• Process improvements: reduced duplication of effort, less time spent correcting mistakes, faster access to information, etc.
• Cost savings: lower staff turnover, lower recruitment costs; reduction in bad debts; reduced customer support calls; reduced help desk calls; reduced need for supervision; reduced downtime; increased staff productivity; fewer machine breakdowns; lower maintenance costs, etc.
• Improved profitability: increased sales; more referrals due to better customer service; new product ideas; improved customer satisfaction and retention, etc.
• Performance improvement: in quality, quantity, speed, safety, problem solving, etc.
• Behavioural improvements: in attitude, ethics, motivation, leadership, communication, reduced staff conflict, etc.
• Increased staff satisfaction: Well trained staff tend to be happier, stay longer, and are more loyal.

Furthermore, research undertaken to uncover the financial impact to an organisation of investing in staff training shows a clear and quantifiable link between an above average investment in staff training and superior bottom line performance:

• Based on the training investments of 575 companies during a 3-year period, researchers found that firms investing the most in training and development (measured by total investment per employee and percentage of total gross payroll) yielded a 36.9% total shareholder return compared with the 25.5% weighted return for the S&P 500 index for the same period. [1]
• Firms that invest $1,500 per employee in training (per year) compared with those that spend $125 experience an average of 24% higher gross profit margins and 218% higher revenue per employee. [2]
• Just a 2% increase in productivity has been shown to net a 100% re
  Big Box Home Improvement Store Scorecard
  A comprehensive study of 2000 consumers who shopped and made purchases from Home Depot, Lowes and Menards Big Box stores in 2006 has just been completed by Minneapolis, Minnesota based building materials research firm Market Resource Associates, Inc. (MRA)Consumer respondents had to shop in at least 2 of the chains to qualify for participation and were not paid anything for their cooperation. The out-bound telephone protocol was administered to 56 markets within the 48 contiguous United States between July and October of 2006. The markets and resulting quotas were selected based upon housing activity in 2005. Further, the results of this latest study were compared to results from the same study undertaken two years ago.In the 122 page comprehensive report, the 3 competitors are rat
  reduced need for supervision; reduced downtime; increased staff productivity; fewer machine breakdowns; lower maintenance costs, etc.
• Improved profitability: increased sales; more referrals due to better customer service; new product ideas; improved customer satisfaction and retention, etc.
• Performance improvement: in quality, quantity, speed, safety, problem solving, etc.
• Behavioural improvements: in attitude, ethics, motivation, leadership, communication, reduced staff conflict, etc.
• Increased staff satisfaction: Well trained staff tend to be happier, stay longer, and are more loyal.

Furthermore, research undertaken to uncover the financial impact to an organisation of investing in staff training shows a clear and quantifiable link between an above average investment in staff training and superior bottom line performance:

• Based on the training investments of 575 companies during a 3-year period, researchers found that firms investing the most in training and development (measured by total investment per employee and percentage of total gross payroll) yielded a 36.9% total shareholder return compared with the 25.5% weighted return for the S&P 500 index for the same period. [1]
• Firms that invest $1,500 per employee in training (per year) compared with those that spend $125 experience an average of 24% higher gross profit margins and 218% higher revenue per employee. [2]
• Just a 2% increase in productivity has been shown to net a 100% r
  Get A Job In Pharmaceutical Sales
  So you want to start a pharmaceutical sales career? Maybe you have heard about the many perks of the job: generous salary with six-figure potential, large bonuses, a flexible work schedule, a company car, and the independence to work when you want.Many other people have heard these same things, and consequently, competition for pharmaceutical sales jobs has become highly competitive and oftentimes frustrating. The good news is that this article contains proven techniques that will show you how to get a job in pharmaceutical sales.Getting a bachelor's degree is a great first stepping stone to landing a pharmaceutical sales job. Pharmaceutical companies prefer the degree to be science related (i.e. biology, human anatomy, chemistry, etc.), but it is not a requirement and they will o
  tc.
• Behavioural improvements: in attitude, ethics, motivation, leadership, communication, reduced staff conflict, etc.
• Increased staff satisfaction: Well trained staff tend to be happier, stay longer, and are more loyal.

