OneSource News

Your manufacturing and warehouse employees want more than just the job they have now. They want to upgrade their skills and expand their knowledge, so they are able to advance their career.

One way to do that is through professional development opportunities. There are many different mediums and methods, so it’s up to you to find the ones that are the best-fit for your team. Some to consider include:

How Can Your Organization Provide Professional Development Opportunities

Getting employees involved in goal setting.

Meet with employees individually to clarify expectations and set goals. You might find workers who have a lot of leadership potential, and that should be part of a mentoring program. Other employees might have a unique perspective or specialized skills that can benefit your company with the right training. The only way to find out, though, is by talking with them.

Exploring skill development.

Are there certain skills your employees need to develop? Are there skills they want to attain? When it’s a two-way conversation, it feels like you’re invested in each employee’s career. At the same time, you can help to develop them in a way that benefits your manufacturing company or warehouse. So work together to identify gaps in skills, what training is needed, and how employees can gain the knowledge to fill those gaps and contribute to company success.

Promoting from within.

When you have an internal promotion policy, it matters to your team. They will worker harder and smarter in order to move forward in their careers. It also sends the message that you value your employees and offer development opportunities that maximize their potential. This can go a long way in helping you to retain your top performers.

Developing a training schedule.

Training shouldn’t be a once-in-a-while event. It should be a regularly scheduled part of the schedule. So establish a routine time for training, whether it’s a seminar or brown bag lunch the last Friday of each month. Or Tuesday training days, where you discuss leadership development, opportunities to learn, and what activities are scheduled for the week for training.

Getting feedback from your employees.

Don’t be the one developing all the training topics. Your employees should have a voice in this. They’re on the front lines each day and likely have opinions and ideas about reducing waste, cutting down on mistakes, and making processes more efficient, all with the right training. Bring them into the conversation, so your training and development are as effective as possible.

Encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing.

When employees across shifts, teams, and departments are able to share knowledge, it can lead to effective problem-solving, a bigger-picture understanding of the company and where everyone fits, and an overall healthier, happier culture. It’s a win for everyone.

Do you need new hires who are trained and ready to hit the ground running?

Turn to OneSource Staffing Solutions. We help companies across PA, FL, IL, and NY source and hire the right-fit candidates and can even train them so they’re ready to get to work on day one. Contact us today to get started.