Why Now Is the Perfect Time to Upskill Employees

There is another avenue that is worth considering as well. Furlough presents a valuable opportunity for both employers and staff when it comes to upskilling and training. Below are three reasons why training staff during furlough is an excellent short and long term strategy for any business. 

 

1: Training on Furlough is Allowed

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It’s important to note that while it is illegal for staff to work while furloughed, employees can embark on training. If employees are struggling with finding projects or other interests to help them get through furlough, then offering some training can be hugely beneficial to both company and employee. Not only that, it creates a knock-on effect, as multiple employees can get involved.

Furloughed or remote working IT staff can train up teams on new software or processes, for example, and such exercises can benefit both trainee and trainer. 

 

2: Build Team Camaraderie, Maintain Employee Engagement

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It might not be quite the same as face to face interaction, but online seminars and e-learning conferences are a fantastic way of enabling colleagues to interact with each other in the context of a shared common goal – much like at work. It’s also a great way for furloughed team members to feel productive. 

Training presentations and learning sessions can also be used to build stronger bonds between departments and teams too – especially those that may not interact all that much on a daily basis in the office. What’s more, a greater understanding of processes and practices outside a team’s own day to day remit can lead to a much more efficient and supportive work culture as a whole. 

 

3: Future Proof Business Through Employees

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While Covid-19 is without doubt the main challenge of the day, the long term prosperity of businesses will, as always, depend on foresight and preparation. Once the hurdle of coronavirus is over, many companies are going to be faced with hard choices financially, and hiring is likely to decline. 

Rather than going through a costly hiring process, it could be wise for some businesses to allocate resources to training now, and upskill existing staff. This way, companies can help to potentially navigate the skills gap problem that the UK has been in the midst of for some time. 

Making use of the existing skills of a workforce now, and enabling them to further educate and empower their colleagues for when the new ‘normal’ returns, could be a contributing factor when it comes to employee retention, business performance, and the overall health of a company’s culture and future.