This recession is now starting to bite hard, as we are constantly being reminded by the 'Prophets of Doom', (the press), and many businesses are realising that if they are to survive they will need to adopt a more flexible and resourceful approach to their business strategy.

Whilst causing extreme challenges, these economic conditions also present an opportunity to strengthen business. One way of doing this is by supporting staff and improving operations by investing in training.

If your company, like many others, are looking to restructure and not replace employees who have left the, then the functions of vacant roles are usually taken on by the remaining workforce. While this may relieve economics pressures, companies doing this need to be prepared for the negative impact. Without adequate training the additional pressures placed on the remaining employees will often leave them feeling overwhelmed, disillusioned and stressed. As a result you may encounter an increase if staff sick days and drop in work quality.

Training has been identified as a major motivator in the workplace, and in these challenging times, its value to employees and employers increases even more. Retaining the good staff, those that have proven themselves to be the greatest assets to your company, is always difficult, but, by motivating them, your strengthen their loyalty and they will be more likely to stay.

Cost to the company

Replacing good staff can be expensive, and repairing mistakes left by under-trained staff even more so. By investing in training your employees will be in a better professional position to deal with your customers, and help create new opportunities for the company. These opportunities may not be immediate, but, when the pressure lifts, loyalty created now with customers will be rewarded.

It is important, however, to ensure that any training event is a need and not a want, and to be cognisant that new skills acquired will need to be implemented immediately - not six months later - to gain the full benefit of your training investment. Avoid the costs incurred by running refresher courses.

Training your workforce sends the message that you value them and you see them as important to the company. Often a good training programme runs hand in hand with other measures to improve morale and increase staff motivation. These oher ways include:

• Communication – Keep everyone informed of company successes through regular communication, such as a weekly newsletter.

• Company Awards – If you do not already use them, these can be awarded weekly, monthly, or perhaps quarterly, and do not need to cost a fortune. For many, just to be nominated 'Salesperson of the Month' and be awarded a bottle of wine, is motivation, and will encourage performance.

• Add some fun – Themed days are good way of injecting some positivity into the office. In a previous company, when the schools went back after their break, the staff all dressed in school uniform. I was working for an airline at the time and the 'new uniforms' were seen as a fun break from the usual.

• Personal Support – This is completely free, but can make a huge difference to a staff motivation. Try to ensure each staff member has a mentor that they can go to for advice and learn from. At K3 everyone knows they are free to speak a director at any time for advice and support.

What are we doing to evolve?

Now is not the time for innovation!  The training market is currently responding to changing training demands with more flexible and creative learning solutions.

Many organisations are familiar with the benefits of using e-Learning, particularly successful when supported with traditional Instructor-led training as part of a blended learning programme. At K3 we have noted that more forward thinking HR and Training departments are also turning to the use of online technologies. Applications exist to help manage responsibilities for professional competency, career development and lifelong learning of employees.

A large part of training is the development of the materials - a task that can take considerable time and effort, and with resources pushed to the limit it isn't always a priority. A cost effective way of delivering training to employees is through using ready made computer-based training programs. Programs are available that cover a wide range of subjects and provide an accessible resource, that can include instructions, and be tailored to meet individual or group-specific needs.

Understand the opportunity

We all understand that business is about competition, and that to succeed you have to perform better than your competitors. Sadly, in a recession, some organisations tend to lose focus on everything except cutting costs. They may lost sight of the importance of customer satisfaction - which can lead to customer dissatisfaction. To keep your customers happy you need to deliver great products and services, which means continuing to build your employees' skills. Remember that your competitors are likely to be cutting back on this, leaving you to move ahead with a better trained team.

Recessions tend to hurt the less prepared. If you invest wisely in training you can come out of the fog a lot stronger than your competition; with more customers and greater opportunities.

"In a recession, everyone feels short-term pain. But companies that successfully approach a recession as an opportunity have the potential to realise long-term gain."

So, in a recession, GET TRAINING!

You can contact Andy Barlow about anything he has mentioned here, or if you would like to know more about training with K3. Just send him an email. , and he'll be happy to help.