What Are the Benefits of Providing Employees with Training Opportunities?

Learning and development is one of the most crucial steps in creating an efficient workforce and as a result, advancements in training technology are gaining rapid momentum in organizations across the country. Despite this, according to a Gartner survey, 70% of employees reported that they don't have mastery of the basic skills they need to do their job properly, and 52% stated that they needed better upskilling. The adoption of training programs specifically tailored to an individual workforce could be just the thing that closes the gap between the skills necessary for the job, and the skills that employees already have. Beyond this, there are several other benefits of providing employees with training opportunities: for the individual, for the employer, and for the organization itself.

The blog covers,

1. Types of Training Opportunities

2. Benefits for the Employee

3. Benefits for the Employer

4. Benefits for the Company

Types of Training Opportunities

Training and development programs have a wide variety of uses and are designed to help employees improve in the following areas:

• Soft and hard skills training
• Technical skills development
• New hire orientation
• Compliance training
• Workplace safety
• Product and services education

There are a few different types of training opportunities, and it's important to know which one to use at a given point in the employee's career to better influence their job performance.

Employee onboarding is the initial program used to familiarize the employee with their job requirements. This stage in training will give them knowledge about the company, what to do in any emergency, and build a solid functional foundation with which they'll enter the workforce.

Personal professional development is designed to help individuals in areas that will benefit them the most. This type of development often gives them the opportunity to develop transferrable skills, though not always with the goal of transferring those skills to another industry. This type of L&D is a driving force in creating an efficient work environment with motivated workers on an individual scale.

Company-wide professional development involves the entire company, or team of workers to develop team building skills. This can come in the form of professional certifications for the entire group or team building exercises that improve the quality of the workforce.

Benefits for the Employee

The main benefits of employee training opportunities are seen at the employee level. By providing employees with adequate training, they'll be:

- A positive influence on the productivity of others. Employees who have the ability to do their job well and have a good understanding of workplace processes with a solid system of getting things done can show others how the job is supposed to work and creates a standard of excellence to reach for.

- Confident in their job responsibilities. Employees who have gone through training programs and know how to do their job, and what to do in a given situation, builds confidence in every skill type. Their ability to perform their duties leads directly back to their effective training programs and leads directly towards their confidence in adverse situations.

- Able to better understand company policies and goals. One goal of training is to familiarize employees on every level with the overall goals of the company using mission statements that can be internalized and used to align the goals of the individual with the goals of the organization.

- Technologically proficient. The ability to adapt and use tools in any industry starts at square one. Training can provide employees with the opportunity to gain an understanding of the basic technology needed to do the job well.

- Have improved personal productivity. Personal productivity is in line with the ability to be self-motivated, which is a difficult skill to acquire when you're unsure of your place within an organization. Training helps provide that context and defines their position in the workplace, eliminating questions like, what should I be doing right now? Or, what are my goals for the day, week, month? They'll always know the steps they need to take to reach a certain outcome and follow them.

Benefits for the Employer
Employers that provide their employees with training opportunities can reap the following benefits for themselves:

- Increased employee engagement. Employees who have been properly trained and know what they're supposed to be doing will be able to engage fully in every facet of the work environment, from discussions to team building exercises. This all means that employers have the ability to see their goals realized with the support and input of others.

- Uniformity of work processes between employees. With the standardization of training programs that the employees participate in, employers won't have to worry about the quality of training, or the quality of the employee's skills. They'll be able to pull employees from any area and know that they'll get the same quality of work across their entire workforce, which makes it easier to streamline processes.

- Less employee supervision. Employees who know what they're doing and what processes to take in a given situation are able to operate with less supervision because they don't feel the constant need for validation on everyday tasks. This frees up time and energy that the employer can then use for work operations that require their specific attention.

- Streamlined and effective onboarding. With standardized training programs, employers can take a set-it-and-forget-it approach to the process of onboarding. There's no question as to what a new employee will be doing and when, and each employee will have the same opportunity to train as their peers. With this approach, employers can let the employee train and, again, focus on things that actually need their attention.

- Ability to promote from within. Promoting from within is possibly one of the biggest benefits of having excellent training opportunities for employees. Knowing that employees are well trained within the organization requires less effort and provides the company with loyal employment. This is a mutually beneficial relationship because the employee also knows that they've already been well invested in, and that the skills they've gained are perpetually applicable.

Benefits for the Company
The benefits of providing employees with training opportunities can be seen at every level of the organization, but in the end, the goal of employee training is to benefit the company as a whole. Organizations that invest in adequate employee training can see:

- Improved company culture. Employees who are able to complete their job well and don't require assistance in basic areas are able to cultivate an excellent working environment with collaboration between employees, leading to improved company culture that focuses on how to be mutually beneficial within team structures.

