A near impossible challenge it would be to find a business owner or manager who is totally confident in their workforce development strategy. It is reactive, more than being forceful. When we talk about workforce development strategy, we're talking about making positive people changes. Changes to culture, changes to attitudes, and changes to people's potential to influence your business success in the future. And this is all way bigger than just a training strategy!

Workforce development strategy is a fluid, continuous and long-term kind of learning. The role of development is much broader, and applies more generally to the whole workforce.

The intention is to create a culture of learning and constructive attitudes, to build workforce potential, and to equip employees with the tangible and intangible abilities to deal with any challenges the future may hold.

An IBM study found that well-trained teams increased their productivity by 10%. And, why not? Equipping employees with the ability to do their jobs better is just a smart move. As manager, your job is to get the best out of every employee. Coaching and training employees is a great way to empower them to succeed.

Workforce development programs present a prime opportunity to expand the work spirits of all employees, but many employers in the current climate find development opportunities expensive. Employees attending these programs also miss out on work time which may delay the completion of projects. However despite these potential drawbacks, workforce development provides both the individual and organisations as a whole with benefits that make the cost and time a worthwhile investment. The return on investment from training and development of employees is really a no brainer.

Do let us know what you think!