Column: Igniting the spark of learning

At Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, we want to make sure that everyone in our business community can access exactly the right training to develop, enhance or improve existing skills for today’s changing world.

Right now, staff retention is the topic of the moment and that’s because it is key to running a successful business – and, if you are serious about retaining your staff, you need to have a strong and developed training programme.

The desire to learn and improve is an inherent human trait, but this needs to be harnessed by those at the top of an organisation. By implementing a ‘learning culture’ from the top down, training can be encouraged and incentivised company-wide.

This view is one that I and the Chamber hold strongly. It is also one that will be discussed at The Northern Powerhouse Education Employment and Skills Summit at the end of June.

I’m excited to be visiting this event, not least because there will be an array of high-profile, expert speakers there: Oliver Coppard, Andy Burnham and Tracey Brabin (the Mayors of South Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire respectively) and Gillian Keegan (Secretary of State for Education).

Dedicated to creating a ‘pan-Northern vision for growth’, the summit is a fantastic opportunity for shouting about the importance of training and development - locally, regionally, and nationally.

According to a number of studies, the average cost of staff turnover can be anywhere from £11k to £30 - or even more depending on that person's specialism. An effective training programme greatly improves staff retention and avoids costly turnover.

As the most sure-fire and cost-effective way to improve a business, training can improve employee retention whilst also increasing engagement, aiding employee growth, and addressing internal weaknesses in an organisation.

Ensuring that employees are valued is critical within an organisation. Individuals, and their expertise, are the one thing that separates businesses from one another. Practices can be copied, products can be replicated, but people are unique.

By empowering and strengthening these individuals you can make sure you don’t lose them, improve their professional development and, ultimately, bolster your team and your company in return.

That’s because implementing training programs, and establishing a learning culture, can allow an organisation to develop a cohesive conscience. This ensures that everyone is on the same page and pushing in the same direction. Also, employees can learn from management, but with a genuine learning culture, management can learn from employees too.

At the Chamber we’re about helping businesses train and develop people - and through this - making Sheffield the best place to do business. Training makes such a difference to individual success and that of a person’s wider organisation.

Ultimately, training is the best route to a successful, happy business.