How Employee Training Influences Corporate Culture

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Corporate culture has become something of a buzzword in the business world, and there are some good reasons for that.

Today’s employees prize a positive culture above all else, with more than half of jobseekers saying that it’s more important than compensation when it comes to choosing a new position. Moreover, 38% agree they wouldn’t even apply to a workplace with poor reviews from employees. Among HR professionals, 96% agree that employee experience, which is shaped by company culture, is becoming more important for employee engagement.

Although corporate culture might seem like something elusive, it is possible to influence and shape it through employee training. Contrary to the assumptions made by some managers, effective employee training isn’t only there to upskill your workforce, teach employees how to use your tech, or educate them in how to complete their responsibilities.

Good employee training can go far beyond simple education to positively influence organizational culture.

Employee Training Creates a Culture of Caring

When you offer employees the opportunity to improve their skills and develop their abilities, they feel that you care for them beyond their simple contribution to business revenue. Effective employee training that nurtures employees’ capabilities conveys the sense that the company cares about their personal career path, instead of just the part they play in the organization.

With employee training, you can create a connection between employees and their managers across all levels. It’s a way to strengthen the sense of trust that employees have in their employers. Moreover, it furthers the perception that the business has their best interests at heart.

Training Creates a Corporate Culture of Productivity

Employee training is important for communicating the vision, goal, and values of your business. It helps align employees with the greater purpose of the company. When your employees identify with business aims, they see their work as contributing to the overall business success. Alternatively, they might feel like they are simply clocking the hours they need for a paycheck.

Sick leave policies and compensation aren’t enough to make employees feel motivated. If they feel they’re working for the CEO’s bonus, they won’t feel invested in driving productivity and profitability. Training gives employees the impetus they need to bring their all to the organization and contribute their best to the corporate culture.

Employee Training Creates a Culture of Confidence

During COVID-19, many companies had to terminate employees, reshuffle staff, and restructure departments. This is liable to leave the remaining employees feeling insecure and uncertain about their place in the organization.

Have your employees suddenly been given new responsibilities or moved to new teams? Do they have to manage the same work with half the work force than before? Then they’re likely to feel unsure about what they’re doing. Short training programs help bring everyone up to speed. This way, each employee feels confident about their responsibilities, tasks, and the resources at their disposal.

Employee Training Creates a Culture of Improvement

Regular employee training programs generate a corporate culture where people are willing to try new things and strive to improve, rather than one of presenteeism and box-ticking. It encourages employees to stretch themselves to try out new positions, move up the ladder, and gain new skills in any field.

It also helps make employees feel safe enough to stick their heads above the parapets and point out discrepancies when they spot them. Additionally, they feel they can suggest improvements to the company as a whole, thereby driving innovation across the organization.

Training Creates a Corporate Corporate Culture of Diversity

Diversity is a hot topic in enterprises and HR departments around the world today. It’s understood that diversity fuels innovation, increases brand reputation, and improves talent acquisition. Employee training goes a long way toward making diversity a key piece of corporate culture.

Employee training can guide HR employees to overcome their unconscious bias in hiring, for example. And it can help employees from minority groups to feel comfortable within your workplace. Training programs can also enable older workers to upskill, retrain, and/or find new challenges within the organization, rather than aging out or absconding to your competitor.

Employee Training Creates a Culture of Collaboration

When your employees have been working from home for several months, they’re likely to feel disconnected from the rest of their team. It’s hard to collaborate effectively with people who you haven’t seen for half a year. It’s even more difficult if you have never met the people you work with. This could be the case if you joined the company in the middle of 2020.

However, your business success relies on all your workers cooperating smoothly, sharing their perspectives and ideas, and joining their strengths and weaknesses into a whole. Employee training can help employees bond together. It enables employees to develop trust among themselves and improve everyone’s team working skills.

Positive Corporate Culture Can Be the Edge Your Company Needs

Organizational culture can make or break an organization, especially when times are tough (like now). Every little bit helps give you an edge over your competition. Your employee training programs can help you grow confidence, teamwork, connection, and a sense of trust among your employees. In addition, it can help develop a culture of diversity and the desire to strive for improvement across your organization.