The skills gap and training have been hot topics here at Bluewolf, in addition to being top-of-mind at media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. Many employers are reporting having difficulty finding candidates with the skills they need to fill open roles. This has sparked discussion about what job seekers should do to boost their resume. Supplementary training is an obvious response. But, there are additional benefits to training than just what is relevant for a job seeker: there are great benefits for an organization that invests in a training program for their employees. Let’s talk about the top 5 reasons for employers to send their teams to training.

1) Maximize ROI for an organization. Companies spend millions of dollars implementing a new technology, but one of the huge components to achieving maximum ROI is ensuring that your users are ready to hit the ground running. Many of the technologies that you are implementing within your organization, such as Eloqua or Salesforce, offer certification programs. Taking advantage of these programs will ensure that all of your team members have a thorough understanding of each technology solution.

2) Increase employee retention. Your teams want to feel like you are invested in their career path. By offering a continuing professional development program, you will also show them that you are willing to help their personal growth. Technical certifications, role-based, and soft skills training programs are a great way to help your teams build both their personal and professional tool kits.

3) Aid team collaboration. Everyone wants their employees to work well together. A great team can collaborate, communicate, and get things done as a group. Unfortunately, there can be difficulty meshing certain personalities. By training to collaborate early on, your teams are more likely to be successful. Your training program should require and encourage group assignments. Additionally, training employees in soft skills, such as conflict resolution, can help them handle difficult situations as they arise.

4) Differentiate yourself from your competitors. How do you stand up against your competitors? Why not leverage your organization’s dedication to training and certifications? Show your prospects and clients that your talent is at the top of their game and certified in their roles. Leveraging skilled talent is a sure way to stand out from the pack.

5) Attract top talent. You have your 401k, your health benefits, maybe a stock option plan, but what is your company doing for professional development? Paying for certifications and courses is a great way to add value to your compensation plan, making it more attractive to your top job prospects. Top talent will see this as a huge added value, as training will help add to their growing skill-sets and ensure that they remain relevant in their chosen field.

Companies of all sizes are starting to focus more on internal professional development and training to increase productivity and effectiveness of their organization. If you would like more information on the skills gap and the benefits of training, please download our white paper: The New Training Gap: Putting America Back to Work.

Are you currently unemployed and want to take advantage of training? Check out our free Salesforce administrator training program and apply today!