The power of upskilling: how training reduces staff turnover

Posted 1 year ago

Post-pandemic, employees have found their voice when it comes to telling their bosses what they really want. Spoiler alert: it’s not just free coffee and ping-pong tables anymore. Cue the record-breaking resignation waves, as workers ditched subpar jobs in search of workplaces that don’t feel like a daily endurance test. Hybrid and remote work became commonplace. And let’s not forget the growing obsession with staff wellbeing—because people like being treated like humans. Who knew?

You’ve heard of the phrase time is money – which has led to a culture of job seekers prioritising work-life balance over salary. A recent study found that 65% of job seekers care more about having flexibility over schedules and working location than what they get paid.

However, as a result of the ‘Great Resignation’ (the term used to describe the record number of employees who resigned after COVID), many employers remain short of staff. This is especially prevalent in companies which can’t offer the flexible working solutions that many people are now accustomed to.

So, what can business owners do to combat this?

There are a number of ways in which employers can combat staff turnover and keep their teams happier – and ultimately with them for longer. Keeping your staff properly trained and offering them opportunities to upskill ensures that they stay engaged in their role and motivated to progress.

How training and upskilling employees can reduce staff turnover

There’s no doubt that businesses are in a battle for talent at all levels.

With more and more eligible talent looking for better workplace perks (because businesses are offering them), employees have developed higher expectations of their employers.

With over two thirds of talent surveyed in the Workmonitor 2025 report believing that it’s employer’s responsibility to provide training and upskilling opportunities, now is a crucial time for business owners to consider employee development.

Where some organisations cannot compete with the flexibility of other businesses, they must ensure that they are offering attractive job opportunities.

By implementing initiatives for employees to develop their skills, organisations are making an investment in both the company’s and the individual’s future successes – everyone’s a winner.

With 15% of people who have resigned from their job claiming that they felt “unmotivated”, 2025 is a pivotal time to engage with your staff through investing in their skillset. After all, with the cost of recruitment standing a whopping 1.5 to 2 times a person’s salary, there’s a financial incentive to keep your staff as well as a practical one.

If staff are being presented with opportunities to develop their skills, they are far more likely to feel engaged in their work and become more motivated as a result. If an employee has a comprehensive understanding of their role and expectations, they are more likely to produce accurate, quality work – and be more fulfilled by that work. Which will reduce your turnover – and a diary filled with ‘leaving drinks’.

The benefits of classroom training

Many people are kinesthetic learners, making classroom training, or face-to-face training the most common teaching method for decades. Its proven effectiveness is why so many organisations still use this method today. Despite the ‘old-school’ approach, it is really rather effective.

A key benefit of classroom training is that employees get to learn together. It also presents an opportunity for team building – organically, not through jumping off a platform at Go Ape.

Additionally, it should be said that a face-to-face learning approach is necessary in a number of areas. For example, first aid training must be delivered this way.

However, the admin costs involved with potentially booking hotels, refreshments and travel often outweigh this benefit. Many organisations now opt for a blended learning approach, which sees them mix classroom training with a number of other methods that might be more cost-effective and less time-consuming.

The benefits of mentoring

Let’s not forget the power of internal mentoring. Contrary to popular belief, organisations do not need to always seek the help of an external professional to effectively upskill their staff (but you didn’t hear that from us). Mentoring can play a key role in sharing knowledge in the workplace and there are a number of benefits associated with it.

Firstly, having a mentor in the workplace means that the “learning employee” has a contact that they can ask any questions and concerns they may have. This is a benefit that no other type of training can match.

Secondly, it is very likely that the mentor has been in the exact same position as the learning employee, which can be incredibly handy when it comes to delivering the information. They know what it was like to be in their shoes and can offer first-hand advice and guidance.

Finally, the mentor also gets the opportunity to develop their leadership skills at the same time as delivering training to an employee. Mentoring gives the mentor an opportunity to direct other employees and ensure they are reaching their full potential in a certain area.

The benefits of e-learning

E-learning has already been adopted by many organisations globally, but its popularity continues to grow for many reasons.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic many employers had no choice but to switch to an online solution for their workplace training. However, many of these organisations were pleasantly surprised with the success they found from training staff online.

This leap from face-to-face training courses has allowed many businesses to successfully train their employees in a number of different areas quickly and cost-effectively. It has also allowed employers to offer greater flexibility with the courses they can provide their staff with – which is what so many employees have asked for!

Additionally, implementing e-learning means that staff can complete their training courses in their own time, which cuts out additional expenses such as travel and accommodation. Depending on the size of your business, this can be an astronomical cost saving.

Online workplace training

Say hello to your next training solution. Here at iHasco, we support over 12,000 UK clients with our high-quality and affordable workplace training courses. With over 200 courses to choose from, an easy-to-use Learning Management System, and unrivalled support, sorting workplace training has never been easier.

Organisations looking to upskill their employees will find a number of our Soft Skill Training courses helpful, as they are designed to teach valuable soft skills to the user in a short space of time. Some of our most popular soft skills courses are:

Ready to upskill your team and keep them from wandering off? Try our courses—no strings attached, just a lot of learning!

Claim your free, no-obligation trial for any of these courses today. Or if you’re ready to get started, request a quote today and we’ll be in touch.