Why Training Dollars Should Remain in HR's Recession Budgets

摘要

Employers worldwide are engaging in an unprecedented period of budget cuts and belt-tightening measures in an effort to ride out the bumpy economy. One of the first line items in HR's budget to get cut is often training, which can be perceived by high-level executives as "discretionary" and "a good thing to do" but nonessential to their organizations in these challenging financial times. In reality, workforce training has never been more important, and it provides a stronger-than-ever return on investment.rnFormer employees are filing harassment and discrimination claims in record numbers due to layoffs and terminations; supervisors are untrained in how to manage their workforces through the unprecedented economic downturn. Government agencies such as the Department of Labor have increased staff and enforcement efforts. Employers are being scrutinized for ethical violations like never before. For all these reasons, HR professionals should protect their training budgets. Moreover, it is important that training dollars are used to implement only high-quality, legally compliant training solutions that educate their workforces, change employee and supervisor behavior, and reduce liability to their organizations. The quality of a training program is more important than ever because training programs are now more likely to be brought under legal scrutiny.