Retraining

Retraining means teaching existing employees new skills, often so they can use new technology. It is different from the training a new starter receives: the people being retrained already work for the business, but their current skills no longer match what the job now needs.

When retraining is needed

Retraining is needed when something about the job changes, not just when someone is new. Common triggers are:

• New technology: for example, a bike shop installing diagnostic software so its mechanics can service electric bikes.
• New procedures: such as a café changing how it takes and tracks orders.
• New job requirements: a sales assistant asked to take on stock ordering needs new skills.
• Changes in the law: a food business retraining staff on allergen labelling rules.

Without retraining, employees may make mistakes, work slowly or break the law. The business usually pays for the training and loses some output while staff are learning, but that is often less than the cost of getting things wrong.

Why retrain existing staff?

Retraining is often cheaper and faster than recruiting and training new staff. You avoid advertising, interviewing and a long induction, and existing employees already know the business, its customers and its routines.

It can also avoid making experienced people redundant (losing their jobs because their role is no longer needed), so the business keeps their knowledge and experience. They can put new skills to use straight away because they understand how the business works.

Retraining can motivate staff too: being taught something new shows the business values them and helps them feel confident with the change. But it does not motivate everyone automatically, because some people find change difficult, so retraining should be planned and supported. It also helps the business stay competitive as technology moves on: a hotel with staff trained on a new booking system can serve guests faster than one still using paper diaries.