Training plays a vital role in ensuring the progression of any business. Without it, staff will not be able to reach the goals of the company, and they will also not be able to advance and achieve their own potential. Fortunately, the franchising model is one in which training plays a great role. Since new franchisees and staff need to learn the ins and outs of the new business they have bought into, training is vital in orientating them about the workings of the franchise. National Operations Manager for Sandwich Baron, Tanya Spence, shares more on the task of training and why it is so beneficial in franchising.
The training support in a franchise is one of the many perks that this business model offers. Aside from affording a business owner the opportunity to invest in a brand that has already been established with tried and tested principles in place, the training that the franchisor’s head office team offers is of great benefit when initiating new team members into the group. The crux of franchising comes down to the franchisor (or franchise owner), lending their trademark or trade name and a business system to the franchisee at a fee. The franchisee in turn pays for the right to do business under the franchisor’s name and system, while the business model requires the franchisee and their staff to conform to the practices of the franchisor. Training, therefore, plays a great role as this will ensure the standard of the brand is maintained, as required by the franchisor.
In general, all training conducted in a franchise is based on the operations manual, which serves as a ‘textbook’ to franchisees and their staff. With the manual in hand, training usually starts by introducing the franchisee to corporate headquarters and staff to initiate the important relationships that need to be maintained whilst the franchisee is part of the group. Once familiar with head office and the team, the franchisee and any new staff members will undergo intensive training on the production of the products they will sell, to ensure a thorough understanding of the standard that needs to be met.
Once the product is understood, franchisees and other employees are then trained on elements such as customer service, product cost calculations, safety and security, dealing with team members as well as the reporting system that needs to be utilised to measure the progress of the store on a daily basis. As it is important for trainees to get a full understanding of the environment that they will be working in, on-site training is usually best as employees are trained in actual working scenarios. “Learning by doing” is the most effective way to attain and retain knowledge.
Of course, training is useless without exercising the right discipline and consistency, making it imperative for guides like training, recipe and operations manuals to be followed diligently, not only in an educational set up but in day-to-day practice. Consistency after training is ensured by offering refresher programmes on an ongoing basis as well as conducting performance reviews every six months, to ensure employees are kept on the right track.
In general, training allows for development and progress in the company as it offers the following benefits:
- Improves morale of employees: Training helps the employee to feel safe and satisfied in their position. The higher the satisfaction level the employee experiences, the greater is his/her morale which in turn will motivate them to contribute to organisational success.
- Assists in lessening accidents: Errors are likely to occur if employees lack knowledge and skills required for doing a particular job. With more training comes a greater understanding of the tasks at hand, with the result of less chances of accidents occurring.
- Increases productivity: Training improves efficiency and productivity of employees. Well trained employees show both quantity and quality performance as there is less wastage of time, money and resources if employees are properly trained. Employees who feel appreciated and challenged through training opportunities may feel more satisfaction toward their jobs.
At Sandwich Baron, training is key to the success of our stores, franchisees as well as our staff as we believe it adds critical value to upholding the standards that we promise our customers. In business, time and effort spent on initiating staff into the company is never wasted – in fact, it is often one of the most powerful tools to equip the company with.
Opinion piece shared by PR Worx.