Recent media reports warn US companies that more than half of their employees will be looking for new jobs in 2025. That’s a scary stat, especially if the employees represent your top talent. Recruiting a new employee involves a lot of time, effort, and money. When it involves attracting high performers, it is even more involved.
The good news, however, is that companies can use training as a tool to keep talented employees from jumping ship. The key is designing and deploying training programs that open doors to growth, engagement, and advancement. The following are some tips on how to accomplish those goals.
Upgrade from job training to career training
In many companies, most of the training is focused on teaching people what they need to know to do their job. It shows them how to utilize HR platforms so they can request time off or update their benefit info. It explains office expectations, such as the dress code and pet policies. It teaches the basics of Google Workspace so employees can access key forms and set up email auto-replies.
While that type of training is essential, it’s not enough to keep high-performing employees engaged. Top talent wants more than just the skills needed to comply with company operations. They want to be empowered to take those operations to the next level. Training programs that offer opportunities to become experts and are not just adequate are needed to attract and retain top talent.
Asana Academy provides an example of career training that engages employees. For companies using Asana as their work management platform, it provides training on the basic skills employees need to manage their work, but it goes far beyond that.
Employees who want to become Asana experts can take leadership-level courses through Asana Academy, which allow them to design more effective workflows for themselves and their organizations. Training available through the academy can also earn employees certifications in a variety of skills, including using artificial intelligence to optimize work processes.
The key to keeping top talent engaged is giving them access to training that transcends their current position. Training programs should be designed to take them to the next level, whether that involves a position at your company or another. In the end, investing in career growth will pay dividends by inspiring higher levels of employee loyalty.
Position training as a pathway to advancement
Training needs to go beyond maintaining the status quo to retain top talent. In other words, if the only training companies offer is for presenting updated policies or imparting skills needed for new tools, it won’t keep high performers engaged. Training should give employees the skills and experience they need to advance within the company.
The first step in this process is being transparent about the opportunities for advancement. If your company aims to promote from within, map out the steps employees need to take to advance. Then, develop the training they will need to take those steps.
Another key step in the process is including honest evaluations about where employees stand and what skills or experiences they will need to become eligible for advancement. This can include feedback following training, in which managers assess and explain how well employees are doing at putting training into action.
Proficiency with soft skills is often a key to advancing within an organization. Employees with excellent communication skills, high levels of emotional intelligence, or leadership aptitude have an edge at earning promotions. As companies consider ways to retain top talent, they should consider providing training on these skills and others they view as crucial to advancement.
Offer personalized training plans
Top performers often excel in the workplace because personal goals drive them. They have a vision that they are willing to invest in. When companies show support for the vision, they gain the loyalty of those workers. Personalized training plans tell workers that you care about their goals and are willing to support them.
The first step in personalizing training is determining how employees want to grow. Perhaps they are seeking leadership opportunities. Or maybe they want to specialize in certain technical skills. Whatever the goal, show them how your company can move them closer to it.
Mentoring can be a valuable component of a personalized training plan. Connecting a high-performing employee with one of your company’s leaders can allow them to grow in technical competencies and soft skills in a way focused on their unique goals. It can also be a powerful way to give employees a strong sense of connection, purpose, and job satisfaction, which is critical for retention.
Taking steps to boost talent retention is always critical for companies, but especially when studies indicate employees are restless and looking for better opportunities. By carefully positioning training to provide the skills needed for engagement and advancement, companies can leverage it as a tool to improve retention rates and help top talent become even more productive.
