Training = Engaged Employees
We write a lot about how to resolve conflict, build consensus, and listen better so you can lead a happier team and have less stress yourself.
But it’s more common for something to just feel “bleh” than for there to be a defined conflict between two people.
So what do you do then?
There’s tons of options, really - just like with conflicts.
You could:
Do nothing and muddle through, hoping stuff changes on its own.
Bring people together for a fun event - make sure it’s voluntary!
Bring people together for a service event - either voluntary or on company time (paid!)
Or take a step back and ask the team: What do you need to grow?
Team feeling stuck?
Try a new professional development plan.
Yes, you read that last bullet right: “What do you need to grow?”
Lots of research points to professional development as a source of pride and engagement. When people learn new skills, especially skills they’re interested in and see the value of, they end up more engaged and likely to stay with the organization - to stay on your team. And that will lower your stress levels!
What people want to learn, of course, can vary greatly. That’s why it’s important to budget for professional development that’s flexible and lets people choose what they learn. This is the philosophy behind companies reimbursing workers for degree programs, as well as when companies bring trainers in to help a team learn.
On the job training is absolutely an option in helping people grow, and generally doesn’t cost money up front - but it’s often harder to implement because it relies on goodwill and for people to make connections on their own with their colleagues they want to learn from. Setting up a formal mentorship or shadowing program can help with this, and would show appreciation to the mentors for their efforts.
Team trainings, when the team is interested and the training is appropriate and interactive, can serve as team-building events too - because adult learning is supposed to rely on people sharing their experiences as much as it relies on a trainer imparting knowledge.
What do I mean by appropriate? Don’t bring in a plumber who’s an expert in resolving leaky faucets if the group already knows what to do with a leaky faucet. They already have that skill. Just like I would not voluntarily go to a training on how to resolve conflict unless there was some new angle or training activity I wanted to see in action.
In other words, you want to schedule trainings that actually provide new information for the majority or for everyone.
So how can trainings help your team?
Learning new skills applicable to work
Taking time away from the daily grind to learn something together
Seeing the organization or manager commit money to their learning
Fostering a sense the organization invests in its people
Increases employee engagement
And yes, sometimes trainings even resolve conflict - saving more money in the long-run
Who do you bring in for training?
No matter who you hire, the best trainings are run by facilitators who can step back and adapt to what the group needs. (link: recent post about training gone awry and how i saved it with open space)
Learn more about our trainings and how they save you money.
How does mediation help teams stay engaged?
When conflicts do arise and the manager or HR specialist can’t get them resolved, bringing in a contract mediator communicates two essential pieces of information to the employees in conflict:
That you’re willing to invest company resources to get the issue resolved - and to keep them employed with you.
That you trust them to work with a mediator, without other company involvement, to figure out their own best resolution.
While this doesn’t get to professional development, it 100% touches on two core employee engagement tenets: the organization’s willingness to invest time and money into its employees and its willingness to trust employees to figure things out even when it’s hard. That’s a really positive message to send to struggling employees.