Training 101: Invest In Your Employees, Invest In Yourself

Nov. 3, 2016

Hiring and training can be one of the toughest tasks for a manger. Hiring requires job postings and reading through dozens of resumes; it requires interviews and sometimes even results in no job offers if the candidates simply aren’t right for the position.

But let’s say you do hire that great candidate you’ve been looking for—the work doesn’t end there. Proper training for the task at hand is critical for the success of the company and the employee. Without effective training, an operation can be setting newly hired employees up for failure.

Operators can save time and money by training employees correctly the first time and fostering an environment that increases retention.

Training new employees

Oftentimes, employees come into a position with just some of the relevant skills necessary for the job and little information on the industry they’re working in. Therefore, it’s important to make sure their training is well rounded. Here are a few things you can do when training a new employee:

Learn from past mistakes

First, start by looking backwards. Read employee exit interviews to find out why your previous employee left. Was it because they felt undervalued? Did they leave because there wasn’t enough communication or a lack of guidance? Try to pinpoint the reason for a departure so that you can avoid the same occurrence with the new employee. (And if you don’t do exit interviews, now is a good time to start!) 

Put together a training document/plan

Chron.com writes that a structured training and development program ensures that employees have a consistent experience and background knowledge. Employees should know right away the expectations of their position as well as the importance of their job – they should be able to answer the question Why does my job matter? 

Support industry involvement

Once an employee gets settled into their role, it’s important to train them on the industry as a whole. Employees should be encouraged to get involved in the industry, such as apply for industry awards, attend trade shows, and travel to training provided by NAMA and other groups within the industry. Although these take time and money (and the employee will be missing work to attend the events), it shows the employee that you as an employer are dedicated to their training and are investing in their success.

Investing in your own education

While busy training new employees, operators can’t forget about expanding their own training, either. Education is continuous and luckily there are plenty of industry resources to ensure that operators are staying ahead of the game when it comes to their own training.

Participate in a Micro Market Seminar

Whether you’re an operator just getting involved in micro markets or a 5-year veteran in the segment, attending a Micro Market Seminar can give invaluable insight into strategies, techniques and information to boost that channel even further.

Get certified

There’s a lot to do to further your education as a leader in the industry. Consider applying for NAMA’s Executive Development Program or Supervisor Development Program. Become a NAMA Certified Executive or attend the Quality Coffee Certificate Program. Have you done it all? Share your experiences with your staff and encourage them to apply for this training as well (where applicable).

Attend trade shows

This would be great to do with a few employees who haven’t been to a trade show. You can learn about the new equipment and trends on the tradeshow floor alongside your employees—a training experience all on its own. Plus, the educational sessions are oftentimes filled with pertinent tips and information that both you and your employees can take back to the office and implement.

Don’t underestimate the power of training yourself and your employees. A versatile training plan can save time, money and many headaches.