- Lower turnover rates. Employees that know their value within a company and know that they're adequately invested in on a personal and professional level are more likely to stay with that company. They'll be loyal to those who show loyalty to them. In addition, employees who know how to work and are confident in how to complete their job responsibilities are likely to stay in their job longer. Employees who leave a company usually do it within the first year due to a lack of training. Adequate training leads to lower turnover rates and reduces the costs associated with it.

- Increased sales for the organization. In the end, the bottom line is generating income for the organization by offering services. Training employees in their specific job responsibilities enables them to be more proficient in their own responsibilities, leading to a better financial outcome for the organization as a while.

- Stronger brand recognition. Employees who have been properly trained with company information, especially those that feel like they've been invested in personally, become a spokesperson for the company because of how they feel about the organization. Beyond that, they become a beacon and create a standard of excellence that customers and business recognize as an authority in their field.

- Reduced waste. Well-trained employees are able to reduce waste on multiple levels. This can come in the form of time, energy, and financial waste, as well as more physical waste in the case of manufacturing training.

- Attracting top talent. With the standard for training opportunities raised in general, the company will be known for its investment into the development of its employees and attract those that are willing to take the necessary steps and perform the necessary duties in order to take advantage of these opportunities. The benefit of this is that these employees are usually high achievers and efficient workers.

Employee training is often seen as a top priority in many organizations, though many fall lower than the bar. Tragically, some organizations don't even have training programs beyond an initial employee onboarding program. By rectifying this, we'll see a vast uptick in the companies that are able to reap the benefits of an effective employee training program. There will be an increase in employee satisfaction, workforce operations will become more efficient, and the more we develop one group of employees, the higher the standard in employee training and operations will become.

About the Author: Anna Taylor

Anna Taylor is a freelance writer and avid researcher- a jack of all trades, but a master of none. She graduated from the University of Hawai'i with an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts because she had no idea what she wanted to be when she grew up. She has since found her love of Extended Reality and the possibilities it brings to the world, as well as gardening, cooking, and writing. Anna lives in Interior Alaska with her family.

How to Improve Your Strategic Thinking Skills in Business Application

Strategic thinking is part of every business, group, organization, team, and individual-from the biggest corporation to the self-employed independent content creator. None of them would get far without the capacity to think strategically about their combined goals in large-scale and day-to-day operations. Strategic thinking is a vital skill that most successful people are capable of that they have cultivated over a lifetime of personal and professional development. It's part of how they become so successful. The other part is execution, but we'll get there.

The blog covers:

1. What is Strategic Thinking?

2. 3 Examples of Strategic Thinking in Business

3. The Process of Strategic Thinking

4. Putting Strategic Thinking into Practice- How to Improve Your Strategic Thinking Skills

6. Strategic Thinking is a Process, Not an Event

What is Strategic Thinking?

Strategic thinking is the process of intentional and rational thought that helps a person analyze every variable within a situation in order to affect the long-term success of a business, team, or individual. It includes the careful consideration of every variable that might affect the outcome, including potential threats to the success and vulnerabilities you might find along the way.

Many companies employ strategic thinking in their everyday operations to plan for long term projects as well as day to day tasks. For instance, part of the process of strategic thinking is to gather information. It helps to know every possible fact of what's happening before beginning any plan to present information or to create a business plan of any sort. Strategic thinking is all about planning for every variable, so knowing all of the information before you begin, be it opening the company in the first place, or deciding what tasks will further your long-term goals today, will eliminate stress by planning for every possible outcome.

3 Examples of Strategic Thinking in Business

1. Strategic Thinking in Business: Businesses will frequently hold meetings in order to determine their business goals and develop a process to reach those goals by analyzing information gathered to create a narrative that would define the company for a period of time. From here, leaders can plan specific actions with employees that will help accomplish this strategic development.

2. Strategic Thinking in Leadership: Business leaders use strategic thinking in order to decide on what products, or groups of products, they'll offer, what areas of business to compete in, and how their resources will be used, like employees, time, and funds. They decide how to best utilize their employees in order to complete certain objectives within the competitive landscape to protect their other limited resources against unnecessary risk.

3. Strategic Thinking as an Employee: Employees utilize strategic thinking in order to accomplish their everyday tasks. By compiling information and deciding which tasks would best serve to develop the longevity of the company, employees are able to create successful operations with growth in mind.

For every person within a company, their job and tasks will look different. However, there is one defining feature that creates a connection between everyone and that will bring them all back together in the end-and this can be broken down into three questions: Where are we now? Where do we want to be? How will we get there? By continuously considering these questions, business owners, leaders, and employees will always be looking for a way forward.

The Process of Strategic Thinking

Strategic thinking is such a high value skill that there are entire degree programs devoted specifically to developing it. There is a process to thinking strategically, and specific steps you can follow that help cultivate this skill in order to make yourself a valuable asset to the company structure. That process begins with gathering information.

