Training courses for admin staff

23 April 2022

Updated June 2025

Administrative staff are the heartbeat of any UK SME. They keep operations running, customers informed and the rest of the team on track. But while they’re often juggling multiple hats, their training needs can be overlooked – especially when there’s no dedicated HR or L&D team in place.

Whether your admin team sits front of house, supports customer service, or handles internal comms and reporting, upskilling them doesn’t just support compliance – it boosts productivity, morale and confidence too.

Here’s why your admin staff deserve their own training roadmap, and which training courses for admin staff are worth prioritising.

Why providing training for admin staff matters

In a fast-paced SME, admin staff are often the go-to people for… well, everything. Diaries, data, emails, supplies, invoices, front-of-house queries – the list is endless.

But without structured training, they risk being pulled in different directions, with little professional development or clarity around expectations. And that’s a problem. Especially when they’re often at the frontline of your business as well as the people responsible for keeping it legally compliant behind the scenes too.

That’s where a reliable, easy-to-use L&D platform for small businesses in the UK comes in: offering tailored, time-saving, flexible training in a budget-friendly way.

Looking for a solution that’s quick to roll out and easy to manage? Our online LMS for small businesses comes pre-loaded with certified, sector-relevant training content, and is designed to keep managing the needs of the UK’s SMEs as they grow and flourish.

Must-have compliance training for admin teams

Even if they’re not managing people or working in a specialist role, admin staff have legal training requirements to meet. Here are the essentials:

• GDPR training for employees
  Admin teams regularly handle sensitive personal data. That’s why GDPR compliance training for UK small business employees is a non-negotiable. Choose a course that helps demystify the regulations, teaches staff how to store and process data lawfully and reduces your organisation’s compliance risk.
• Basic Fire Safety Awareness Certification
  All staff need to understand workplace fire risks and response procedures. Mandatory fire safety training for small businesses ensures everyone – including reception or office managers – knows how to spot hazards and what to do in an emergency.
• Manual Handling Certification
  Think this type of course only applies to warehouse staff? Think again. Admins often lift office supplies, files, deliveries and equipment. Choose a manual handling certification for UK employees that teaches safe techniques and reduces the risk of strain injuries and costly absences.
• Equality, Diversity & Discrimination Awareness Certification
  Every employee contributes to your workplace culture. Equality and diversity awareness training for employees in the UK helps admin teams understand their responsibilities, challenge unconscious bias and promote an inclusive work environment.
• Understanding Fire Extinguishers Certification
  Ideal for team members working near entry points or shared spaces, choosing a fire extinguisher awareness course for UK staff teaches what to use and when to use it, and how to stay safe when responding to a fire.

Recommended read: If you need help making sure all your staff are covered, why not check out this article on staff training legal requirements.

Role-specific training for admin and office support

Beyond compliance responsibilities, admin staff thrive when they’re equipped with the right tools, mindset and confidence to tackle the day-to-day. Some professional development courses that can be especially useful for admin teams are:

• Office and Reception Management Certification
  From problem-solving and communication to record-keeping and multitasking, this helps strengthen the everyday skills office-based staff rely on, and gives them a clearer sense of what ‘good’ looks like.
• Managing People Certification
  Got an admin team lead? Offering a course in leadership training for first-time managers in the UK an help them step up with confidence – even if they’re learning as they go. It covers delegation, communication, performance reviews and more.

Recommended read: Want more support for your first-time managers? Read our practical guide: Six steps SMEs should take to give first-time managers a fighting chance.

Benefits of training admin staff in an SME

Still wondering whether admin staff training is worth the time and budget? Here are a few ways SMEs can benefit from investing in admin training:

• Stronger first impressions
  Your admin team is often the first point of contact. When they’re confident and capable, clients and partners feel in safe hands.
• Improved compliance
  With mandatory compliance training for UK employees in SMEs, you’ll avoid fines, reduce legal risks and meet your duty of care as an employer.
• Less pressure on managers
  Trained admin staff are more autonomous – they don’t need micromanaging and can handle more responsibility.
• Higher morale and retention
  Show employees they’re valued and you’re investing in their growth, and they’ll likely be more engaged (and therefore more productive) and stay with you for the longer term.
• Easier succession planning
  Upskilling your admin team now makes it easier to promote from within later.

Recommended read: Internal upskilling: is it worth the effort? (Yes)

What to look for in a training solution

Many SMEs struggle to train admin staff consistently – often because they don’t have an HR department, or because training gets pushed down the priority list.

The solution? Choose a time-saving learning solution for SME teams that takes the pressure off.

Look for a provider that offers:

• built-in certification and online compliance training,
• short, bite-sized modules that work around busy schedules,
• an affordable compliance LMS with ready-made content, and
• full visibility over learner progress and completion rates.

Not sure where to start? Our LMS was designed with SMEs in mind – easy to use, cost-effective, and filled with practical training your team can start benefitting from today.

Admin staff training: small steps, big impact

With the right platform in place, rolling out compliance training for small businesses in the UK becomes quick, consistent and scalable. Are you ready to give your admin staff the training they deserve? Explore our SME-friendly course library or why not book a call with one of our team today.

At Staff Skills academy+, we offer compliance training alongside a wealth of personal and professional development resources, plus a wellbeing hub containing mindfulness and fitness classes. Our customised LMS with over 700 CPD and RoSPA-certified courses makes it simple to assign training, track progress and upskill your workforce.