Back to School Isn't Just for Kids

Encouraging employees to adopt a "lifelong learner" mentality could very well be one of the most significant ways to improve productivity over the long term, which is why successful companies tend to "double down" on learning initiatives.

As the "thrill" of summer starts to fade and we enter the "back to school" season, people at work tend to be more receptive to a "let's learn something new" message.  Add in a little encouragement in the form of a gift card from National Gift Card and Target, a retailer with just about anything a learner might need to get started, and you're already headed in the right direction.

As Keith Ferrazzi, CEO of Ferrazzi Greenlight, a research-based consulting and training company and author of Who's Got Your Back (Broadway Books, 2009), writes in Harvard Business Review, there are ways for companies to improve employee development programs.

Here are some of his suggestions for amping up the approach to training:

• Ignite your  managers' passion for coaching employees.  One way is to incentivize managers to perform this important work.
  
• Deal with the short-shelf life of learning and development.  The fact is, some training can become obsolete within months.  Better to avoid information overload.
  
• Teach employees to own their career development.  Having a focus on customized solutions for individuals while simultaneously providing scale and cost efficiencies tends to work best.
  
• Provide flexible learning options.  Watch for burnout among employees who are already wondering how they could possibly find the time.
  

Whatever options you provide for your employees, think seriously about how much more effective the attitude to learning could be when you add a gift card incentive with the help of National Gift Card and Target, the source for much of what they may need to help in a classroom situation.

In the end, it will be worth it!