Gathering Information: Gathering information is a way of compiling every bit of knowledge you have on a situation. It contributes to the overall well-being of your strategic thinking process in order to create the best outcome possible. In this phase, it's important to consider every variable, such as time, place, subject matter, timeline of events, etc. In creating presentations for a company meeting, this helps you put forward your most knowledgeable foot.

Clearly and Strategically Define the Problem: Consider the questions asked in strategic thinking: where am I now? Where do I want to be? How will I get there? Define the problem specifically with multiple avenues of creatively thinking through a problem.

Brainstorm Possible Solutions: The solution to the problem of where you want to be lies in the how. How will you get to where you want to be? From here, you'll be able to define several solutions to the problem and determine the best possible route to where you want to go.

Imagine Challenges in the Process: No goal is without its challenges. Goals themselves are inherently riddled with problems and bumps along the way. It's one of the many ways we can determine if a specific goal was a success. Was it ultimately worth the challenges you faced in the reaching of that goal? Are you able to eliminate or plan for specific challenges that may arise?

Execute the Plan: Strategic thinking can only get you so far. When a plan is created, follow through. Don't rely on a quick setup and drop-off. Executing a plan is the only way to ensure success and to find what areas you can develop further.

Delegating Assignments: Nobody can do everything alone. Any person with any degree of success can be quoted as saying "I couldn't have done it without X, Y, and Z." It's not a reduction in responsibilities that leads to success-it's the strategic implementation of help along the way and realizing what you're capable of, determining that fact, and delegating the responsibilities that would be best suited for another person.

Putting Strategic Thinking into Practice: How to Improve Your Strategic Thinking Skills

Strategic thinking is a skill you can develop over time. At first, it will seem clunky and difficult, but as time goes on and you regularly put these skills to the test, thinking strategically will be the only way you do it. Here are ways you can regularly improve your strategic thinking skills:

- Set aside time for thinking: Taking the time to intentionally think about a problem and its possible solutions fosters an environment of creativity that allows you to think outside the box and follow unusual, but successful, solutions.

- Look at what's happening around you: Find trends in the workplace or the world around you in order to determine what works and what doesn't.

- Question everything: This one stands on its own. Leonardo Da Vinci, one of the greatest thinkers in history, kept detailed journals of questions that he had, spanning from philosophy to architecture, anatomy, mechanics, and many other subjects. It's clear that his main goal in life was to learn, and to foster a culture of educational development.

- Learn from and get perspectives from other people: Speak with other people and understand their perspectives in order to gain more context about a given situation.

- Anticipate problems before they happen: In the process of problem-solving, one of the greatest assets is to anticipate the needs of the goal and the problems that might arise before they appear. This might not entirely eliminate the problem, but it will help overcome the issues before they develop into something insurmountable.

- Set clear goals and evaluate them frequently: Developing a critical thinking strategy is often done in conjunction with the creation of a goal. One way to develop these skills is to create a goal and find a way to reach that goal. This will help you follow the natural process of overcoming problems and developing a game plan in a strategic way.

- Determine the most important goals and focus on them: Oftentimes, one large goal will be made that is contingent on reaching several smaller goals, and sometimes that feels like an overwhelming task. Find the most important goal and work on that first. This will help you create a strategy of thinking where your efforts are most needed.

- Get creative: Being creative with your goals and thinking process will help you expand your mind and see different avenues to follow that might not otherwise have been seen, but will be better for the ultimate success of the goal.

Strategic Thinking is a Process, Not an Event

Don't expect an immediate gratification moment where you'll see all the changes for the benefit that they are. It takes time to develop your skills of thinking strategically in any scenario. When you begin to implement aspects of a plan, the goal will take time to reach. Success doesn't happen overnight. It takes time and effort to plan, prepare, and put processes in place to curate success. Don't get discouraged when you don't see immediate results. However, over time, after continuously putting forth the effort to develop your strategic thinking skills, you'll notice that it comes easier, the hiccups in the road will be less frequent, and you'll be able to plan for goals and any inevitable problems that will arise from time to time.

Strategic thinking is a necessary skill to have in any scenario where success is the goal. It's a process of eliminating unnecessary hardships on the way, and when developed with intentional effort, can be a valuable skill in any scenario. By constantly taking the time to practice and improve this skill, you'll be an asset in your personal and professional life.

About the Author: Anna Taylor

Anna Taylor is a freelance writer and avid researcher- a jack of all trades, but a master of none. She graduated from the University of Hawai'i with an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts because she had no idea what she wanted to be when she grew up. She has since found her love of Extended Reality and the possibilities it brings to the world, as well as gardening, cooking, and writing. Anna lives in Interior Alaska with her family.

Eleven Common Challenges Faced Within Corporate Training

Despite the necessity of corporate training, many companies have a severe lack of adequate and effective training opportunities. According to a 2020 Training Industry Report, some of the biggest challenges when it comes to corporate training, and what holds some companies back, have been a change in technology, lack of resources, converting content, and engaging people in remote training. Training individuals is one of the best ways to ensure little to no employee turnover, as well as create a competent workforce and productive company culture. Despite this, many companies reported a decrease in budget for training opportunities within their organization, finding certain areas of training difficult to deal with. Here are eleven challenges involved in corporate training and how to tackle them.

