I hear this a lot.
โWhy invest in training? What if we train them and they leave?โ
โBetter they learn on the job. Saves time and cost.โ
But hereโs a powerful counter-question
๐ฅ What if you don’t train them and they stay?
โฐ๐งจReal scenario from the field
A growing business hired junior execs to support sales. No product training. No customer handling skills.
Within 2 months:
– Sales conversion dropped
– Customer complaints increased
– Staff confidence plummeted
Instead of saving money, the company ended up losing revenue all because they skipped training.
Training isnโt a cost, ๐ถ๐โ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐. Even basic training can lead to
๐Higher productivity
๐More confident employees
๐ฌBetter customer experience
๐Lower error rates
โค๏ธStronger loyalty and retention
The myth โIf we train them, theyโll leave.โ
The truth If you donโt train them, theyโll either underperform or leave faster.
Today especially GenZs value growth, if they donโt see it, SAYONARA baby!
Think of training as a retention strategy.
When you develop your people, they
– Feel valued (motivated)
– Become better at their job (effective)
– See a future with your company (retention)
– Contribute more effectively (increased efficiency)
– Speak good about you (attract talents)
In fact, many employees leave because they feel theyโre stagnating not because of salary.
What businesses can do (without breaking the bank or HRDF funds)
1. Use online learning platforms; Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, Udemy; affordable, flexible
2. Cross-train internally; Let staff shadow each other or rotate roles for broader skills, those who train learn themselves to be better too
3. Run monthly โLunch & Learnโ or “Teh-Tarik” sessions; 45-minute internal knowledge sharing cost = zero
4. Assign mentors; Senior staff guiding juniors = win-win
5. Focus on soft skills too; Communication, time management, customer handling; these make a huge difference
Bonus tip : Keep it documented.
Even simple checklists or SOPs can serve as mini โtraining modulesโ for:
โ Onboarding
โ Daily tasks
โ Crisis handling
โ Quality checks
Build your internal knowledge base. It grows with you.
Make sure you’re training those who wants to learn and grow, those who don’t, they’ll soon be gone.
Here’s the bottom line:
โWhat if they leave after we train them?โ
Thatโs fear talking.
๐ฅ”What if they stay because we trained them well?”
That’s strategy.
Businesses grow through people.
And people grow through learning.
Letโs stop using turnover as an excuse and start building stronger teams. ๐ช
I am Kevin Goh, Empowering People & Businesses | Building Modern HR for the Evolving Workplace
#HRMythBusters #Leadership #FutureOfWork
This article originally appeared on LinkedIn by Kevin Goh โ Director. You can read the full post here. Adapted and shared with permission.
