How Training Can Help Your Business Attract and Retain Talent

Attracting talent and keeping hold of great people is one of the biggest challenges for businesses today. With skills shortages and tough competition, companies need to find ways to hang onto their best people and continue growing. One of the simplest – and most effective – strategies is training and development.

Training goes beyond sharpening skills. It shows employees you value them, boosts engagement, and strengthens your company culture. In short: it’s not just a “nice-to-have” – it’s key to attracting and retaining talent.

Why training matters

Employees want more than just a payslip. They want opportunities to grow, develop their careers, and feel valued. Research shows that 80% of employees would stay longer with a company that offers better training and development.

Jill, our Head of People & Culture, explains: “As well as valuing the skills and attributes that people bring to the business when they join us, we encourage, support and nurture their development as individuals. We do this through peer-to-peer learning, mentoring, and professional qualifications tailored to different learning preferences and goals.”

We’ve seen this firsthand at Fleximize. While the average company in our industry invests 14.9 hours of training per employee per year, we deliver 62 hours per employee per year. That’s four times more learning, and it pays off: in 2024, our retention rate hit 97%, far above the national average.

It’s not only about keeping people, either. For job seekers, learning opportunities are a deciding factor. The PwC Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2024 found that nearly 50% of employees view upskilling as one of the top perks they look for in a role. So training helps on both sides: retaining employees and attracting top talent.

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"As well as valuing the skills and attributes that people bring to the business when they join us, we encourage, support and nurture their development as individuals. We do this through peer-to-peer learning, mentoring, and professional qualifications tailored to different learning preferences and goals." - Jill Bates

How training helps attract top talent

If you want to know how to attract talent in a competitive market, think about what job seekers value. Many professionals look for companies that provide career growth. By offering training, you can attract and retain employees who are motivated to learn and improve.

When people feel confident in their skills, they’re more likely to take on new responsibilities, share ideas, and stay with your company long term.

A well-designed learning and development program can:

Increase engagement: Development opportunities show employees you’re investing in them, which motivates and builds loyalty.
Improve performance: Equipped with the right skills, employees can thrive in their roles.
Build a culture of growth: Training sends a strong signal — this company invests in its people.

At Fleximize, this approach led to 18 promotions out of 84 employees in 2024, giving us a 21% promotion rate, well above the national average of 13%. It’s proof that linking training to career growth keeps people engaged and ambitious.

Practical strategies to attract and retain talent through training

Keeping good people is just as important as hiring them. Here are a few practical ways to use training as part of your plan to attract and retain talent:

1. Understand your talent pools and skill gaps

You can’t fix what you don’t measure. Use surveys, interviews, and performance reviews to spot strengths, weaknesses, and areas for growth. Align training with your long-term business goals so every program has impact.

At Fleximize, we use our in-house academy as a launchpad for new team members. Starting in our Business Lending Administration Team, every new hire gets hands-on experience and a training buddy for those first “what does this button do?” moments.

By understanding your talent pools, you can design learning programs that target the right employees, improve performance, and support recruitment and retention efforts.

2. Personalise training for career growth

Standardised training often misses the mark. People learn best when it matches their personal and career goals.

Offer flexible options like online courses, microlearning videos, workshops, or mentoring.
Show clear pathways to promotion so employees can see how learning translates into career growth.

We’ve seen 57% of our new joiners in support roles transition into other internal teams in the past three years, with another 19% currently in training to follow their path. As Jill puts it: “Personal and professional development achievements are encouraged, supported and celebrated across the company.”

SMEs that offer a strong onboarding process see an 82% improvement in new hire retention, as employees feel supported and prepared from day one.

3. Balance technical and soft skills

Technical skills matter, but soft skills (leadership, communication, problem-solving) are just as important. Employees trained in these areas are better equipped to collaborate, lead, and contribute to a positive work culture.

Include leadership development programs for managers to support their teams. Poorly trained managers are one of the top reasons employees leave a company.
Offer cross-department training to help employees understand the broader business and improve internal collaboration.

This approach supports engaging and retaining talent while preparing your workforce for internal promotion, succession planning, and long-term growth.

4. Make training part of your company culture

Training shouldn’t feel like a tick-box exercise. It should be built into everyday work.

Establish peer learning groups, online communities, and workshops.
Recognise and reward learning achievements, from certifications to practical skills applied on the job.
Encourage a culture where continuous improvement and feedback are normal.

A strong training culture improves employee experience, builds trust, and demonstrates that your company invests in people – not just profits. Our annual Employee Happiness Survey helps us keep refining and improving.

5. Support a diverse and inclusive workforce

Training is also about creating a workplace where everyone feels they belong. That means embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion into your programs, and offering flexible learning options for different working patterns.

Incorporate training on diversity, equity, inclusion, and workplace ethics.
Offer flexible learning options for remote working or employees with varying schedules.

Employees who feel respected and included are more likely to stay engaged, recommend your company to others, and contribute to a positive culture.

6. Link training to measurable outcomes

To get the most value from training, measure its impact on performance, retention, and satisfaction.

Collect feedback from employees after sessions to understand what worked and what didn’t.
Track improvements in productivity, employee satisfaction, and retention rates.
Use metrics to refine programs and demonstrate ROI to stakeholders.

Even small improvements in retention can save costs. The cost of replacing an employee can cost more than their annual training budget.

Recruitment strategies to attract and retain talent

Training plays a vital role in recruitment. It helps position your business as an employer of choice, attracting candidates who value career growth, meaningful work, and supportive environments.

Training goes beyond keeping employees happy once they’re through the door – it’s a powerful recruitment tool. Candidates want to see a path to grow and do meaningful work, and businesses that highlight training opportunities stand out as employers of choice.

You can showcase training in the recruitment process by:

Highlighting opportunities in job descriptions and during interviews.
Promote your learning and development programs on social media and recruitment channels.
Sharing clear career paths that show candidates how they can progress within your company.
Showing how professional development is embedded into company culture.
Include professional development and mentorship in your employer branding.

When candidates see a business investing in employee development, they are more likely to join and stay long term, strengthening your talent acquisition and retention strategy.

Practical tips to retain employees through training

Onboarding: Structured onboarding improves early engagement and increases the likelihood that employees will stay long-term.
Soft skills development: Boosts collaboration, communication, and teamwork, essential for high-performance workplaces.
Compliance and ethics training: Creates a safe, respectful work environment that supports employee satisfaction.
Manager training: Prepares leaders to support and retain their teams effectively.
Continuous feedback: Regular check-ins reinforce learning and help employees feel valued.

By implementing these strategies, businesses can improve retention rates, boost performance, and create an environment where employees thrive.

Conclusion

Attracting and retaining talent requires more than competitive salaries. Training and development programs are a proven way to improve employee satisfaction, retain employees, and position your business as an employer of choice.

By embedding learning into your company culture, tailoring programs to individual goals, balancing technical and soft skills, and measuring outcomes, businesses can create a high-performing, motivated team.

Investing in training helps you attract and retain employees, support career growth, and build a resilient team ready for the future. In such a competitive market, it’s a vital strategy for SMEs looking to succeed and grow.

Key takeaways

Training is crucial for retaining talent and attracting top candidates.
Personalised, continuous learning boosts engagement and performance.
Embedding training into your company culture strengthens loyalty.
Measuring outcomes proves ROI and enables improvement.
A strong strategy makes you stand out as an employer of choice.