ITC Concepts

Getting back to basics – Training & Development in the Construction Industry

Serena Kennedy, HR Manager for fit out and refurbishment experts, ITC Concepts, explains why she believes investing in the future of employees working in the construction industry pays dividends.

In October 2017, ITC Concepts won the Croydon Business Excellence award for Employee Training and Development. We couldn’t have been prouder – investment in our employees, through various types of development and training, is something we take great pride in at ITC.

We believe that ensuring that our employees are able to learn and develop is one of the reasons why our staff stay with us for 8 years on average, and why 91% of our team believe ITC Concepts is a great place to work.

If it benefits our employees, it benefits our company as a whole. This is something that holds true for any company, in any profession.

Investing in employees, by supporting additional training and qualifications maintains a high level of knowledge and skills across the business. This has a big impact on the productivity of a company.

Naturally, a higher standard of training means a higher standard of work. On top of this, allowing and encouraging staff to pursue education and development goals means that they feel supported and valued by the company that they work for. For so many companies – ITC included – staff are a business’s most important asset, and facilitating and investing in their training and development is one of the many ways to reflect this.

Employees who feel valued are more likely to stay with a company; which contributes immensely to staff culture and loyalty, the value of which to any company in any sector cannot be understated.

Appropriate training makes staff feel confident and empowered, which in turn creates an atmosphere where employees feel able to do their best work

However, it is important that the support you provide is guided by your employees – not purely by what might seem to be best for the business in terms of profitability. The training that creates benefits in the long term is the training that holds its employees best interests at heart. Appropriate training makes staff feel confident and empowered, which in turn creates an atmosphere where employees feel able to do their best work, supported by their company.

At ITC, we have implemented a programme for employee development that includes: induction training for new employees, management and soft-skills training, appraisals and support to gain higher education qualifications. Additionally, we approach training for each employee differently, depending on their existing skills, interests and their position within the company. For instance, office-based employees are encouraged to go on site visits to enhance their understanding of how other teams work.

We encourage employees to discuss their development aspirations. Whether that’s obtaining a degree, achieving a new accreditation, being matched up with a mentor, or completing an online course, their suggestions are what guide our decisions.

Those who believe in working their employees until they burn out, then moving onto the next set of hires, are misguided in their approach

This approach has consistently resulted in success; employees who feel valued, are committed to our culture and high-quality results. Those who believe in working their employees until they burn out, then moving onto the next set of hires, are misguided in their approach. They run the risk of breaks in communication and an uncommitted team.

We believe that ITC would not have experienced the success it has over the past 25 years had we not incorporated employee training and development so completely from the beginning.

Our employees are what make our company – supporting them is a no-brainer.

About Dylan Garton

Dylan Garton is a co-founder, video producer and editor for the Skill Builder social media platforms.

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