Corporate Training

The phrase “corporate training” encompasses a broad spectrum of seminars, classes, and exercises, all with essentially the same goals. The goals of corporate training are to make the company or organization stronger and more efficient and to empower employees to work together as a cohesive team. That being said, there are a myriad of companies and individual consultants who offer training to a wide array of customers. Food and drug manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, universities, healthcare groups, nonprofit governing boards, investment and law firms have all been known to purchase some sort of training for their companies.

Types of Corporate Training

Some corporate training may involve several small groups, with a facilitator assigned to each one. Other training might more closely resemble a class given at a major university, at which a hundred or more employees gather in one large seminar hall or conference room to hear a lecture by an expert on that particular subject.

Required Corporate Training

In certain circumstances, a particular type of training might be required by law. For example, government employees or nonprofit employees must be current in their knowledge of bylaws. Many companies in the private sector require their employees to attend a certain number of hours of training in order to be compliant with workforce policies and procedures.

Advantages and Disadvantages

The advantages of incorporating training into a company's calendar are many and include:

• Increased efficiency of many internal departments
• Better communication among coworkers and between employees and customers
• Acquisition of new skills, both technical and non-technical
• Compliance with local, state, and federal laws.

Of course, one of the biggest disadvantages is cost. But those who have undergone some version of corporate training and are happy with the results, are the first ones to point out that an initial investment of time and resources will be returned tenfold in increased performance and efficiency, a revamped corporate culture, and happier employees. In addition, there are resources available to small and entrepreneurial businesses that are free or require only a nominal fee. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is one such resource, offering specialized training for women- and minority-owned businesses, as well as online training and remote assistance.

Corporate Training: Getting Started

Before choosing a company to deliver corporate training to your employees, consult with similar businesses in your geographic area. Find out who they have used and what the results were. Ask the potential vendor to give quantifiable reports and make sure to converse with previous customers for their feedback. Referrals from a trusted source are usually the best source for recommendations.

By Lorraine E. Fisher