Staff training benefits
23 November 2022
Updated June 2025
When it comes to running a successful SME, your people are your greatest asset. And investing in the right staff training helps make sure your team is confident, capable and compliant.
But beyond ticking boxes, staff training plays a crucial role in creating a safer, more productive and more professional workplace. From mandatory compliance training to soft skills like communication and leadership, a consistent approach to staff development can transform your team and your business.
Let’s take a closer look at the different types of training available, and the practical benefits they offer for UK-based SMEs.
1. Practical training: for compliance purposes and to enhance day-to-day job functions
This is often the first step in onboarding new staff or helping existing employees stay up to date with workplace legislation.
Digital skills are essential in every industry. Whether your team uses spreadsheets, internal software or cloud platforms, helping employees feel confident with tech makes workflows quicker and more consistent. For small businesses looking to grow, digital literacy is a must.
If you’re looking for time-saving learning solutions for SME teams, you’ll want an easy-to-use LMS for small businesses, allowing staff to learn new tools and systems at their own pace.
Health and safety
Every employer is responsible for creating a safe working environment. That means providing health and safety induction training for new employees, and making sure existing staff stay aware of risks.
Find a provider that offers a range of relevant health and safety courses, from basic risk assessments to manual handling certifications, helping small teams stay up to speed without the red tape and making it easy for your business to remain compliant.
Fire safety
Fire safety awareness training for UK office workers is something every team should take seriously. Staff must know how to use extinguishers, evacuate safely and respond to alarms.
Choose fire safety courses that are quick to complete, easy to assign and CPD certified.
Sexual harassment awareness
Every employee deserves to feel safe and respected at work. Providing online sexual harassment awareness training for employees helps teams understand boundaries, recognise unacceptable behaviour, and know how to respond – in an easily-accessible way.
Find a sexual harassment awareness course that’s designed for UK workplaces and supports a culture of dignity, inclusion and zero tolerance.
2. Character training: behaviour, judgement and interpersonal skills
These qualities are harder to teach, but essential for leadership and long-term success.
Leadership
Strong leadership doesn’t just improve morale, it creates structure, accountability and direction.
Leadership training for first-time managers gives new team leads the confidence to motivate others, delegate effectively and build team trust. If you’re managing promotions or succession planning, it’s a smart way to develop internal talent.
Diversity
With a growing focus on inclusion, equality and diversity awareness training for employees is now a business priority.
An equality, diversity and discrimination awareness course will cover everything your team needs to know – from recognising unconscious bias to fostering a culture of respect. It’s perfect for meeting compliance requirements and making your workplace more welcoming to all.
Ethics
From data privacy to anti-bribery, your staff needs to understand how to behave ethically and lawfully at work. Courses looking at GDPR in the workplace and anti-bribery and corruption awareness are a core part of your compliance training – and can also help reinforce your company values in a practical, accessible way.
Initiative
Employees who think for themselves are invaluable. Training that encourages problem-solving and decision-making leads to a more autonomous, proactive team. Offering coaching and mentoring skills courses is an ideal way to develop these traits across all levels of management.
3. Foundational soft skills that last throughout an employee’s career
This type of training isn’t tied to a single task or role, it has longer-lasting impact: supporting personal and professional growth.
Communications
Poor communication leads to confusion, delays and conflict. Strong communication creates better collaboration, clearer expectations and more productive meetings. UK SMEs need workplace communication training that’s practical and can be implemented immediately – building skills that translate across every team and role.
Customer service
First impressions matter. And in many SMEs, frontline staff are the face of the brand. Investing in customer service training boosts professionalism, builds loyalty and gives employees the confidence to handle complaints calmly and effectively. It’s especially useful for retail, hospitality and service-based businesses.
The real benefits of staff training
Investing in staff training improves confidence, performance and compliance.
The right training helps your team work smarter, not harder. It reduces mistakes, protects your business, and creates a stronger culture.
With our compliance e-learning solution for growing SMEs, it’s easy to deliver high-impact learning without draining your time or budget. And our LMS platform with ready-made compliance content means no course creation is needed – just assign, track and certify.
Looking to improve your L&D offer? Why not read: Seven L&D trends SMEs need to know about and how to implement them.
Human relations
At the heart of every business is its people. And investing in their training doesn’t just boost productivity, it also strengthens relationships.
Staff who feel supported are more likely to be loyal, collaborative and motivated. Training gives your team a sense of progress, purpose and professionalism.
Whether you’re providing compliance, communication, or leadership training, the message is the same: your team matters. And when your people grow, your business grows too.
Ready to get started?
If you’re looking for a customisable LMS with over 700+ CPD-certified courses, granular tracking and reporting and a wealth of soft skills courses too, why not take a look at our platform. There’s even a Wellbeing hub and a Performance hub – with a library of fitness and meditation classes, plus multi-format interactive soft skills courses, to keep your staff happy and healthy both in and out of the office. Why book a call with one of our team today and request a demo!
