Training Employees

1. 1

   Small employers (defined as 5-250 employees) expect new hires to bring different skill levels to the job depending on the job to be performed. The amount and types of employee training vary with the skills accompanying them to the job and the job requirements, both initially (immediately after hire) and later.

2. 2

   Small employers typically require minimal levels of formal education for both the most skilled and the most common jobs in the firm. Fifty-five (55) percent expect no more than a high school diploma for the most skilled job and 73 percent expect no more than a high school diploma for the most common job.

3. 3

   Small employers typically require previous experience for the most skilled job, but require it much less often for the most common job. Experience appears to be a substitute for formal education.

4. 4

   The skills most frequently expected to accompany new employees involve work habits and attitudes, the ability to follow directions, the capacity to read and write directions and explanations, and English proficiency. Small employers expect that employees for the most part will learn on the job occupational skills (when necessary), the products and services sold, and the firm’s operational procedures.

5. 5

   The most common form of employee training immediately after hire is having someone in the firm work with the new employee. The second most common form is letting employees learn on their own, essentially learning by doing. Training after the first year on the job still centers on the owner/employee assisting the employee, but is much more likely to involve sending him/her outside the business.

6. 6

   About four in five small employers provide employee training beyond introductory activity. However, 40 - 50 percent routinely train employees after the first year in the most skilled or most common position in the firm while another 35 - 40 percent train them as needed. No information was collected on training the least skilled employees unless the least skilled are also the most common.

7. 7

   No over-riding problem or set of problems beset small employers in their employee training efforts. The most severe, albeit severe only for a limited number, is the lack of time owners and/or other employees have available to help others; employees possessing inadequate learning skills and often interest, necessary to acquire new or upgraded skills; and cost, including the inability to pull the employee off the job.

8. 8

   At least seven in 10 small employers use organizations outside the firm to train employees, particularly to train employees with longer tenures. Seventy-one (71) percent of small employers used in the last three years at least one of the seven organizational forms explored; 47 percent used at least two; and 28 percent used at least three.

9. 9

   Over the last three years, the most used employee training organizations were in the private sector: industry-specific or trade associations (48% of small employers used at least once) and suppliers (40%). Less frequently used were vocational/trade schools (23%), junior or community colleges (14%), and four-year colleges/universities (6%). Government sponsored programs engaged about 10 percent. Distance or computer-based learning, public or private, was used by 21 percent of small employers.

