Project management training is more important than ever before. Not just designed for project leaders. But for everyone on your team can benefit from better project planning and control.
This is especially the case if your business regularly deals with complex and varied projects. With that in mind, below, we take a look at the four main reasons why you should train your staff in project management:
Learning on the job can be very costly
Most business owners take the approach of encouraging their workforce to learn on the job. However, there are a lot of hidden costs associated with this. Trial and error can cost an organisation in many different ways.
It can lead to a damaged reputation, hefty expenses, wasted effort, and high-stress levels. Learning on the job may seem more affordable on the surface. When it leads to project failure, it is the opposite.
By ensuring that your employees take a project planning training course, they can all quickly develop the competencies that are needed for successful project delivery. This reduces the chance of error, ensuring your business does not suffer in the long run.
Add consistency to project planning and management
One of the main benefits associated with training all of your staff in project management is that you will develop a consistent approach to your operations. This is because everyone will have received the same training on everything from planning in the initial stages to project completion.
This ensures that everyone is on the same page and working together to achieve the same goals.
This structured approach is the only way to achieve success when working on any project. It also enables you to implement a systematic approach to handling changes in the project objectives and scope, which occur more often than we would like them to.
This ensures you have a common language to describe issues within a company, as well as the perfect platform for improving communication at all levels. One of the main reasons why projects fail today is because of a lack of communication.
This tends to occur because those on the project team don’t have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Plus, there has not been a standardised approach to communication put in place.
This makes things complicated, which results in inefficiencies. Instead, by encouraging all staff members to take a training course, you can make sure that the project leader knows how to effectively convey roles and responsibilities. Your team will also learn about the best communication platforms and methods to deliver results. The person in charge of the course may also enlighten you to software and technology that can help you to manage this aspect of your projects better.
Learn new skills and develop existing ones
Through project management training, your employees will learn new skills that will take your business to the next level. They will also develop existing skills, which will help them to deliver projects more successfully. New skills that employees typically learn include the likes of earned value management. A detailed knowledge of scheduling and they develop skills regarding the procurement process.
You can also expect your staff to learn how to use pert charts and implement active risk management. This will ensure that any risks to your project are dealt with so that they do not derail your team from achieving their objectives. You can also expect staff to become proficient in costing, as well as planning, implementing, and monitoring projects. Of course, it is likely that some of your team already have some project management skills, especially project leaders.
However, reinforcing what they have already learned will also be of great benefit to your business. You can expect your employees to advance their knowledge with regards to managing quality, managing conflict, and developing critical success factors.
They will also become better leaders. And while enhancing their planning skills and their ability to communicate with the rest of their team as well as their stakeholders. Other areas where most trainees gain extra experience include with regards to stakeholder management and engagement, people management, and dealing with change.
Increase your organisation’s capacity to deliver more projects
Last but not least, by making your employees take a project management training course, you will increase the capacity of your business to deliver more complex projects. Untrained individuals may not be able to meet the standards and the demands of clients when it comes to complex projects. Training courses can ensure that your employees have the latest tools, techniques, and strategies required.
They will learn about skill building and effective work structuring. This will ensure they have the capacity to deliver more complex projects. Your business will benefit from this because it means you can take on a greater scope of work, which will surely enhance your profit levels. It will also boost your brand image and reputation as well. Showing your business is an expert in your field and that you have the capacity to handle anything that is thrown at you.
Training courses also ensure staff deliver projects on time and on a budget. The quality required will lead to recurring work and enable them to get started on the next project quicker.
As you can see, there are many reasons why you should train your staff in project management.
So, to sum it up
It does not matter what type of business you run, and it is important to manage all projects effectively. This means having tried and tested procedures in place. Communicating effectively at all levels, and having the required skills to manage projects and deal with any hurdles that arise. The only way to achieve this is through professional project management training. This can really take your business to the next level.