The blog covers:

1. Outdated Training Methods

2. Developing Leaders from Within

3. Finding Time for Training

4. Adapting to Remote Training and a Split Workforce

5. Low-Quality Content Leads to Reduced Trainee Interactions

6. Difficulty Measuring the Impact of Training

7. Relevance to Job Tasks and Personalized Training Opportunities

8. Lack of Industry Specific Training In-House

9. Standardization of Training Material

10. Proving Corporate Training Value to Leadership

11. Operating on a Tight Budget

1. Outdated Training Methods

Over time, as cultures and technologies change, many groups are faced with having to create new programs to keep their workforce up to date on the latest information. With the rise of virtual reality technology for training purposes, for instance, companies recognize the benefits of the technology itself, but lack the knowledge or resources to adapt their content to the new method. Outsourcing this task to an external group that specializes in this type of technology eliminates that barrier between older and newer training methods, leaving the company itself free to focus on other things. It also allows for opportunities for older generations or veteran workers to utilize the new training method and receive a refresher course.

2. Developing Leaders from Within

The ultimate goal of training employees is to create a capable workforce from within the company itself. Over time, junior staff should be capable of taking over job responsibilities from senior staff when the time comes. This balance, however, can be difficult if communication between staff members is nonexistent. If training is conducted properly, team members should comfortably coexist in a work environment, enabling relationships to form and creating effective leaders from the junior staff. Cutting corners or not following protocols could lead to chaos within the company and, worst-case scenario, company closure.

3. Finding Time for Training

With such a necessity for training, you'd think that finding the time for it wouldn't be on this list. But it is. In some cases, new employees are pushed immediately into the workforce, learning the practical application of tasks before learning information that would lead to them to doing a better job in the end. Upskilling, after this point, may not feel worth it if someone's workload is already high. In the end, monetary investments don't mean a thing if a time investment isn't seen as a priority. Treating training like the priority that it is helps those in charge understand where and when training should take place over other tasks lower on the list.

4. Adapting to Remote Training and a Split Workforce

With the pandemic, many companies found that many employees could be as productive at home as they were in the office. This left many companies struggling to figure out a balance between in-house training and remote training. Learning to use programs like Zoom, Slack, and Notion became a necessity in keeping employees engaged, and deciding on one training method for everybody (remote and in-house) often proved to be the best choice.

5. Low-Quality Content Leads to Reduced Trainee Interactions

Keeping trainees engaged in the content while delivering job-specific information can be a challenge in itself. From boring methods of content delivery to unclear content to content that goes around in circles without ever getting to the point, there are many reasons trainees disengage from the training process. Make sure that your training content is clear and concise. You might also want to see if your training partner offers a learning management system (LMS) that will provide a progress log and assessment quizzes to help keep team members engaged.

6. Difficulty Measuring the Impact of Training

You can believe you've made the greatest training program possible, but you'll never know for sure unless you are able to know whether the program made any impact on the trainee. By creating goals and other markers during their practical application that gauge what they know and how well they've internalized the information itself, you'll be able to measure the success of your program and adjust for errors as you go.

7. Relevance to Job Tasks and Personalized Training Opportunities

One of the biggest failings of corporate training is creating a direct correlation between the training and how it translates into the trainee's day-to-day operations. The problem with this lies in the generic nature of some programs. Not every job has a one-size-fits-all solution. In fact, most of them require direct application to what their job will entail. Using scenarios within the program that are relatable and have clear outcomes creates a direct line of connection between the program and the person's job. Offering on-the-job training opportunities that relate to their job duties keep them on task.

8. Lack of Industry Specific Training In-House

There will come a point in every person's career where they desire more niche training opportunities. For instance, a registered nurse may want to change their career trajectory and need training in hospice care, all while balancing their work in oncology. If the desired training is not offered within the hospital, they must seek training elsewhere. Outsourcing training can be a great benefit to those within your organization, especially when you don't specialize in what employees are seeking. For instance, most companies don't train on public speaking, but the skill is highly sought after for conferences, pitches, etc. Providing this type of training outside of standard corporate training benefits the entire company as well as the trainee themselves.

9. Standardization of Training Material

Previously spoken about are two ideas where trainees need job-specific training that the company is unable to provide internally. Standardizing training material can be a difficult task and, in some scenarios, could create a group of ill-trained employees in their specific niche. However, developing a training program where employees can see the whole of the company, everybody's responsibilities, and how their specific tasks fit into the company structure can create more relationships within the space overall. This is something that can only happen if the whole company receives the same training material.

