Your employees can contribute to the success of your company when they are trained to perform their jobs according to industry standards. Training typically consists of several classes onsite or at a different location during orientation. Some companies consider in-depth training an unnecessary expense and expect new employees to learn on the job from supervisors and older employees. However, this type of training is often inadequate and creates problems for the business.
Unhappy Employees
Employees are interested in performing their jobs well to advance the company, feel a sense of pride for a job well done and advance to higher positions. When there is no training, employees do not understand how to do their jobs and none of these goals are possible. This leads to low morale among workers, which results in employee turnover. A company with a reputation for high employee turnover is also unattractive to potential job candidates.
Low Production
The rate of production is low when employees don’t know enough to perform their jobs confidently. Unskilled employees could spend considerable time seeking help to perform their jobs or they could perform tasks to their understanding, to the detriment of the work process. This could lead to errors and injury. Supervisors and more experienced employees must also spend time monitoring unskilled workers, which detracts from their work and increases the amount of time necessary to complete production.
Unsafe Work Environment
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration states that untrained workers are more susceptible to injuries. This happens when workers lack the knowledge and skills required to use equipment and supplies safely. The problem could be fatal in work environments that contain heavy-duty machinery and hazardous materials.
Increased Expenses
A company that does not train its staff can expect an increase in miscellaneous expenses. These could include the cost of medical attention for staff because of injuries sustained from unskilled use of equipment and supplies, compensation to customers for defective products, and the cost of defending the company against lawsuits.
Loss of Customers
Untrained employees cannot produce high-quality products. They also lack adequate knowledge and skills to provide satisfactory customer service. This combination results in dissatisfied customers. The company will experience declining sales if dissatisfied customers choose competitors who can provide quality products and appropriate service.
