Monday, August 15, 2011

Improve Productivity And Employee Morale By Raising Workplace ...

There are compelling reasons for business owners to make sure workplace literacy is at an acceptable level. Employees and their managers may be getting the job done but it is important to verify that their communication, numeracy and literacy skills are up to par.

WelTec Connect?s Elizabeth Steer knows how important it is for business owners to address literacy issues in the workplace. In her role with the Centre for Smart Business, she is well aware of the effects of limited communication skills on productivity in the workplace. Employees who lag behind the curve have trouble following instructions and make costly mistakes on paperwork. These employees also lack the skills necessary to solve problems. Anytime work has to be redone, the business owner loses money.

There is a solution for business owners who identify a problem in this area. Steer notes that WelTec Connect has the tools to help any business owner give their employees a way to improve their skills in the areas of literacy and numeracy. The Workplace Communication Training Programme was created with this purpose in mind.

Low literacy and numeracy levels among employees are not the only concern. As Frank Sligo (Massey University) pointed out in ?New Zealand Managers? Low Literacy: Does It Matter? a large proportion of managers in NZ are operating at lower than desirable literacy levels, whilst overseas managers in countries such as India and China are pro-actively increasing their education levels.

If New Zealand companies hope to compete in the international market, Sligo believes there needs to be an emphasis on increasing print literacy levels at the management level. Companies worldwide are globally connected and keeping up with the competition is more complicated than ever as workers become more sophisticated and creative.

Individuals exposed to this type of training will not only improve their literacy, numeracy and communication skills but also become more self confident in the workplace. Attitudes about education change and people are more open to learning new things.

Business owners who offer employees and managers a way to improve their communication and numeracy skills will note an overall improvement in productivity and morale throughout the company.

The WelTec Connect programme offers courses at all levels from basic reading classes to complex writing skill development and everything in between. Employees can learn enhanced communication techniques or raise their numeracy skills to a level needed to move up in the company. Another portion of the programme is focused on improving individual computer skills. Business owners can have this programme customised to suit the needs of the company.

With a 90% success rate, business owners who offer their employees the opportunity to participate in the training programme see tangible results. Individuals are tested before training begins and again after they have completed the programme. This gives the business owner an effective way to track the progress of employees and managers participating in the training sessions. They will have tangible evidence their time was well spent.

Tutors are very carefully matched with the learning requirements of the individuals (including learners who have English as their second language) as a positive tutor/learner relationship is vital to a successful outcome of the programme. Flexibility of training times (between 7am and 7pm) ensures the programme can be fitted in around employees? work schedules.

This WelTec programme receives funding from the Workplace Literary Fund. This fund is administered by the Tertiary Education Commission and made available to qualified employees who apply for assistance. Past participants in this programme include caregivers, factory workers and staff members working at Wellington Hospital.

One innovative programme was created specifically for former rugby players to provide them with the skills necessary to begin a new career after retirement.

Employers are urged to take this test (http://www.skillshighway.govt.nz/indicator-tool_page10.html) to determine if their employees can benefit from improved writing, math and communication skills.

Talk to Elizabeth Steer for more information about a programme for your employees for increasing workplace literacy, communication and numeracy skills.

Want to find out more about raising literacy and numeracy levels in the workplace? Then visit the Weltec Connect website and improve productivity in the workplace.

Source: http://www.rudetrude.com/computers-technology/improve-productivity-and-employee-morale-by-raising-workplace-literacy-levels/

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