10. Proving Corporate Training Value to Leadership

There tends to be a disconnect between those who create training opportunities, those in need of them, and those who fund them. Sometimes, the creator finds that the proposed budget is not enough to cover the cost of a proven training program. Proving what value the new training program might bring to the company is another undertaking altogether. In this situation, it's best to gather as much information as possible to show any of the current system's weak points (how the program falls short via surveys, assessments, focus groups) and identify any skill gaps that an improved training program might fill. This can be time-consuming. but may prove to be the most beneficial course of action for the company as a whole.

11. Operating on a Tight Budget

No matter which direction you end up going, training programs cost money. The question becomes: how do you determine your training budget? And how do you maintain that budget while offering the most positive and effective training solutions possible? To work through these issues, there are several cost-effective LMS options that can help you create the training program that best benefits your company. To find the best fit, identify your requirements, make any necessary compromises, and start building a training experience that's tailored to your needs.

There are many challenges to corporate training, from budget constraints to figuring out a one- size-fits-all solution to the company structure. There's no question that training employees leads to a better, more productive workforce. It boils down to whether you're willing to compromise to make the best training program that fits the needs of the company. Overcoming these challenges takes a little ingenuity in some cases. You may not find all challenges on this list apply to your situation or that knowing about them in advance will eliminate them entirely. However, hopefully this blog will leave you more prepared to handle challenges that do come your way.

Interested in partnering with the #1-ranked exam prep provider to offer proven corporate training opportunities to your team? Reach out to School of PE today to learn more!

About the Author: Anna Taylor

Anna Taylor is a freelance writer and avid researcher- a jack of all trades, but a master of none. She graduated from the University of Hawai'i with an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts because she had no idea what she wanted to be when she grew up. She has since found her love of Extended Reality and the possibilities it brings to the world, as well as gardening, cooking, and writing. Anna lives in Interior Alaska with her family.

Instructor Spotlight: Vincent T. Favale, PE

At School of PE, we employ multiple instructors to teach the material in their areas of expertise-this sets us apart from our competitors. We have received a great deal of positive feedback from our students, and we believe that learning from experts in their respective areas provides the most comprehensive learning experience.

Our Instructor Spotlight series gives you a peek behind the scenes with some of School of PE's highly acclaimed instructors. Read on to find out more about our very own Vincent T. Favale, PE.

Author Bio:

Mr. Favale is the Senior Fire Protection Engineer for Burns & McDonnell, based in New York City with more than 10 years' experience in the fire protection field. He holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Manhattan College and a master's degree in fire protection engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. His professional experience covers a broad range of commercial facilities and includes Plumbing, Fire Protection, Fire Alarm, and Life Safety designs for large-scale projects. Mr. Favale specializes in special hazards and special projects-most notably in alternate energy applications such as offshore wind farms, energy storage systems (Li-ion batteries), and solar systems. He has earned several industry certifications, including a PE in Mechanical Thermal Fluids design and a PE in Fire Protection, along with a Certification in Plumbing Design (CPD), a Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS), and a Level II Water-Based Fire Protection Systems Layout from National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET).

Mr. Favale has been an adjunct instructor at New York University School of Professional Studies since 2019 and an instructor with School of PE for Fire Protection since 2022, teaching Egress & Occupant Movement-Means of Egress, Egress & Occupant Movement-Human Behavior, and Active & Passive Systems: Smoke Control Systems.

Did you always want to be an engineer?

Yes. Ever since I was a kid, I have loved to understand how things work. I've always had a passion for designing, building, and repairing things.

What has been your favorite engineering project?

Experience-wise, my favorite engineering project would have to be the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. I was there for about 6 years doing renovations to the arena, and the staff there are top notch.

What is the most rewarding thing about being an engineer?

I think the most rewarding thing is seeing projects built and completed. Second would be breaking down complex systems into simple to explain and understand systems.

What is one thing people might be surprised to know about you?

I started in engineering as a plumbing and fire protection engineer and while working on a lot of special projects, I got more exposure to different sides of fire protection beyond sprinkler design. I found it so interesting that I then went back to school for my master's degree in fire protection while working. Going back to school gave me a whole host of new skills, from fire alarm design to code consulting to hazardous materials protection that I now use daily, and showed me a whole new side of fire protection.

What is the best way to prepare for the PE Fire Protection exam?

It's helpful to take a review class that spans all the different topics for the exam. It is also helpful to work through example problems in that class that are similar to what will be asked on the PE exam.

What are the biggest challenges with obtaining PE licensure?

Setting up the time to study is the biggest issue I dealt with and what I've also heard from others. From having a busy life trying to take care of responsibilities at home, to seeing family and friends, finding time to relax and have a mental break is not always easy. Trying to balance work with studying and having the energy to come home after working all day or giving up weekends and doing more work in studying and learning, and other things life likes to throw at you is a challenge.

What advice do you have for someone who is undecided regarding their specific area of expertise?

