Through organising an array of training and development programmes over the years, I have seen first hand the categorical changes that teams/employees go through from the beginning to the end of a training and development programme, from staff motivation that leads to retention to specific business issues being addressed. Trying to relay this to potential clients can be a different matter, consequently cost-benefits are often misjudged.

Development of employees is essential for a business to grow and compete effectively. In a recent survey carried out by the Cipd and Hay Group, employee turnover within companies and organisations is now around 25% per annum and the average cost to an organisation in lost profit and training new staff is estimated at 18 months salary. So those companies who are retaining over 80% of their workforce will be benefiting.

Why is it then that some companies’ won’t spend a bit more on a training and development programme, to get a greater return, rather than spend less on a general team bonding session? Is it often the case that they are getting confused between team-building, team bonding and training and development?

The differences between these sessions and the key benefits of a training and development programme are as follows:

Team Bonding: Generally based around a single, or set of, fun experiences with no specific learning objective. Clients use these to give the team a shared experience to recognise success and lift spirits with a short lived return on investment.

Team Building: May involve similar activities, as team bonding, but it is customised to allow for debriefing of the activities, delivering some form of learning output. Return on investment will be more enduring than a team bonding session as theses sessions are usually closely linked to improving team performance.

Team Development: This aims to resolve specific and sometimes deep rooted issues within the team. These events will produce a longer lasting return on investment. However, the initial finance & time invested will also be higher due to the background research and facilitation required.

You only get one chance with a project or financial year, don’t leave your team ill-equipped and lacking with specific skills. Invest in a Training and Development Programme and reap the benefits at minimal costs.

For more information, advice or to talk through some ideas please call Charlotte on 0207 851 1251.