Fri, 6 May 2011
A business owner in Northern Ireland has hailed the impact that staff training has had on her firm.
Cloughbane Farm Foods, a supplier of speciality meat products in County Tyrone, recently opted to put employees on a training course in order to boost their skills.
The programme, which was part-funded by Invest NI, was praised by co-owner Lorna Robinson for helping to improve the company's internal operations.
"Performance across the business has been significantly enhanced," she told the Belfast Telegraph.
"And major operating efficiencies have resulted, which will support us as we target increased sales in the Republic of Ireland."
Ms Robinson stated that the training for employees is partly behind the level of success that Cloughbane Farm Foods is currently enjoying.
Invest NI has therefore encouraged other enterprises to invest in staff training, as they could reap significant rewards further down the line.
"The potential cost savings from leaner operational processes can be huge for all companies, particularly those with high unit outputs," said Niall Casey, director of business improvement services at the group.
He added that specific staff training can help businesses to improve internal procedures and boost production capability at the same time.
This, he said, means that further demand can be met more effectively.
Meanwhile, Jim Morrell of Darlington Building Society has encouraged other companies to consider the advantages of putting staff on adult literacy and numeracy courses.
He told the Northern Echo that his firm has been keen to invest in training for employees in order to "maximise the potential" of the workforce.
The company recently received an award from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills in recognition of its commitment to staff development.
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The learndirect team