HR 101: Training and development

The responsibilities of an HR team don’t just stop when people join the organisation. HR professionals need to make sure that staff are continually performing throughout their time in the organisation.

To do this, they need to create a training and development plan for staff.

Job site Indeed says that HR teams “help employees improve their skill sets, learn new concepts and gain more knowledge about their specific job or function”.

What is training and development?

Training and development is used to increase the performance of staff. There are differences between the two terms:

“Training” has precise and measurable goals. For example, as technology evolves, people’s skills can become outdated. For staff to do their jobs effectively, HR professionals need to support them to update their knowledge and understanding of new tools and processes.

“Development” helps to build broader skills that can be used across different situations in the workplace. This includes leadership skills.

The benefits of staff training

Training can be difficult to fit in as people are busy with their day-to-day jobs. But when charities take the time to develop their staff, everyone reaps the benefits.

Charities will boost staff engagement and motivation, which will increase people’s productivity and reduce staff turnover. Also, by filling a skills gap, charities can support their staff to increase their understanding of the organisation and the work it does.

Indeed says that offering training and development to staff can also help an organisation to “become a more attractive employer and differentiate itself from the competition.”

Take these steps to make sure your charity’s training and development is effective.

Get buy-in from senior leaders

HR professionals need to work with senior leaders to help them understand the benefits of an employee training and development programme. This will help them identify what skills are missing across the organisation and look at where staff need support.

Identify the skills gaps in your charity

Look at the skills that staff currently have and work out what’s missing. You need to keep your charity’s objectives at the back of your mind when doing this, so you know what skills are needed. What knowledge and competencies do you need to achieve your charity’s strategy?

Tailor training to each person

Each person in your organisation will have different training needs. Put together a file for each employee, outlining what training and development they need. Speak to people’s managers to find out what they need from their teams.

HR professionals need be collaborative and involve employees in the process. Speak to all staff about their career development and find out what support they need from the charity.

Link performance goals with training

When you meet with individual staff to discuss their training and development needs, you need to listen to them to find out what support they need. It’s important to understand their professional goals, what skills and competencies they need for future projects, and their plans within the organisation. For example, are they aiming for a promotion? If they are, what skills do they need to achieve that?

Provide high-quality training

To make an impact and be effective, training and development activities need to meet the desired outcomes. HR professionals need to check the content of any training (whether it’s run internally or by third parties) to make sure team members learn the information they need to improve their competencies and achieve the charity’s objectives. Training should be interactive and involve staff.

Set targets for learning

Sometimes when people are busy, training and development can fall by the wayside. Setting targets and developing a structure for learning can help people to complete their training. Quantifying targets and giving deadlines can help to motivate people to get these tasks done.

You could also use rewards and recognition to incentivise learning in your charity.

Track outcomes

Indeed says you need to monitor results to know if a training and development plan is successful. The job site suggests sending out employee surveys and looking at the percentage of staff who receive certification or are promoted because of training.

Encourage employees

It’s the job of the HR team to motivate employees to take part in training and develop themselves. Making staff feel valued will encourage them to keep learning. It will also help them to identify their strengths and areas that need improvement.