Training Employees Empowers Them
In many businesses, employees think they’re not trained enough, they’re not empowered enough, and they don’t know enough. Information is power. If you want your employees to make good decisions, they have to be well informed. Share with your employees such things as long term business strategy and year-to-date financial results on a regular basis. Encourage your employees to share their observations, concerns and ideas, and provide a convenient forum for communication. You do this with open communication, meetings, education, and brainstorming.
Empowering your employees enables your employees to use their talents. It means giving them the knowledge they need to make decisions, and giving them the authority to act on those decisions. Empowering your employees through knowledge and learning enables them to grow, and it will add value to the service your company gives to your customers.
Is it scary to change your way of doing things? Are you wary of sharing information with your staff? You bet. But the benefits of empowering your employees far outweigh the risks. You've already given your employees the tangible tools they need in the form of desks, computers, telephones, etc. Recognize that your employees have a lot to offer, and you will have a culture based on what is of value to your employees. Give your employees the knowledge and the authority they need to do their jobs well, and they will take pride in their work and want to be a part of your cpmpany's culture for many years.
In conclusion, once you hire someone, take the time to train them. Rather than just teaching your employee how to do something, explain why they should do it and how what they’re doing fits into the big picture. Be very patient and kind. If you judged them correctly during the interview, they really want to do a good job. If at first they don't do something right, assume that the fault lies with your failure to fully explain what you wanted.
