Increasing Employee Engagement by Learning and Development

We've all encountered exceptional customer service and regrettably, we've also experienced subpar service. Research has consistently demonstrated that people are more inclined to purchase from businesses that offer superior service compared to those that don't.

So, how does this relate to employee engagement? Well, highly engaged teams are more effective at delivering exceptional service. Businesses that can enhance employee engagement through training and development stand to gain not only improved customer retention and increased repeat business but also a more secure future. This includes nurturing the next generation of leaders and enhancing internal performance.

In this article, we will delve deeper into the concept of employee engagement, explore its influencing factors, emphasise the significance of staff training, and explain how training and development contribute to bolstering staff engagement.

Elements that impact staff engagement

Employee engagement refers to the extent to which an employee is motivated, passionate, and deeply connected to their work. It primarily revolves around an individual's personal investment and emotional attachment to their business, in contrast to job satisfaction, which primarily centres on performing one's job competently without necessarily having a deep emotional commitment.

Employee engagement is an approach that aims to cultivate ideal working conditions, encouraging employees to willingly align with the businesses objectives and values while enhancing their overall well-being.

There are nine key factors that can influence employee engagement:

1. Value and purpose
2. Communication
3. Financial security and well-being
4. Work environment
5. Clear job roles
6. Interpersonal relationships
7. Recognition and incentives
8. Support from managers
9. Personal growth and development

It's common for people to confuse employee engagement with employee satisfaction or happiness. Engagement focuses solely on an individual's emotional connection and investment in their business, while the other two relate to what employees receive from the business in various ways, including perks and career opportunities.

Over the years, various characterisations and studies have highlighted a notable difference in the preferences of the millennial workforce compared to previous and subsequent generations. Millennials tend to prioritise meaningful relationships with their work, whereas Generation X individuals traditionally value advancing their structural roles within the workplace, career progression, and investing in their training and development. On the other hand, Generation Y, or millennials, show a stronger interest in roles that fulfill their emotional needs before other considerations.

Research has indicated that to retain staff, particularly those new to the workforce, employers must tap into employees' emotional connections to their work, providing them with a meaningful work experience.

So, why is staff training crucial in addressing this challenge? We will explore this topic further in the following section.

The significance of employee training

During our careers, we have all experienced the need to start from the ground up. Whether you're new to a particular company or just embarking on your professional journey, there are moments when you might feel lost or question if you're the right fit for your role. This is precisely why staff training plays a crucial role in the lives of newcomers.

Nonetheless, ongoing training and development are not limited to newcomers; they are integral to every employee's professional journey. Employees thrive in environments that offer resources for continuous growth.

The ability to advance both personally and professionally stands as a key factor in employee engagement. For many individuals who have grappled with staying in a role or within a company for years, personal and professional growth has become paramount. If an employee feels neglected in terms of their development, they may perceive themselves as dispensable, both within their team and the organization.

Therefore, it is equally vital to ensure that employees can envision a career path and personal development opportunities within their role. Such employees are more engaged and less inclined to seek alternative employment elsewhere.

Incorporating learning and development into a business’s core mission to enhance engagement is imperative. This not only makes the business more appealing to potential employees but also significantly boosts employee engagement and overall motivation. Consequently, this can contribute to the company's achievement of its goals and productivity targets.

Furthermore, when considering training, it's essential to recognise the significance of leadership development. By investing in training and development, you are effectively nurturing the future of your business. Identifying individuals who can drive the business forward in the years ahead is a pivotal step.

Ultimately, the primary reason for developing and training your staff is to ensure that you have the requisite skills and capabilities to meet company objectives and support future business expansion plans. Without these, your business may struggle to evolve, grow, and remain competitive in the market.

The role of training and development in fostering employee engagement

In a particular study, 80% of the employees surveyed expressed that access to learning and development opportunities would enhance their sense of engagement in the workplace. This sentiment finds additional backing in data indicating that a highly engaged workforce correlates with significantly improved customer service, with an increase of nearly 90 percent.

