Training ‘imperative’ for businesses

Providing a good standard of workplace training is crucial for all companies regardless of their size, but is not without its potential pitfalls, according to a small business expert.

Former IBA start-up business adviser of the year Sylvia Constantine claimed training is as important to owners and managers as it is to lower-level staff and added that it can provide numerous benefits to both workers and firms.

"Every business will get some benefit from having a highly trained and skilled workforce," she explained. "I always believe that training is an absolute imperative to all businesses."

However, Ms Constantine acknowledged that small to medium-sized enterprises suffer more than larger rivals when highly-trained members of staff decide to leave for pastures new and admitted employee retention is a "very real concern".

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Earlier this year, the former Labour government introduced legislation aimed at enshrining workers' legal right to take time out of their job to embark on supplementary training courses.

Posted by Ross George