How do you encourage education at work?
Business symposium attendees share how they keep staff learning
“If your superior is open to having their employees attend educational events and get involved with what’s happening, not only in the company but in the greater community,... learning happens.” — Ben Battjes, manager of Brentwood Developments (brentwooddevelopments.ca) “We encourage staff by making sure they have the materials to learn and making the material accessible.” — Lanny Boutin, manager of sustainable development for the town of Gibbons (gibbons.ca) “You need to engage people’s curiosity, because curious people drive organizations forward with their questions and observations. So anything that fosters that — like brainstorming sessions, books, role-playing, etc. — with your employees can all be big difference-makers.” — David Chilton, author of The Wealthy Barber and The Wealthy Barber Returns (wealthybarber.com) “Brand is the one staple that connects everything we do... so we give sessions on our branding strategy to get everyone on the same page and make sure that we’re messaging in the same way to our community and that all our actions follow our brand statement.” — Patrick Earl, manager of economic development for the town of Bon Accord (bonaccord.ca) “I encourage my staff and will pay for extra education if they are interested... I look at it as investing in our company, because every time we educate an employee, we become a better company.” — Sheldon Fingler, CEO of Infinite Event Services (infiniteeventservices.com) “I focus on training staff so they can accurately relay information to the customer, and I encourage them to call me whenever they need clarification or more information.” — Tammy Frieze, owner of Noah’s Ark Pets and Supplies (noahsarkpets.ca) “We encourage learning and believe that personal development is important, so we offer courses and seminars on a regular basis.” — Cindy Fulton, marketing and communications for Northern Alberta Business Incubator (nabi.ca) “I have all my staff members do continuous education.. because in order to be a functioning part of society, you always have to be learning.” — Michael Gaudry, financial adviser and owner of The Co-operators Morinville (cooperators.ca) “I look for what stimulates my employees and what their interests are, then I try to promote learning growth in that way.” — Andrea Haines, manager at On-Track Railway Operations Ltd. (otrx.ca) “We offer all sorts of coaching, seminars and business workshops, and encourage people to take advantage of them... Things change so quickly, and if you don’t continue to learn, you get left behind.” — Kathy Janzen, program and leasing coordinator for Northern Alberta Business Incubator (nabi.ca) “We encourage staff to attend educational events and continue to learn about their field, because things are constantly changing, and if you stay stagnant, you fall behind in business.” — Aaron Kilian, personal training manager at Core Fitness (ancorefitness.com) “Ongoing education and mentoring are big for us; I also use LinkedIn to see what other corporations are doing in terms of engagement, productivity and presenteeism to find ways of preventing issues before they arise.” — Milissa Kilian, architectural and design product consultant with Euro Ceramic Tile Distributors (eurotile.ca) “We provide training and continuing education to corporations... because lifelong learning is key in building a skilled workforce.” — Michael Mason, manager of business development with NorQuest College (norquest.ca) “Continuous education is part of what we do... through mentorships, courses, seminars and self-directed learning. The world is changing, and we need to make sure our skill sets are appropriate and relevant.” — Manoj Mistry, principal at Stantec (stantec.com) “Society is constantly evolving, so continuous learning has to be part of the workplace. That’s why courses, workshops and distance learning are all critical for picking up new skills and mindsets.” — Chris Pinault, executive secretary for the town of Gibbons (gibbons.ca) “We have a strong mentorship relationships within [our practice], and we encourage professional development through local organizations, seminars and conferences... because in order to provide the best service to our clients, we need constant education.” — Lorne Randa, associate at Brownlee LLP (brownleelaw.com) “I’ve always been a fan of encouraging an entrepreneurial spirit with anybody who ever works for me; it engages them to follow their passions and encourages them to really take hold of their responsibilities.” — Emily Salsbury, retail strategist (emilysalsbury.com) “If there’s something we should be on top of, I feel like it’s my duty as a business owner to encourage staff to... take the time to research and learn, then share it with the rest of us. That way we all learn together.” — Sylvia Schneider, president of Pondside Digital Media Inc. (pondside.com) “Attending workshops and seminars helps educate [staff] and enables them to keep up with the times; things are constantly changing and we need to be able to adapt.” — Eva Scrimshaw, event and program co-ordinator at Crowsnest Community Services (gibbons.ca) “Our mandate is to help businesses within the community to become more efficient at what they do, and provide training to help support them increase their bottom line using different methodologies like Lean and Six Sigma... Our staff are trained in the same way because we know it works.” — Carolyn Selin, principal of the Landmark Group Centre for Value Improvement at NorQuest College (norquest.ca) “I have a lot of young people who work for me, so we do a lot of work experience and on-site training.” — Stuart Trenchard, owner of Sobeys Morinville (sobeys.com) “We try to educate... and translate that education into skills that will enhance our region.” — Vicki Zinyk, chief administrative officer of the town of Bon Accord (bonaccord.ca)