Hence, it becomes crucial for businesses to prioritise offering training and development opportunities to their employees, as this can significantly elevate employee engagement. This, in turn, plays a substantial role in fostering growth and achieving company goals and objectives.

Now, let's delve into some of these perceived and tangible benefits:

Retain Staff

It's evident that when employees feel content and valued in their roles and within their business, they are less inclined to seek opportunities elsewhere, including potential competitors. Employee engagement plays a vital role in nurturing loyalty towards a company, as it demonstrates a commitment to the individual's growth, which can contribute to advancing their careers.

In fact, a survey revealed that 94% of employees expressed their willingness to stay with a company for a longer duration if the company invested in their career development.

Moreover, apart from retaining valuable employees, a robust training and development program also facilitates the accumulation of knowledge, the enhancement of skills, and, consequently, the strengthening of a company's employee value proposition.

Improve Motivation

By investing in training and development, your business is sending a clear message that you highly value your employees as unique individuals and genuinely care about their personal growth. When employees perceive this appreciation and value, it not only offers them the opportunity to enhance their skills and abilities through work and training but also provides a significant boost in motivation. As a result, they are more likely to become deeply engaged in their roles and demonstrate increased commitment, not only to their own career advancement but also to the success of your business.

The type of training you provide also plays a crucial role in influencing their motivation. For instance, offering training programs that help individuals comprehend how their roles align with your business's purpose, mission, and objectives can have a profound impact. When employees gain a true understanding of how their contributions connect to your businesses larger goals, it instils a genuine sense of purpose in their work, which in turn drives their day-to-day efforts.

Cultivate Upcoming Leaders

We've discussed how training and development can be instrumental in engaging employees and, at the same time, in nurturing the next generation of leaders. Implementing specialised training in this domain can significantly contribute to the development of future leaders within your business.

It's crucial to keep in mind that businesses should proactively assess their projected staffing requirements and skill needs and strive to address them through training and development initiatives. Identifying gaps, determining how to foster the growth of your future workforce and leadership, and preparing for anticipated structural changes within your business are vital considerations to address before implementing any targeted training in this area.

Enable Employees

The higher the level of employee engagement, the more empowered they become. This empowerment instils a greater sense of self-assuredness in their ability to succeed and to contribute not only to their current role but also to the future of the business.

Empowered staff members within the workplace tend to excel in influencing their peers and earning their trust. This growth leads to a heightened sense of autonomy, recognition, and self-assurance in their tasks. Additionally, employee autonomy is a valuable aspect of this equation, as any employee who believes in their capacity to make independent decisions both individually and as part of a team becomes an asset to any organisation.

Foster Relationships in the Workplace

Training and development initiatives can serve to strengthen workplace relationships and communication. These enhanced connections play a significant role in promoting the well-being of employees and fostering higher levels of engagement.

By offering opportunities for employees to delve into new subjects, refine their skills, and broaden their knowledge, you facilitate stronger bonds among your team members. Research has consistently demonstrated that collaborative learning among peers is a preferred approach. Sharing ideas and solutions to problems enriches the learning experience for everyone involved. Leveraging each other's strengths not only results in a more versatile workforce but also enhances employee retention and engagement through the strengthened bonds formed in the process.

Lift Performance

Another inherent advantage of providing your employees with access to learning resources is improved performance.

By honing their skills and broadening their knowledge base, your employees will be better prepared to excel in their roles and may even discover innovative methods to boost their productivity. When combined with the positive effects of learning on employee motivation and confidence, it becomes evident that their job performance will also witness notable improvement.

In conclusion, highly engaged teams provide superior service, and businesses that can achieve employee engagement through training and development will experience advantages such as enhanced customer retention and increased repeat business. This approach plays a pivotal role in securing the businesses long-term success.

From enhancing staff retention to elevating performance and nurturing future leaders, driving employee engagement is a fundamental aspect of a businesses training requirements for its future.