The main driver of an employee's development within a company is the education and training opportunities provided by the company itself.
When companies invest in the training and development of their employees, enhancing their skills and helping them develop, they become stronger themselves. It's one of the most famous rhymes, the meaningful dialogue between two hypothetical employers, and it goes like this:
- "What if I train my human resources and they leave me?!"
- "Yes, but what if you don't train them and they stay?!"
In recent years, and especially after the start of the pandemic, the implementation of thorough Learning & Development practices has acted as a workplace... defibrillator. The temporary slowdown in the pace of work in several industries gave employees the opportunity to invest time in their training and education, and at the same time gave employers the chance to create structured development programs for employees of every position and level, watching them flourish.
We seem to be leaving behind the days when employee training simply meant a formal period of initial familiarisation with current duties or - at best - included some uninspiring seminars over the course of the year.
Today, companies are creating innovative, personalised training and development programmes, using all available digital tools, conducting on-the-go training, actively encouraging knowledge sharing, and achieving better individual and team performance. In the following lines we will look at bright examples of important Learning & Development opportunities offered in the Greek work ecosystem.
One such example is MetroLearn, the digital training platform introduced by METRO (MyMarket and Metro Cash&Carry), which includes courses, microlearnings, digital trainings, digital library, etc. tailored for each employee from the convenience of their mobile device.
Kotsovolos has created "Skills Academies" with the capabilities aKademies. There are academies for every level of role and expertise, in which, in addition to internal Subject Matter Experts, distinguished educational institutions and market professionals participate. And because the company is digital in nature, it leverages leading content providers, depending on the area in which they specialize.
PwC Greece also invests in upgrading skills through a series of sophisticated programmes for employees at every level. There are specific leadership development programmes such as YouGrow, YouLead and WeEvolve, while valuable certifications (e.g. ACCA and ACA) are also provided and financially covered by the company.
AB Vassilopoulos also demonstrates a strong learning culture. It broadens the development prospects of its employees through its Development Centres, mobilises knowledge transfer between all Ahold Delhaize Group countries, and utilises modern forms of training through up-to-date and asynchronous training programmes.
KAFKAS is no exception to the modern Learning & Development methods, which has designed a comprehensive range of programs, such as Blue (a mobile app with digital trainings), the High Potential Program (for every employee who wants to reach the maximum of their abilities), LinkedIn Learning, the Skill Wars program (open webinars for anyone who wants to develop their soft and business skills), the Kafkas Institute for in-depth Training & Development, etc.