For younger college-level students, I suggest trying out as many areas as possible. Get internships in different fields. As you grow, you can always try new things. Personally, I started out as a plumbing engineer. Getting involved with different projects led to my getting involved with fire protection. I got my master's degree and moved into a fire protection role, which then led me into a special hazards and projects role.

What is your approach to teaching exam prep?

I think it is important to provide not just how to answer the exam questions but also what they mean, why are they important, the science behind them, and understanding their overall impact.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone who didn't pass the PE Fire Protection exam on their first try?

Try again! Take the score matrix they provide and work on your worst-scoring subjects first. Take some practice exams in those topics. Read over those items in the reference books and ask coworkers/mentors in the field to explain different subjects. Consider taking an exam review class in those areas and don't hesitate to ask the instructor about anything about which you are unsure or unclear.

Why would you recommend taking an exam review course to prepare for a PE exam?

First, an exam review course will help set you up on a schedule to study and will make it harder to push off until later. Second, it will provide the opportunity to learn or relearn subjects with which you may not be very involved in your day-to-day work. Finally, get real example questions to work on and don't be afraid to ask question on parts you get stuck on.

The Process of Talent Management - Tips, Strategy, and Challenges

Talent management is the process of acquiring, onboarding, and retaining productive employees. The goal of talent management is to effectively align the goals of the individual with that of the organization in order to create a highly productive and effective workforce. Talent management is under the working umbrella of your human resources team, and the responsibilities of implementing the process lie in their scope. Let's look at the basics of talent management, the process of managing talent with a talent management model, some challenges you'll face, as well as tips to help you along the way.

The blog Covers:

1. Four Steps to Managing Talent

2. How to Start Talent Management with a Talent Management Model

3. Challenges Facing Talent Management

4. Tips for a Successful Talent Management Strategy

Four Steps to Managing Talent

There are four basic steps or pillars to managing talent strategically. If one pillar is weak, the foundation breaks and the strategy doesn't stand up to time and economic change.

1. The first is to attract great talent. This begins in the application phase, wherein a potential applicant uses advertisements and the description within the listing to get a feel for the job based on your requirements and their ability. It's important to be as accurate and open as possible here to showcase the most realistic vision of your working environment in order to attract the right person. This part continues through the onboarding phase of working, in the interview, in training, and throughout the first several months of the job.

2. The second is to develop employees that excel. Beginning in the onboarding phase, everything from here on out goes into developing top-performing employees. From traditional training methods to professional certification, and rewards systems that encourage employees to do their best in every area, developing employees that excel in their job is an important part of managing the employee talent pool that you're building.

3. The third is to motivate your staff to succeed. Keeping employees motivated on a daily basis when overall goals are so far off can feel like an insurmountable task. However, it's instrumental in keeping them aligned with the goals of the company. Offering perks of the job, and rewards and recognition for a job well done motivates employees to create and foster a good working environment.

4. The fourth step in managing talent is retaining top performers. Spending all this time and effort in developing a talent management strategy doesn't mean a thing if you have trouble keeping that talent invested in the company and the work they do there. In order to retain top talent, it's important to create a company culture of effective workers, and then incentivize them to stay by investing in their career and future as it relates to the company.

Broken down, the principles to managing talent are to attract, recruit, develop, empower, and reward the right kind of talent in order to create a mutually beneficial relationship between company and employee.

How to Start Talent Management with a Talent Management Model

Below you'll find some challenges facing talent management and tips for keeping your talent management strategy running smoothly, but let's first look at what a talent management model might look like.

Step One: Talent and Strategy Planning

- Here you'll identify your goals as an organization, how employees will fit into the plan, form an HR team to manage everything and plan the overall workforce organization.

Step Two: Talent Acquisition

- This is the beginning of the onboarding process. Acquiring talented employees begins with creating an ideal candidate based on your organization goals and selecting this talent from your ideal candidate pool.

Step Three: Employee Performance Management

- Identifying important ways in which your selected employees fit within the organization is critical. If they end up not being a good fit, readjust your expectations and return to the candidate pool. At this point, offer coaching and mentoring in the form of leadership and professional development. Help them define their career trajectory to ensure that their goals align with the organizations.

Step Four: Training and Development

- Within the training and development phase lies several key points in the employee's time with you. Measure the effectiveness of your training program and offer appropriate learning opportunities that ensure that they're still aligning with the organization's goals.

Step Five: Succession Planning and Identifying

- It's the goal of most organizations to have long life spans, and a very important part of that is finding employees that can take over for senior employees when their time comes. It's important to continually identify, train, and evaluate the best candidates that align well with the goals of the organization and can help maintain its longevity.

Step Six: Total Rewards

- Employees who feel like their needs are met, and their goals are appreciated and continually being met are likely to stay with the company that first invests in them. Having a compensation plan, as well as a rewards and recognition plan that proves the organization's appreciation of the work their employees have done is instrumental in managing a highly productive talent pool.

