Last year, US training expenditures increased by almost 33%, reaching $93.6 billion. Such expansion reflects that businesses now realize how important investing in training sales teams and workforce development is.
The numerous benefits of workplace training and development can be placed into three main categories. The benefits of employee training and workforce education are essential to driving companies’ overall success.
The costs related to high employee turnover are momentous. Imagine that a sales employee is dismissed, fired, or suddenly leaves: The company has to absorb many expenses. Placing new job postings, screening applications, interviewing, and onboarding and training are only the beginning. The company also loses out on profits during the time that a new sales employee takes time to get integrated into the company. And all of that is on top of the blow to the team’s morale from losing a colleague.
Training Sales Teams Reduces Employee Turnover
Employee training and development programs are the ultimate foundation of employee retention. Workers are 12 times more likely to quit their job if no opportunities for development are offered. In particular, the possibility to learn and grow within a company is crucial for 87% of millennials. Additionally, 53% of millennials now feel that their companies fail to provide enough personal development and training opportunities.
The number of millennials who will not hesitate to switch employers if no opportunities for development and growth are offered at their current company should not be underestimated: Millennials will account for 75% of the global labor force before 2025. Businesses must focus now more than ever or they will pay the price.
Training Sales Teams Upskills Your Current Salesforce
It would be naïve to think that the sales talents you hire today have the right skills to deliver results with the same quality and capabilities five years from now. This is not a result of lousy HR and hiring procedures. It is because the market is changing at such a fast pace that demand, industry, technology, social behavior, and job requirements are all evolving to adapt to the new, digital world. Therefore, skills gaps within companies are the new normal.
Today’s top employers are experts at keeping these gaps filled. Tempted to fire sales employees with skills gaps and hire new ones with fresh skill sets? Think again. Replacing an employee could cost you up to 2 times the employee´s annual salary. Instead, sales training and employee development are game-changers that can keep salesforces competitive.
On the one hand, training and development keep a company at the cutting edge in its industry. On the other hand, they contribute to an engaging, positive, and motivating working environment. 68% of workers have indicated that training and development programs are the most important organizational policy.
Training Sales Teams Promotes a Culture of Learning
According to the HBR, strategy and culture are essential factors affecting business growth and performance. Companies that promote a learning culture are usually the top performers. Think about Google, for instance. Creating a learning culture means that companies must prioritize development and allocate time and resources to training and upskilling their workers.
Importantly, leaders and employees do not consider learning as something separate. Learning is genuinely a part of internal processes and management accepts failures and employees embrace curiosity. If the task seems challenging to accomplish, the results are usually worth it.
Statistics have shown that employees who receive training are 37% more productive and can produce a 21% increase in income per person. Employee engagement has a direct impact on employee satisfaction, which in turn is a driving factor for employee retention.
As the battle for skilled sales employees is getting fiercer, the businesses that succeed at creating a learning culture are those who will retain talents, and, as a result, ultimately thrive in the market.
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