Invest efficiently in the training of your employees!

Every person is unique.

Lives and learns in his or her own way.

The average teacher would wholeheartedly agree with that.

But unfortunately, that science has not fully penetrated every Department of Business Training yet.

Employees are often given a standard package of textbooks in order to further develop their skills within a standard period of time. And good luck with it!

Own direction without derailing
Super shame. One employee might be able to walk a step faster, while another might plow through mandatory professional literature while sweating.

Or, deep down, you would like to take a completely different path.

They have one thing in common: slowly growing demotivation.

That can be done differently. Look for it primarily in customisation.

But how do you do that without completely losing control as an employer with a derailing training budget? Of course, we have a few tips for you!

Tip #1: The crystal ball
Treat employees as you would like to be treated: personally and maturely. That starts with a good conversation.

Don't use the annual performance review to get old cows out of the ditch. Take a look into the future together.

• What makes him happy and maybe he still has dreams for the future?
• How does he plan to get to that next station and what does he need from you to do that?
• But also: what kind of investment can you expect from him?

Create a design sketch of that career path.

It doesn't have to be set in stone right away. Due to life's surprises, it is sometimes necessary to adjust plans.

But in any case, it is a good starting point. Such a conversation, if conducted properly, can be surprising for both parties.

Tip #2: Think along professionally
Does your employee not know what they want? Then feel free to call in a professional to take a look.

An HR advisor or career coach can take a fresh look at a dull career.

By the way, even an external coach does not always have to cost the most; for example, as of August 1, there will be a nice arrangement from the government for all workers and job seekers in the Netherlands to request development advice from a qualified career advisor free of charge.

By the way, there are also several interesting tax and subsidy regulations that can significantly reduce training costs for employers.

Tip #3: A training plan
Once you know what the ideal employee journey looks like, it's important to find the right travel luggage.

Put together an appropriate training plan.

Please note: even if the current job still seems to fit like an old jacket, you should not lean back. Lifelong learning is the motto for a reason.

Making up for a knowledge gap, personal development or simply keeping up to date are also excellent reasons to let the brain crack just as good again.

Just knock on the door of the training advisor. He undoubtedly has interesting training courses up his sleeve to support a deepening or switch of the career.

And don't forget the employee himself! After all, real motivation works wonders in self-reliance. So feel free to ask him or her for a training proposal, including a cost estimate.

Saves you a lot of research, and the employee feels taken seriously.

Tip #4: Learning the New Way
Just like the new way of working, learning has also become increasingly independent of place and time.

E-learning has therefore never been so popular. This flexibility is not only very useful for allowing employees to set their own study pace.

It also offers many opportunities to seamlessly match personal talents and preferences in terms of content.

Create a learning platform that's the same as a haute cuisine menu. Make sure there is a lot to choose from. Within your own position, a step up or a step to the side.

Cut your existing internal training programs into separate modules and, above all, add a few extra in-depth layers between them.

Which, depending on the needs and level of your employee, may or may not be enabled. Et voilà: you have a customised training program. And yet also appropriate for the organisation.

Creating an online training is incredibly easy, read this blog to learn how.

Tip #5: Deal the cards
Don't be afraid to shuffle and distribute the cards among themselves.

Of course, as an employer, you pay for the mandatory technical training courses. And you motivate everyone to develop, grow and thrive.

This is good for your employee and good for your organisation.

But there are still limits.

It is quite normal to draw up a study agreement, including a reimbursement scheme if you switch to another employer within a reasonable period of time.

Or to say no to funding a flower arrangement course.

As long as you agree on it clearly and don't make it a stranglehold, that only makes you a professional employer. Nothing more and nothing less.

Learning account
In short, plenty of talking points if you want to get your employees' personal learning account hands and feet. Exactly what the government has in mind with the mantra “lifelong learning”.

Do you need a guide to get you through the training maze in a targeted manner? That works out well, because we are the experts in the field of flexible platforms for e-learning and blended learning. So feel free to contact us!

Want to learn more about e-learning? Download our e-Book “e-Learning Essentials” for free