If you want your company to succeed in this new, evolving world, then you need to learn how to be a more resilient organization. Avoid the behaviors that can lead to increased risk and the chance of a crisis down the line — and have crisis management protocol in place before disaster even strikes. One of the best ways that you can do that is by prioritizing your employees and showing them that you care about their life and career by giving them the chance to continue their education.

When employees are given the opportunity to learn new things, they are generally happier and more motivated. Plus, when they have greater knowledge of your company and your industry, they will have a greater ability to catch errors and issues than their less-educated counterparts.

Let’s talk a bit about continued education and how your company can reap the rewards.

The Many Ways to Implement Continuing Education

There are many benefits that your business can offer your teams. While health insurance and time off are nice, employees really appreciate it when a company supports them as people and wants to see them succeed. That is why so many organizations are offering the additional benefit of continued education. In many cases, that is in the form of tuition reimbursement. An employee comes to management with the hopes of earning a degree, and if that education benefits the company, then they will pay for part or all of the tuition. It is a win-win for everyone.

Naturally, some smaller companies may not be able to afford to send an employee to school for four years, but the good news is that there are other ways that you can offer continued education. For instance, your company could pay for the employees to attend a conference where they can gather skills and make new connections. You can also offer continued education with cross-training opportunities within your organization that could eventually lead the employee to a new position.

Plus, your employees have the chance to attend school without needing to take a leave of absence by taking their courses online. This is often the less expensive option, and your staff can attend classes at night, on weekends, and whenever their schedules allow. That way, your employees can share their new knowledge with you every day when they come to work.

The More Educated, the Less Risk

There are many perks to providing your team with continued education, but the one that often pays for itself is the improved risk management that will come as a result. While your employees were trained on their job when they joined the organization, that knowledge can only take them so far. Eventually, technology will evolve and processes will change, and if the training does not continue, then errors are inevitable.

An example of this phenomenon is often found in the medical and nursing fields. Before they can become certified, nurses and doctors go through extensive training for years as they learn the ins and outs of every procedure and patient issue that they are likely to come across. While that education is invaluable, over time, medicine changes, and in order to stay up to date and save lives, nurses must take educational courses and get new certifications. In addition to learning medicine, they also get hands-on experience working with new technology so they can operate without making mistakes.

You can take that same ideology and apply it to your business. Your company can only stay competitive in the market if you are using the most up-to-date technology, and in order to succeed, that technology must be used correctly. If you make mistakes, then your customers could take the hit, and your business can suffer. By recognizing potential risks ahead of time, your educated employees can avoid a potential catastrophe. So, give eager team members the chance to learn the tasks that will help your company succeed. They will be happy to take on the challenge.

You’ll Also Create Happier Employees

While upper management will be thrilled that your company is mitigating risk, your employees will also be happier because you gave them the chance to learn something new. As time goes on, workers are starting to realize that they want more out of their jobs, and when they start to feel like they are just faceless cogs in the machine, they may begin to feel depressed. Their mental health could suffer due to job-related factors, and this can negatively affect your company overall. Employers need to prove to their teams that they care by having open communication, offering praise, and showing them that they are an important part of the organization, and offering opportunities for continued education is a way to do that.

There are other perks as well. When employees learn new skills as adults and become more valuable to the company, then they realize that there is a chance to get promoted and make more money. While money isn’t everything in life, it is one indicator that they are a valued member of the team. Plus, when they earn a good wage, then they are likely to stay at your job and promote their highly-qualified friends.

Your company will also benefit from educated employees because, when they are able to complete varied tasks throughout your organization, there will likely be less downtime and extra productivity. Continued education really is the gift that keeps on giving.

As you can see, there are many benefits to offering some form of continuous education to your teams. Consider the advice mentioned here, and help your organization reach the next level.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Katie Brenneman

Katie Brenneman is a passionate writer specializing in lifestyle, mental health, education, and fitness-related content. When she isn't writing, you can find her with her nose buried in a book or hiking with her dog, Charlie. To connect with Brenneman, you can follow her on Twitter.

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