Challenges Facing Talent Management

While talent management is something that every organization should take seriously, there are some common challenges that talent management teams face regularly.

Teleworking in Business Organization: According to Pew Research Center, 71% of people working from home during the pandemic stated that they would like to continue working from home indefinitely. In their survey, a majority of respondents stated that they found it very or somewhat easy to have the right technology and equipment necessary for their work, while less reported being able to get their work done without interruptions and even more felt less motivated to do their work. While possibility and potential are both there to complete the work, a major problem with teleworking lies in motivation.

Developing Diversity: The issue with diversity lies not in the types of people working in an organization, but the diversity of qualifications met within that organization. It can be difficult to find a well-rounded group of people that work well with each other and have a balance of strengths and weaknesses that work well off of each other.

Managing Today's Talent with Yesterday's Tactics: As the world grows in many different ways- economically, technologically, therapeutically, etc.- many employers, especially ones that have been around a long time, find it difficult to adapt to changing environments. However, it has proven to be a valuable skill of many organizations showcasing their longevity to evolve with the changing training and management tactics.

Creating a Balance Between Organizational and Personal Needs: Many workers today have found that the best tactic for a fruitful life is to find a job that brings in money and helps the world operate, and to find fulfillment in hobbies and family, rather than their job. As a result, the work isn't the most important aspect of their job to them. However, loyalty to the company will come if the company itself respects the needs of the individual with adequate time off for familial obligations for instance, while still being able to maintain their work obligations.

Limited Supply for Insatiable Demand for Value: Similar to supply chain management, when there is a higher demand in the supply and demand ratio, keeping up with the need for high value employees and talent can be difficult. Between training and elevating an employee and fostering their skills, finding people with the potential to even become employees that excel can be difficult.

Eliminating the Power Struggle Between Employer and Employee: Breaking the cycle of a power-hungry employer and employees who just want to do their job well and having their employer trust that they'll do well is going to take time and effort on both parts. Learning to manage the day-to-day operations beyond simple training endeavors while maintaining a harmonious balance between employers and workers will eliminate frustration in the workforce.

Tips for a Successful Talent Management Strategy

Now that we've talked about some challenges with managing talent, here are some tips to a successful talent management strategy:

- Have perks and incentives that draw and maintain productive workers.

- Have regular one on one meetings with employees.

- Consider company culture in everything you do to ensure that the work environment is one of shared productivity.

Talent acquisitions and management is one of the most important parts of building a business and aligning with an effective business strategy. Without a proper talent management strategy, it's impossible to know whether your acquisitions are right for the company, and it's impossible to address questions and eventual hiccups in the road without first being able to define the area in which the question lies. In order to develop a proper talent management strategy, consider the overall goals of the company, any challenges you may face along the way, and always recognize talent when you see it.

Interested in facilitating training opportunities to benefit your current team or to attract talent? Reach out to School of PE today to learn more about how we can help your team members take their careers to the next level!

About the Author: Anna Taylor

Anna Taylor is a freelance writer and avid researcher- a jack of all trades, but a master of none. She graduated from the University of Hawai'i with an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts because she had no idea what she wanted to be when she grew up. She has since found her love of Extended Reality and the possibilities it brings to the world, as well as gardening, cooking, and writing. Anna lives in Interior Alaska with her family.

Curious about Capacitance? Here's What You Should Know

Index:

1. History

2. What Is a Capacitor?

3. Capacitance Connection

4. Type of Capacitor

5. Application

6. Conclusion

History

The capacitor is an essential component of modern electronics, but its origins can be traced back to the 18th century. The invention of the capacitor is attributed to the Dutch scientist Pieter van Musschenbroek, who created the first capacitor, also known as the Leyden jar, in 1745.

Musschenbroek's invention was the result of his experiment with static electricity. He discovered that by placing a metal object inside a glass jar filled with water, he could store a charge of static electricity. The jar acted as a capacitor, storing the electrical charge on its metal object (Ho et al., 2010, 1). The Leyden jar was a ground-breaking invention that paved the way for the development of modern capacitors. However, it was not until the 19th century that practical capacitors began to be developed.

In 1839, an English natural philosopher named Michael Faraday discovered that a charge stored in a capacitor is directly proportional to its capacitance and the applied voltage. This discovery laid the groundwork for the development of modern capacitors, increasing its capacitance and reliability.

What Is a Capacitor?

Capacitors come in various sizes, shapes, and capacitances. Sizes can vary from as small as a grain of rice or as enormous as a building. Capacitance is measured in Farads (F), however, most commercial capacitors have values that are small in value. The most commonly used capacitors measure around microfarad (μF) to picofarad (ρF) (Nilsson & Riedel, 2015, 182).

Capacitor consists of two conductive metal plates separated by an insulating material, known as a dielectric. This means that electric charge cannot be transported through the capacitor, instead, applying a voltage to the terminals of the capacitor can displace charge within the dielectric, causing a displacement of current (Figure 1).

