A tricky one! How do you approach training issues with businesses currently under financial strain?

[Steph]

I've recently come across a couple of businesses who are reluctant to spend money on vital staff training.
Whilst I sympathise with the financial situation and dilemma about priorities - how can we stress the importance of having staff fully trained and achieving legal requirements?

What advice would you give? Any useful phrases?? Asking for a friend.

 

[Cathy Gladwin]

Hi @Steph! I know the pain myself and remember well the days I invested my hard earned savings for a number of self funded qualifications! We see employees paying for their training themselves sometimes just to progress either within their business or moving to new employment when the employer doesn't support - but often it's not that they don't want to - but as you say, it's the financial pressure. And where to draw that line between what is as you said "vital" and what is a "nice to have" but would support that fundamental business culture of driving continuous improvement...

So anyway, to cut my waffle short: I often encourage businesses to train internally - no one says they have to send staff on an external course. I'd love to say it's essential, but as long as you have someone competent and comprehensive training materials to support effective training - Bobs your uncle. Make your own internal training record. Keep the training materials ready to show an auditor so they can assess the likely effectiveness and taking into account the documented duration of the training as well as how competency was assessed (quiz / observation etc. as appropriate).

To avoid shooting myself in the foot badly, let me redeem my self by also suggesting that when sites talk to us, we are often able at STC to come up with an affordable solution for them - be it discounted group sessions or where possible, offering bespoke content to make the course the best possible value!

A quick shout out to you @Steph who supports STC beautifully with the Basic Food Hygiene training that we provide to Churches and Charities at no cost to them.

 

[Steph]

Thank you so much for your support and comments, Cathy.

Internal training is an excellent idea if they have well-trained staff who can deliver this.
I would recommend that a copy of the training material is kept alongside the training register. Would you agree?

In some instances though, there are staff who do not speak English as their first language.
Can you recommend any reliable translation sites? Is it better to use, maybe Google translate, so that there is evidence of trying to communicate more effectively.

I think we are all working hard to make the courses the best value possible.
I'm currently creating a few bespoke courses for Mentoring/ CPD and trying to fit in as much as possible.

Thank you again, Cathy.
Your insight is invaluable.

 

[Cathy Gladwin]

@Steph yes, spot on - training materials or references to them kept with the training record makes good sense.

The language - I've found DeepL very good.
And photos or even better - videos are far more effective than words.
Your personalised mentoring is always superb Steph! I can reassure any readers by experience