Furthermore, research undertaken to uncover the financial impact to an organisation of investing in staff training shows a clear and quantifiable link between an above average investment in staff training and superior bottom line performance:

• Based on the training investments of 575 companies during a 3-year period, researchers found that firms investing the most in training and development (measured by total investment per employee and percentage of total gross payroll) yielded a 36.9% total shareholder return compared with the 25.5% weighted return for the S&P 500 index for the same period. [1]
• Firms that invest $1,500 per employee in training (per year) compared with those that spend $125 experience an average of 24% higher gross profit margins and 218% higher revenue per employee. [2]
• Just a 2% increase in productivity has been shown to net a 100% r
  How Dishonest is Your Competition?
  If you're in business you know that often the competition can be quite dishonest and often they will go to lengths to hurt your business. In fact in all my years in business I have seen just about every single trick they can possibly be played against me. Every single tactic, bad mouthing and you use of even government agencies to attack.In the 27 years in business I have seen by competitors use Associates in business to help them in getting information. I have watched competitors try to go through thru vendors, bankers and VC. I have seen customers who were not actually customers pretend to be somebody they were not simply to get information, brochures, prospectuses, disclosure documents, tax returns and you name it. It is called corporate espionage and the even write books about it. In
  s a clear and quantifiable link between an above average investment in staff training and superior bottom line performance:
  • Based on the training investments of 575 companies during a 3-year period, researchers found that firms investing the most in training and development (measured by total investment per employee and percentage of total gross payroll) yielded a 36.9% total shareholder return compared with the 25.5% weighted return for the S&P 500 index for the same period. [1]
  • Firms that invest $1,500 per employee in training (per year) compared with those that spend $125 experience an average of 24% higher gross profit margins and 218% higher revenue per employee. [2]
  • Just a 2% increase in productivity has been shown to net a 100% r
    Top 10 Tips for Career Advancement
    Here's a list of the top 10 tips you can use to advance your career: 1. Don't be afraid to say "I don't know."  If you don't know something, say so; don't try to fake it.  2. Take responsibility for your actions. If you're at fault, admit it and take the blame. If you're wrong, apologize. 3. Never gossip. Gossip can hurt the careers of two people: the person being talked about, and the person doing the talking. 4. Never say "That's not my job." Don't think you are above anything. Pitch in and set a good example, especially if the job is one that nobody else wants to do. Your willingness to do so will be noticed and appreciated! 5. Share the credit. People who share credit wi
    tal shareholder return compared with the 25.5% weighted return for the S&P 500 index for the same period. [1]
  • Firms that invest $1,500 per employee in training (per year) compared with those that spend $125 experience an average of 24% higher gross profit margins and 218% higher revenue per employee. [2]
  • Just a 2% increase in productivity has been shown to net a 100% return on investment in training. [3]
  • A Louis Harris and Associates poll reports that among employees with "poor" training opportunities, 41% planned to leave within a year, whereas of those who considered their company's training opportunities to be "excellent", only 12% planned to leave within the same period.

  So, if we accept the findings above that support the case for investing in a formal staff training program, how does one go about identifying staff training requirements and putting a suitable program in place?

  Enter The Staff Skills Audit:

  If a company's strategic plan involves doubling the workforce size within 3 years and opening two completely new divisions during that period, then you would hope that the company's HR Management team have a good handle on what skills the company currently has, and what new skills it needs to obtain in order for the company to meet its business objectives. As such, a staff skills audit (uncovering current situation) and training needs analysis (guiding future direction) is a vital first step in obtaining company-wide quantitative data on what skills an organisation's workforce currently has, and (based on the company's business objectives) where the skills gaps lie.

  Whilst conducting face-to-face meetings with a select few staff members to discuss training requirements, or ensuring training needs are raised with staff at their annual performance reviews can both be a worthwhile exercise, neither approa