great investment (even if you are not upgrading):

• The new features are explained and practiced in a guided environment by a knowledgeable instructor. Without training many employees will continue to do it the old inefficient way.

• Specific training may explain a more productive way to use “old” features too. Employees may learn to use the tools they already have in a better way.

• The perceived downtime while a staff member is attending training is more than offset by the increase in efficiency that the new-found skills and tools will provide.

• Employees feel more valued when the employer invests in training.

• Employee turnover, a big cost to an employer, is reduced when job satisfaction increases

 

If you like numbers, here they are:

The American Society for Training and Development: http://www.astdnews.org/   collected training information from over 2500 firms and found that companies that offer comprehensive training;

• have 218 percent higher income per employee than those with less comprehensive training,

• enjoy a 24 percent higher profit margin than those who spend less on training, and 

• generate a 6 percent higher shareholder return if the training expenditure per employee increases by $680

New software versions have considerable capabilities. Untrained staff members do not use the features well. Training will increase productivity and increase employee satisfaction and retention. This translates into increased customer satisfaction, and ROI is realized and exceeded quickly.

 
Steve Austin . Software Specialist, Shaw Computers