A whopping 9/10 employers struggle to recruit people with the right skills.

That’s one reason companies are investing in training programmes to upskill existing staff.

How do you make sure you’re getting the greatest return on that investment? Especially when you’re up against a huge enemy: forgetfulness.

One theory says you lose 75% of what you learn within just a few days.

Here’s advice from UK employers on how to implement training that actually makes a difference.

Start at the top

‘By engaging our senior leadership teams, we created buy-in and support from the top down. Senior managers participated in programmes and this showed that they understood the value of the training and approach taken.’ Wakefield Council

Make it flexible

‘There has to be flexibility within our plans to meet constant and continual changes of the business such as people changing roles and being promoted which happens throughout any process.’ Asda

Start small

‘In our sector there isn’t often a big budget to deliver projects. You don’t need a large budget to deliver effective change; energy and enthusiasm go a long way!’ The Donkey Sanctuary

‘The innovative, bite-sized approach we use for training provides competence whilst preventing the need for trainees to have excessive time away from work. New skills can be applied immediately and individuals can see the benefits of what they have learnt.’ J Murphy & Sons

Make it personal

‘By using case studies from our colleagues and customers we customised our training to make it completely relevant to us. Working with people’s real stories and experiences made a truly personal learning experience.’ East of England Co-operative

Reward effort

‘Engaging the trainee in the training process and recognising their achievements can contribute greatly to the intrinsic motivation of that staff member.’ Green Lighting Ltd

Get feedback

‘By seeking feedback each time we run our training sessions, we find new opportunities for change, sharing best practice, building the best team possible and empowering everyone to support one another.’ Caring Homes Group

Choose your own adventure

‘Early professionals are encouraged to drive their own learning by creating communities for specialist career development. This provides insight into different skill areas and enhances a learner’s breadth of knowledge.’ IBM UK

Share best practice

‘We work with other organisations with a similar need to upskill their colleagues but don’t necessarily have the resources or know how to set something up like this. So we have made it completely adoptable by other organisations.’ Barclays UK

‘Through a word of mouth approach our programmes have become sought-after due to the difference they are making to our leaders, their teams and the organisation. Our customers and partners have also noticed the difference and are wanting to understand what we have done.’ Ricoh UK

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