2020 had been an extraordinary year, and it takes an extraordinary mindset to survive through the COVID-19 pandemic. Having said that, 2020 could be a breakout year for training, productivity and engagement.

We believe that effective, timely and relevant employee training is essential to a winning corporate culture. Not only does it engage employees; it also boosts overall productivity and creates an agile and forward-thinking organisation. However, far too many companies believe it is cost-prohibitive to train employees. While some employers fear that if they invest in learning and development, employees will then leave for better positions elsewhere. But if they don’t train their employees, companies will have an ‘under’ skilled workforce.

Workers at all levels want more learning and development, particularly when it helps them progress in their careers. In fact, 94% of employees said they would stay at their companies longer if their employers took an active role in their learning and development, bucking the idea that employees leave once they have new skills.

Onboarding

When new employees join the company, a comprehensive onboarding program that includes training introduces them to the corporate culture and encourages them to be productive. New-hire training familiarises employees with the business and their job expectations, and they are able to add value and integrate into the company more quickly.

Professional Development

Current employees find that professional development advances their skills and keeps them competitive. It also increases job satisfaction and may boost your employees’ confidence. Employees tend to be the most satisfied and productive when they’re trained for the skills and knowledge they need to perform their duties. Confident employees are engaged and enthusiastic, and they feel valued. Engaged employees can’t wait to get to work, better understand their role and feel ownership in the company’s success.

Talent Development

Like many other companies, ours has struggled with finding internal candidates who are skilled enough to lead a team or department. Through internal training like leadership development program, we have found ways to teach current employees new skills, refreshed older employees’ skills and placed employees in positions where we once did not have suitable internal candidates.

The good news is there has been a recent shift in attitudes toward employee training from C-suite and executive-level leadership — executives are seeing the benefits of upskilling their employees and increasing their training budgets. And 2020 couldn’t be a more appropriate year to do so.

You have heard how digital skills were crucial to businesses during the pandemic. Here are the top 10 courses that were taken up by enterprises in Singapore in 2020 to boost their digital capabilities.