Tailored training suits staff

Fri 11 Jan 2008

Companies who made training material specific to members of staff were more successful in getting them to take part, new research has found.

Studies by e-skills UK have revealed top companies kept staff interested by ensuring that training for their jobs was aligned to the direction of the business.

Laura Overton, director of e-learning, said firms often utilised internet-based training and made sure the content of their programmes was "directly relevant to the job of the individual".

She explained: "It is not just a general how to, or information on PowerPoint for example. It is more like, 'how can we improve the way we talk to customers about our products' ".

According to research from the Chartered Management Institute, resistance to e-learning in jobs is caused by technological and cultural barriers and a lack of face-to-face training.

Technology and the internet have become a key facet of modern office life, with the latest advancements in social networking finding their way into some workplaces.

The popular site Facebook has divided employers, with many banning it in the office, but some, such as Ernst & Young, encouraging its use. The accountancy firm now has over 12,000 members in its Facebook group.