Why Your Employees Need 250 Hours of Training

I've been doing some serious pondering on the time spent training the team. It's not a metric we've been tracking rigorously, but as the company grows, it's becoming a top priority. Allow me some space here to think about my company's training to this point.

We've noticed a gap in knowledge, particularly on how the company functions. It sounds simple, but it gets intricate when questions arise, like from our marketing team struggling to grasp the nuances of our offerings.

Or, consider our call center team members who may engage with clients about a promotion without fully understanding the services they're discussing.

Questions like "What is an air scrubber and why does it matter?"; Equipping our staff with the contextual knowledge to address these technical inquiries could significantly enhance our customer interactions--it all is leading to increased revenue in the long run.

As we experienced a 20% increase in headcount last year, coupled with some turnover during organizational adjustments, a chunk of institutional knowledge disappeared.

The lack of technical training has been evident in various departments, and it's time to address it.

Here's The Training Plan

We’re not starting from scratch but…

Somewhere along the line, we lost sight of the broader picture, like explaining our pricing structure and the critical role each team member plays in our success.

We're rectifying that by reintroducing these essential components and extending the onboarding duration to three to four days.

Understanding not just the numbers but the 'why' behind them is crucial. It's not just about meeting targets; it's about realizing how each individual's contribution fuels the entire team's success.

That's the mindset we're fostering because every cog in the wheel matters for our collective growth and momentum.

Two Items That I’m Reworking

1. Onboarding Process:

We're making it more comprehensive.

It's going to take three to four days now, covering not just legalities but also diving into the intricacies of how the company operates. Everyone needs to understand their role and how it plays within the bigger picture.

During this time, we'll dive into the core workings of the company, including how we support our technicians and the integral part each employee plays in our business's triumphs.

2. Continuous Learning and Growth:

I'm toying with the idea of setting a goal of 250 hours of training per employee per year. This will include technical training, leadership development, and academy sessions. It's not just about onboarding; it's about continuous learning and growth.

When I look at our leadership team today, a whopping 80% were promoted internally. While promotions have been successful, our focus needs to shift to developing these leaders effectively.

We've struggled with external hires for management roles, but promoting from within has proven to be a winning formula.

So, what we're thinking about is looking at the 140 people in our business today and considering who's the next person that's going to be running a multi-million-dollar P&L.

They're probably already here. They're already capable, smart, driven, and they get the culture. They live our values. How can I best support them so that in a year or two, or in five, or ten years, or whatever that time period is, they're ready and prepared to take on more?

So, that's this total training time idea that I'm trying to wrestle with.

Reflecting on the importance of team training has been eye-opening. It's clear that investing in our employees' knowledge and skills is paramount to our continued growth and success.

This is a big project of ours. 2024 is the year that we invest in our leaders and our future leaders.

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