Investing in employee development should be a perennial priority. Conversely, forgoing training programs can lower staff morale, impede departmental efficiency and undermine retention efforts.

Here are some effective ways to support and promote employee development:

Reimburse employees for training or membership in professional associations. You may consider providing each employee with a yearly allowance or simply reimbursing staff for association membership dues or tuition for relevant outside courses or programs they enroll in.

Provide flexible scheduling. Allow employees to reschedule activities or work nontraditional hours to make room for seminars and courses.

Publicize opportunities. You should not expect staff members to just stumble upon training options. Continually alert them to the opportunities available, both internally and externally.

Celebrate learning. As a manager, you can set an example by considering training options for yourself. You also encourage learning when you mention in a meeting a staff member who has enrolled in a training course, or distribute a department-wide email congratulating a team member on earning a certification.