How employees become & stay professionals

Higher and higher, further and further! This formula is not only applied to cross profit and the company as a whole. It is also an important component regarding the development of employees. Perhaps you still remember our article on the "boreout syndrome"! When employees feel underchallenged, this can quickly manifest itself in a very negative way. Internal training can create new challenges at such a point. But passing on knowledge is also essential for the progress of the entire company.

What options are there for training employees inexpensively but effectively? And what benefits does it bring to the business?

The importance of internal training for the company

The competitiveness of a company depends on many factors. One of them is the internal training of employees. Good internal training promotes employee satisfaction and motivation while strengthening the company's competencies and capabilities. It is therefore a catalyst for:

a. the competitive advantage of the company

The world of work is constantly changing and with it the demands on employees. New technologies, changing business processes and changing customer needs constantly require new knowledge and new skills. Good internal training helps employees to adapt to changing requirements and develop their skills. Ultimately, this also results in increased customer satisfaction.

b. the motivation and satisfaction

This in turn has benefits for the company. Employees who receive regular training are more motivated, work more efficiently and perform better. Good internal training can also help retain the employee base and reduce turnover.

c. the promotion of career opportunities for employees

Growth within the company's own environment is also encouraged through internal training. If the employer takes care that the employees stay up to date and share their expert knowledge with each other, this improves the career opportunities of the individual. Those who see this as a danger of potential migration to other companies forget that the probability of a change of company is higher if professional prospects are lost due to a lack of further training.

d. the flexibility in the work areas

Companies in which expert knowledge is shared among many shoulders benefit from a broader spectrum of competencies among their employees. As a result, they are more flexible in the use of their manpower and can also better compensate for possible absences (for example, due to illness).

So what do you have to invest? Two things above all: time and motivation. The goal of good employee management is to encourage and challenge employees. For managers, this means that employees must be relieved of their day-to-day work in order to create space for the continuing education opportunities. At the same time, the advantages and benefits of continuing education should be clearly emphasized in order to awaken intrinsic motivation as well. After all, truly successful and consistent learning only works if there is actual interest.

Implementing a targeted internal training program

How are internal training courses conducted?

Possibilities for internal further training include, for example, training courses, workshops and coaching sessions. This can take place in a wide variety of formats. The main feature of internal training is often that the knowledge to be passed on comes from within the company itself. This is also a decisive advantage: existing expert knowledge is disseminated and redistributed. In this way, the links between the so-called "silos" are expanded and strengthened. Short information and decision paths and strong links between the specialist silos enable a faster flow of information.

The choice of the appropriate format

How internal training can be suitably prepared depends on the corporate structure and the form of knowledge.
Training courses and lectures that largely consist of knowledge presented in frontal teaching can also take place digitally and even asynchronously. This makes it easier for employees to integrate training into their daily work routine.
However, if the training involves workshops or break-out sessions where interaction with each other and the participation of the learners is crucial, a face-to-face event on as small a scale as possible is more effective.

To infinity and beyond? Limits of internal training

Internal training can put everyone in the company on a common footing. At the same time, it is difficult to generate new input. This means that only the knowledge that was already in the company anyway - in whatever form - is passed on. If you notice that you lack the necessary knowledge in an area, you should consider in the next step to what extent external further training offers would be profitable for you.
Breaking down so-called "silos", i.e. insular knowledge, does not always contribute to the desired effect either. After all, expert knowledge is just that: knowledge that only experts have. Not everyone can do or know everything, and such expectations can cause a lot of pressure and frustration among employees. Both on the part of the expert, who is expected to pass on his knowledge as simply and comprehensibly as possible to the wider workforce, and the other way round for the employees, who are expected to familiarize themselves deeply with a specific subject.

In conclusion, it can be stated: Internal training is not a one-time process, but a longer-term plan designed to advance employees' interests and professional development. Although employers are responsible for internal training, professional development should not simply be imposed on employees. Instead, a suitable corporate culture should be created that enables constructive exchange between employees of different expertise.