Volume 5, Issue 1, 2005
ISSN 1534-8326

William J. Dennis, Jr.
NFIB Research Foundation

• 5J(job skill) Computer literacy. Top 100
• 6How do you most often train your most skilled employees or otherwise help them obtain needed skills? Do you:? Top 100
• 9After employees in the most skilled job have successfully completed at least one year in this job, do you continue to develop the individual’s skills through formal or informal training? Would you say:? Top 100
• 17How do you most often train your most common employees or otherwise help them obtain needed skills? Do you:? Top 100
• 20After employees in the most common job have successfully completed at least one year in this job, do you continue to develop the individual’s skills through formal or informal training? Would you say:? Top 100
• 1Over the last two years, how hard has it been to recruit and hire people for the most skilled type of job your business has? Has it been:?
• 2Do you require experience when hiring people for the most skilled job?
• 3What are the formal educational requirements for your most skilled job?
• 4When hired, how much per hour do such people earn typically in wages and benefits? Include tips if applicable.
• 5A(job skill) Managing and organizing.
• 5B(job skill) The operating procedures used in your business.
• 5C(job skill) Knowledge of the goods or services you sell.
• 5D(job skill) Behavior and dress appropriate to your workplace.
• 5E(job skill) English proficiency.
• 5F(job skill) Occupational skills, such as cooking for a chef or carpentry for a carpenter.
• 5G(job skill) Read and write directions and explanations.
• 5H(job skill) Good work habits and attitudes.
• 5I(job skill) Leadership ability.
• 5K(job skill) Basic math skills, such as percentages and basic algebra.
• 5L(job skill) Strong social and interpersonal skills.
• 5M(job skill) The ability to follow directions.
• 7How long does it typically take to bring such a person’s skills up to a satisfactory level?
• 8What are your typical annual per employee, out-of-pocket costs to train your most skilled employees?
• 10When you do so, which of the following is the way you most often develop their skills?
• 11A(training problem) Employees not having the learning skills to train easily.
• 11B(training problem) A lack of useful training material.
• 11C(training problem) Employees showing little interest in learning anything new.
• 11D(training problem) The expense of training.
• 11E(training problem) The lack of management or other employee time to train people needing it.
• 11F(training problem) Employees leaving soon after they receive training.
• 11G(training problem) Locating a convenient place to send employees to learn the kinds of things they need to know.
• 11H(training problem) Having only one or two employees to train at any time.
• 11I(training problem) Keeping employees up on the latest technologies or techniques.
• 11J(training problem) Possessing the technology resources in-house to train employees.
• 11K(training problem) The inability to pull the employee off the job.
• 12Over the last two years, how hard has it been to recruit and hire people for the most common type of job your business has? Has it been:?
• 13Do you require experience when hiring people for the most common job?
• 14What are the formal educational requirements for your most common job?
• 15When hired, how much per hour do such people earn typically in wages and benefits? Include tips if applicable.
• 16A(job skill) Managing and organizing skills.
• 16B(job skill) The operating procedures used in your business.
• 16C(job skill) Knowledge of the goods or services you sell.
• 16D(job skill) Behavior and dress appropriate to your workplace.
• 16E(job skill) English proficiency.
• 16F(job skills) Occupational skills, such as cooking for a chef or carpentry for a carpenter.
• 16G(job skill) Read and write directions and explanations.
• 16H(job skill) Good work habits and attitudes.
• 16I(job skill) Leadership ability.
• 16J(job skill) Computer literacy.
• 16K(job skill) Basic math skills, such as percentages and basic algebra.
• 16L(job skill) Strong social and interpersonal skills.
• 16M(job skill) The ability to follow directions.
• 18How long does it typically take to bring such a person’s skills up to a satisfactory level?
• 19What are your typical annual per employee, out-of-pocket costs to train your most skilled employees?
• 21When you do so, which of the following is the way you most often develop their skills?
• 22A(training problem) Employees not having the learning skills to train easily.
• 22B(training problem) A lack of useful training material.
• 22C(training problem) Employees showing little interest in learning anything new.
• 22D(training problem) The expense of training.
• 22E(training problem) The lack of management or other employee time to train people needing it.
• 22F(training problem) Employees leaving soon after they receive training.
• 22G(training problem) Locating a convenient place to send employees to learn the kinds of things they need to know.
• 22H(training problem) Having only one or two employees to train at any time.
• 22I(training problem) Keeping employees up on the latest technologies or techniques.
• 22J(training problem) Possessing the technology resources in-house to train employees.
• 22K(training problem) The inability to pull the employee off the job.
• 23Are you a member of any industry-specific trade or business organizations?
• 23aDo any of these organizations offer materials or programs specifically designed to train or upgrade the skills of ANY of your employees?
• 23a1Within the last three years, have one or more employees used materials or programs from trade or business organizations to obtain or upgrade job skills?
• 24Are you aware of any vocational or trade schools in your area that hold classes or can otherwise teach or upgrade the skills of ANY of your employees?
• 24aWithin the last three years, have you sent one or more employees to a vocational or trade school to obtain or upgrade job skills?
• 25Are you aware of any junior or community colleges in your area that hold classes or can otherwise teach or upgrade the skills of ANY of your employees?
• 25aWithin the last three years, have you sent one or more employees to a junior or community college to obtain or upgrade job skills?
• 26Are you aware of any four-year colleges or universities in your area that hold classes or can otherwise teach or upgrade the skills of your employees?
• 26aWithin the last three years, have you sent one or more employees to a four-year college or university to obtain or upgrade job skills?
• 27Are you aware of any federal, state or local government programs in your area that hold classes or can otherwise teach or upgrade the skills of ANY of your employees?
• 27aWithin the last three years, have you sent one or more employees to a federal, state or local government program to obtain or upgrade job skills?
• 28Are you aware of any on-line course or distance learning programs, regardless of sponsor, that can teach or upgrade the skills of ANY of your employees?
• 28aWithin the last three years, have you asked one or more of your employees to use on-line courses or distance learning to obtain or upgrade job skills?
• 29Are you aware of any supplier or customer who offers training that can teach or upgrade the skills of ANY of your employees?
• 29aWithin the last three years, have one or more of your employees used those training sessions to obtain or upgrade job skills?