Your employee retention strategy should include continuing education.
How can companies keep employees engaged and content during the era of short-term employment? With so many job markets and options available to employees, retention programs are becoming increasingly relevant.
One answer companies are turning to in an effort to prevent wandering eyes are continuing education programs.
What exactly is continuing education anyway?
In short, continuing education is any training beyond university level degrees. Universities, professional organizations, or other educational resources teach these advanced courses. In some industries, such as medicine, continuing education is required.
Continuing education classes cover a diverse range of skills and vocations – such as creative writing and financial modeling. Some schools even offer customizable classes.
Even if continuing education is not in the budget, you still have options. In relation to both retention and company performance, providing an office learning resource center is an inexpensive – and effective – form of continuing education.
Why continuing education makes sense
Whether there’s financial backing, or making due without a budget, developing a continuing education program comes at a cost. Is it worth it? Decide for yourself – here are seven benefits of continuing education programs:
- Loyalty. Continuing education benefits show your employees you care about their professional development. When your staff knows you’re investing in them, it builds a sense of stability, and – perhaps more significantly – partnership.
- Overlap. Continuing education programs can allow management to cross-train their staff. For the employee, such training provides opportunities for promotions. On the management end, cross-training provides a backup in case of sickness or unexpected absence.
- It’ll only make you better. When your departments are educated, operations run more smoothly, which makes life less stressful, and more lucrative.
- Other ways continuing education saves. Continuing the education of your staff increases productivity, prevents mistakes, reduces downtime, and increases employee retention – all of which cut costs.
- It keeps you up-to-date. Just about every industry and every skill within that industry is changing faster than ever. If you don’t keep up, your competition is likely to sneak up on you. Continuing education can bring your staff up-to-date with the latest trends and techniques in their field, so you don’t get left in the wake of progress.
- They inspire creativity. Sometimes it can be easy to slip into a rut, without even thinking to peer over the edge. Whether it be learning how to do something easier, or an entirely new skill, continuing education can lend a fresh perspective to the work – it might even generate a “eureka” moment or two.
- Job satisfaction. When your staff’s personally fulfilled, they’re much more likely to feel satisfied with their employment. Employee satisfaction can have a dramatic effect on the work environment. Furthermore, education breeds confidence – confident employees perform better and are generally happier at their job.
Spark a little friendly competition
Another hidden benefit of continuing education programs is they can be contagious. After all, who wants to be shown up by their coworker?
Goal-based contests are an excellent way to capitalize on the benefits of continuing education. Your staff’s already excited to put their new skills to use, why not give them an extra incentive?
CrewHu specializes in customer and employee retention. Our one-click customer feedback surveys and goal-based contest tools can help your entire company realize its full potential. For a free trial, connect with us online today!
Topics: employee engagement, employee retention, employee satisfaction, employee productivity, employee appreciation, continuing education, employee loyalty