Figure 1

This current is indistinguishable from a conduction at the terminals and is proportional to the rate of charge of voltage across the capacitor. The current can be expressed as:

i = C dv / dt    (1)

where i is in amperes, C in farads, and v in volts.

Figure 2 shows the passive sign convention based on Equation 1, which the current reference aligns with the voltage drop (current flows from positive sign to negative sign) across the capacitor. However, if the current reference aligns with the voltage rise (current flows from negative sign to positive sign), Equation 1 is written with a minus sign.

Figure 2

From Equation 1 we can derive two important aspects of capacitors:

1. If the voltage across a capacitor experiences an instantaneous change, an infinite current then occurs, which is physically impossible.

2. If the voltage across the capacitor's terminals remains constant, there will be no current flow through the capacitor, since a conduction current cannot establish itself in the dielectric material; meaning, to have a displacement current, a time-varying voltage must be applied across the terminals.

Thus, a capacitor behaves like an open circuit in the presence of a constant voltage (Nilsson & Riedel, 2015, 183).

From Equation 1, we can rearrange to obtain a voltage equation:

v(t) = 1/C ∫₀^t idτ + v(t₀)  (2)

The capacitor energy equation can be expressed as,

w = 1/2 Cv²  (3)

Capacitance Connection

1. Series

When capacitors are connected in series (Figure 3), they can be simplified to a single equivalent capacitor. It can be achieved by summing the reciprocals of each individual capacitor's capacitance. The summation will equate to the reciprocal of the equivalent capacitance (Nilsson & Riedel, 2015, 188).

Figure 3

The equivalent capacitance equation can be expressed as:

1/C_eq =1/C₁ +1/C₂ +...+1/C_n  (4)

If each capacitor carries an initial voltage, the equivalent capacitor's initial voltage is the sum of the individual capacitors' initial voltages. The voltage equation is obtained through:

v(t) = v₁ (t) + v₂ (t) + ... + v_n (t)   (5)

2. Parallel

When capacitors are connected parallel (Figure 4), they can be simplified into an equivalent circuit by summing the capacitance of the individual capacitors.

Figure 4

The equivalent capacitance equation can be expressed as:

C_eq = C₁ + C₂ + ...+ C_n   (6)

When capacitors are connected in parallel, they must all have the same voltage. Hence, if an initial voltage is present across the original parallel capacitors, the equivalent capacitance Ceq will also have the same initial voltage.

v(t) = v₁(t) = v₂(t) = ... = v_n(t)   (7)

Type of Capacitor

We will now introduce the many different types of capacitors used in industry, each with their own unique characteristics and applications. The most commonly used and inexpensive capacitor found in electronics is the ceramic capacitor (Figure 5). Ceramic capacitors have a small size and high stability, making them ideal for use in high-frequency applications.

Figure 5

For circuits needing higher capacitance than what a ceramic capacitor is capable of, an electrolytic capacitor (Figure 6) is then required. Electrolytic capacitors have a polarized design, meaning that they have both a positive and negative terminal. While able to store more energy in its body, being polarized opens up the risks of breaking if it is installed in the incorrect orientation.

Figure 6

For higher stability and reliability, Tantalum capacitors (Figure 7) are often used, and they are also used in applications where space is limited. Some other benefits to using Tantalum capacitors over ceramic and electrolytic capacitors are that they offer higher performance and greater longevity, but at a greater expense.

Figure 7

Finally, film capacitors (Figure 8) are ideal for circuits that require high-frequency operation and high accuracy.

Figure 8

Application

The popular usage of capacitors in the engineering world is to filter and smooth electrical signals. Any electronic equipment will produce electrical noise in the carrier of various frequency bands. Electronic equipment can also generate radio interference in the high frequency range. Therefore, the capacitor and other electrical passive elements can act as a filter to minimize noise and interference.

In a power supply, the output signal will never be steady. There is always a fluctuation known as ripple. The ripple produces overheating and power losses which jeopardizes the equipment efficiency. Thus, a filter circuit consisting of capacitor or a combination of electrical passive components is used to reduce the ripple at the output.

Conclusion

Each type of capacitor has its unique characteristics and applications, and choosing the right capacitor for a particular application is crucial for the performance and reliability of the circuit. By understanding the properties of different types of capacitors, designers can make informed decisions about the best capacitor to use for a particular application.

References

Ho, J., Jow, T. R., and Boggs, S. (2010). Historical introduction to capacitor technology. IEEE Electrical/Insulation Magazine, 26(1), 20-25. 10.1109/MEI.2010.5383924

Riedel, S. A., and Nilsson, J. W. (2015). Electric Circuits. Pearson.

About the Author: Khoa Tran

Khoa Tran is an electrical engineer working at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and is currently pursuing his master's in electrical Power from the University of Southern California. He is fluent in both Vietnamese and English and is interested in outdoor activities and exploring new things.