It's not enough to arrange training, you have to get it right as well

Training is crucial, not just for staff but also for anyone seeking to be self-employed. Training specialists recommend that to get it right a company should:

Start at the top All layers of the company must be committed to developing a learning atmosphere.

Ensure training fits in with the company’s aims. Training should help employees develop skills such as effective communication, dispute resolution, quality management and team building, thereby supporting the company’s strategy for growth.

Find out what is needed. Designing a training strategy should begin with an accurate assessment of what you do well and what needs improvement. Ask tough questions: what is holding your team back? What skills do your people lack? What do they need to do the job better?

Get the delivery right. There are many ways to deliver training – classroom, mentoring, computer-assisted and web-enabled. Choose the most effective delivery method for your team given your objectives.

Follow up. After the completion of the training, you must provide an opportunity to apply the skills. People should not successfully learn the skills without being given the chance to use them on the job.