This is despite the fact that if a business can get its head around the two ‘Rs', it can save itself thousands of pounds and numerous hours in wasted manpower.

While cold hard cash is seen by many as the best way to tackle this issue, according to industry experts a more sensible and sustainable approach is training up members of staff and helping them to develop their skills so that they feel valued.

In doing so you provide opportunities for them to progress up the career ladder and give them an additional incentive to stay - in a difficult recruitment market, a defined training programme is also a useful carrot to dangle in front of potential recruits to attract them to your business.

The argument to provide training is a compelling one yet there is still a perception among many business owners that training is a drain on the company coffers and the prevailing attitude of ‘what's the point of training up our staff - they'll only use their new skills to go and get more money elsewhere?' still lingers. And, for those bosses who are actually interested in training their staff, due to the potential minefield of paperwork and impenetrable information, it's often not considered a viable option - as one industry insider succinctly puts it: "Many employers don't know what training is available or what funding is available so they just don't bother."

But the fact of the matter is, that if implemented correctly, a training programme can play an incredibly important role in a businesses development. However, it needs to be part of an overall structured approach, according to Dani Novick, managing director of Mercury Search and Selection.

"Training for training's sake, conducted in isolation, is not necessarily a good thing and it can be difficult to see any payback. Training needs to be part of an overall plan for development and succession, based on the company's needs for skills now and in the future," she says.

Tightened budgets
Unfortunately, the current economic climate has sounded the death knell for many company training schemes, with disastrous results, according to Key Recruitment sales director Kirstie Whitehead. "In the past three years profits have been squeezed and investment in training has slipped right down the list of priorities. That means many talented employees don't get the development that can enable them to make a real difference to a company's future."

Experts like Whitehead argue that, rather than look at training as an extra cost, companies should actually look at is as a way of saving money. For instance, if you develop your own talent then you are not held to ransom in having to "bid" for ‘ready-made' individuals, says Novick. And, rather than losing staff to rivals, you will improve staff retention, believes Ian Swarbrick, managing director of XL. "Companies should be investing in training and looking to bring people through. If they don't invest in their staff then, ultimately, they risk losing them."

Swarbrick says that he hears the age-old argument of ‘why train when they might go elsewhere?' less frequently these days, and that ultimately investing in training up your staff is a risk worth taking. "If you invest in a person, the chances are they will be more loyal to you," says Swarbrick. "Once you have established the mentality to develop your own people, it puts your company in a strong position and this is much more powerful than taking a short-sighted approach."

Richard Bloxam, head of training provider networks at Proskills, agrees. "Pay only motivates people to a certain extent. What will make a big difference is if you as an employer understands an employee's personal needs and develop them. You have to show that you care about and value that individual, because when an employee comes across a company that treats them well, they're much more likely to stay with that company for a long period of time."

Top down training
It's vital that firms develop a training culture and, whether the organisation is large or small, it is critical that this culture is implemented from the top down, says Kathy Woodward, who has recently been appointed executive chairman of the BPIF with a remit to transform the way that the federation delivers training. She cites the example of a recruitment and training project that she has just advised on for a large printing group. "Their CEO was passionate that a commitment to training and development was key to attracting the ‘future-makers' into his business. He was as equally passionate that he makes sure that all his management team buy into the programme and that equivalent programmes run in parallel for current employees."

Novick agrees with Woodward‘s assessment, adding: "It is imperative that management from the top, down to line managers, understand the need and are committed to planning for skills' needs just as they would finance or machine capacity. This is key to ensuring the training has a purpose and will deliver payback and retain good staff."

In addition to management buy-in, what other resources do firms need to commit to a successful training programme? "You need commitment, you need mentors, you need role models, you need to be able to analyse what you want to put into the programme and probably, as important, what you need to leave out," says Woodward. "If that all sounds a bit academic, I don't think it needs to be. There are great managers out there doing this naturally as part of everyday management. What formalising the programme gives you is that joint road map."

You also of course need funding. While packages vary in price - XL's Swarbrick says that his company offers training for as little as £300 per delegate per day, which he feels is "not a lot of money when you consider the returns that you are going to get" - there are a wide range of different training options available with industry funding allocated to help companies along the path. Gaining this funding is often not as onerous as some people fear, according to Woodward. "People think it is hugely bureaucratic to get hold of the money but actually, providing you structure your programme in the right way, people like ourselves can take all that paperwork hassle away," she explains.

Woodward adds that BPIF Training has a £1m-plus commitment from the Learning Skills Council for training programmes in the coming year and says companies interested in taking advantage of the funding should contact the BPIF Training team for advice.

Proskills is also happy to field enquiries about funding issues, says Bloxam. "If people give us a call then we will give them advice, depending on their specific circumstances. If funding is available to them then we will help them to identify and access it." But he cautions that companies shouldn't introduce training just because it is funded." Funding is nice to have and it makes it easier to do training but, if it's worth doing, it's worth paying for regardless of the funding available to you."

Future stars attraction
Companies should also be aware that training programmes in isolation are not the be-all and end-all when it comes to recruiting the best talent. "There are a whole range of factors that enable you to attract the future stars into your business," says Woodward. "Some of it is about the culture of your organisation, some of it is being able to convince them that they will get the opportunity to be innovative, take responsibility, but also importantly that you can point to your success stories."

While it may not be the main pulling factor, it is undeniably a major attraction for a lot of people looking for jobs. "The opportunity to join an organisation which is prepared to invest in your development with a clear route for progression is obviously going to be attractive," says Novick. "Yes, money and benefits are attractive, but they have limited shelf life. A clear career path on the other hand continues to be a carrot until you reach the top or at least your personal limit."

With the industry blighted by problems, companies that invest in training now stand a better chance of surviving the downturn. Whitehead for one has made it her mission to make sure "employers know that this generation is their key to the future and they can't afford to miss out". So what are you waiting for?

TRAINING
New graduate scheme

The statistics show that print has historically struggled to attract new talent to the industry, with graduates opting for what are perceived to be ‘sexier' and better paid occupations. However, a new government scheme, which was launched in April to address the problem of unemployment among university graduates, could go some way towards changing that. The ‘Graduate Talent Pool' allows graduates who are already claiming Job Seeker's Allowance (JSA) for six months or more to do an internship with a company for up to 13 weeks while still qualifying for JSA.

"It is essentially a graduate-project matching service," explains BPIF executive chairman Kathy Woodward. "While employees can pay the graduates for the projects, they don't necessarily have to as the graduates can still receive Job Seeker's Allowance. It's a great opportunity for companies to get some of those projects that you ‘really would if only you had the resource' done, to let you experience young graduates maybe from different backgrounds - marketing, engineering, environmental science - and really show some corporate social responsibility in a hugely difficult employment market."

The new scheme is open to companies of all sizes and could prove to be particularly beneficial to small- and medium-sized enterprises, according to Woodward.

"I think this is a really important initiative, particularly for SMEs who maybe can't afford a headcount slot or a piece of expensive consultancy, but who could really benefit from some outside eyes coming into their business," she explains.

For more information about the Graduate Talent Pool visit www.dius.gov.uk/graduatetalentpool