The home services industry is facing an unprecedented labor shortage as retired workers continue to leave more job openings than employers can fill. This has also exacerbated skills gaps, making it even more critical for employers to upskill and train entry-level construction workers. In today’s world of work, if companies wish to attract and retain workers, leaders must build a culture committed to continuous learning and development (L&D) and training.

A successful training culture can benefit every level with multiple avenues for improvement and optimization, improving business operations, outcomes and the workplace. Upskilling programs can give entry-level workers the training they need to be competent in their roles. This can give employers room to hire workers who may have transferable skills versus a four-year degree.

Today, there’re various learning platforms and technologies available to connect home service professionals with valuable learning opportunities. From traditional classroom settings and distributor/manufacturer’s training to learning labs and other simulations, structured online programs, readily accessible video content and even virtual reality platforms, employers have more options now than ever. Importantly, many of these immersive learning experiences are popular with Gen Z workers and digital natives.

So, if most employers understand the benefits of training, why doesn’t every home service company have a successful training culture? The main challenges are time and money.

Leadership must adopt the mindset that an effective training culture is an investment. It offers enormous potential returns and can transform the lives of everyone involved. It’s essential for maximizing your company’s profitability and can help establish you as an employer of choice. When the advantages are clear and concrete, the implementation effort to create a meaningful culture change will be worth it. Take some time to identify your business’s needs. What areas or departments need improvement the most? Will your team benefit most from technical or soft skills training? Are there more opportunities for improvement among support staff or field employees? Could your management team use some direction?

Consider the training platforms that work best for your team. Then explore all the possibilities. Some of the features and characteristics to consider include:

• Flexibility: Your training program should fit the needs and schedules of everybody, whether you’re training new employees or upskilling experienced technicians. When team members can schedule short learning sessions throughout their existing workflows, it keeps them engaged and makes training a part of your culture.
• Gamification: To connect with Gen Z and millennial workers, meet them where they’re at. Virtual reality (VR) and simulations can make learning fun and interactive. They can also make learning more memorable, thus increasing learning’s stickiness and retention when they return to the job.
• Blended learning: Some people may prefer in-person training or one-on-one coaching, while others may prefer to read a manual or textbook or observe someone else performing a task or skill. By incorporating and offering multiple modalities for training, workers can have more control over their learning experience, leaving them more engaged and connected to their learning.
• Cross-training: At many companies, a job can be stalled or lost if the only person trained to fill the role is out sick or on vacation. When multiple people are trained to do a job, disruptions are limited. It can also give employees the opportunity to move within the organization, rather than leave the company for a new job.

Every level in an organization can benefit from training. Leaders need training, too. Training shouldn’t be limited to just construction workers and technicians. Organizations must commit to building a learning culture and developing employees in all roles. Elevating a training program to a training culture depends on the commitment from everyone in the organization. For employees to take full advantage of these training programs, they will need to see genuine buy-in from leadership. Once they recognize the effort leadership puts into their development and the impact of training, they’ll be more apt to channel the same effort into their learning.