These are funds that should be spent and not viewed as an area to cut if temporary declines in workload are experienced. Inform your staff of the various training options available and for which items the firm will pay. Require those attending outside educational programs to disseminate their information to other staff members. This could be done at lunch meetings where short presentations are made or in a summary report on the program. Vary the types of training programs used.
Many options are available.
For example, in-house lectures and seminars are programs that last from one hour to one day and may be conducted by outside management consultants and specialty consultants, building product manufacturers, college professors or experienced knowledgeable staff members. For college courses, tuition may be payed in part or in full for selected staff members to expand present capabilities or develop new ones. Correspondence courses also should be considered. Outside seminars are another option. Although the cost of many of these programs is high, they give staff and principals the opportunity to exchange information and ideas with individuals from firms throughout the country.