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Why credit crunch cutbacks must not affect your staff training programme

NES AIM Academy - the specialist training division of recruitment firm, NES – has issued advice to companies who think that cutting back on training is an easy way to reduce costs during an economic downturn. Their advice: don’t do it without looking at the bigger picture.  Whilst the training budget is often near the top of the list when costs need to be brought under control, the short-term benefits of not investing in training may be counter-productive in the longer term according to NES AIM Academy Training Services Manager Emma Nixon. “Many companies tend to consider training as a dispensable luxury during an economic downturn,” Emma observes. “Yet in reality, the message that this sends out to the existing workforce is that ‘your career development is not a key concern at the moment’ at a time when retaining these individuals - whose expertise will be required for expansion after a recession - is crucial,” she insists. 

“Along with its affect upon staff morale and, therefore, the overall performance of an organisation, cutting down on training could reduce the likelihood of a company surviving in the current climate,” warns Emma. “Organisations need to improve operational efficiencies, bring in new products & services in the most cost effective and timely manner, and maximise value for money. This is best achieved by having staff trained in the most effective ways of managing and implementing projects.”

“The most sensible action to take is not to remove the training itself from the budget, but to work with training providers who are able to add real value to your business by working on a partnership basis and provide tailored training programs to meet specific business demands in the current economic environment,” Emma suggests. “Certainly, this may involve re-structuring how training is paid for but this is only part of the picture.”

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