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New guide promotes dialogue on training in the workplace

A new guide, designed to help employers work to improve staff skills and training, has been jointly published by the Department for business, CBI, TUC and Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS).

The guide, 'It's Time to Talk Training', is intended to inspire UK employers and workers to engage in effective two-way dialogue on training and skills, to assess staff training needs and consider how training can fill an organisation's skills gap.

The guidance is based on specially commissioned research from Leeds University Business School, which looked at ten models of training dialogue that have increased participation and upskilling of each workforce.

Employment relations minister Pat McFadden said: "These businesses have been successful in genuinely inspiring workers to take up training opportunities and boost their skills. Effective training programs are the way forward to help boost British productivity, improve workforce skills and enhance our competitive position on the world stage.

Skills minister David Lammy said: "Effective dialogue over skills is a win-win for employers and staff, leading to a more committed and innovative workforce, enhanced productivity, and ultimately a stronger economy and fairer society.

"This guidance will help companies work with their employees to tackle skills gaps across every industry, ensuring that the UK is well placed to compete in an increasingly competitive global environment. And it clearly underlines the significance of our proposals to give employees in England a new legal right to request time to train.

"Such a right would provide a real boost in promoting a genuine two-way dialogue between employees and their employers about the skills training that will help both to realise their full potential."

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "Everyone wins when employers work closely with unions on training - employers can unlock the talents of their workforce, staff gain valuable new skills and UK productivity increases."

"As the case studies in this report show, a growing army of union learning reps are helping all workers access training at work. The best way to achieve this is through dialogue between employers and unions, and learning agreements that reflect a shared understanding on training and embed good practice."

John Cridland, the CBI's deputy director-general said: "Ensuring employees see value in developing their skills and asking for their input on training needs is vital to getting the most out of companies' £39bn annual investment in staff development. The broad range of firms in this publication have taken involving their workforce seriously and have reaped the rewards, often through higher productivity or lower staff turnover.

"These case studies show that talking about training with staff is relevant to all firms. That may be indirectly through employee representatives or, more often than not, the direct discussions between a manager and an individual which underpin all successful employee involvement."

The ten organisations highlighted in the publication are:

• Cafe Spice Namaste in London
• Kings Waterfront, Liverpool in the North West
• Escrick Park Estate in Yorkshire and Humberside
• Merseytravel in the North West
• Hydrasun in Aberdeen
• Newcastle City Council in the North East
• The Ogilvy Group in London
• Rolls Royce in Scotland
• Scottish Provident International Life Assurance in the Isle of Man
• VT Shipbuilding in the South West

External links

Further information on the publication and the case studies can be found on the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) website.

Training Reference is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites.

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