With more companies struggling to find talent, training existing employees to become leaders in your organization can help fill your need at a lower cost. Organizations that create opportunities to develop their employees foster an environment where people want to work for the long-term.
Here are a few tips to help train good employees to become great mangers. And, we’ve included a few training swag ideas and other giveaways for employees.
Leadership training ideas
Continue learning every day
Making time to improve leadership skills helps everyone on your team perform better. Encourage employees to find time for learning in their day, whether it’s by soliciting feedback, reading a book focused on leadership or asking for a leadership coach. A leather padfolio is a great training swag idea for note taking during classes or seminars.
Be a mentor/coach
Millennials tend to gravitate toward leaders who will coach them to success. Leadership coaching can help new leaders be successful, which could turn those leaders into coaches and mentors for other up-and-coming leadership candidates. Celebrate milestones with a team photo in a branded photo frame.
Encourage networking
As an employee moves into a leadership role, cultivating a supportive professional network becomes even more important. To encourage these relationships, create regular opportunities for managers to discuss common problems, share best practices and maintain professional networking relationships. Business cards are essential to networking. A stylish business card holder is a great employee gift idea to encourage networking.
Use self-assessment tools
Every good leader makes time for introspection. Provide tools your organization’s leaders can use to assess their strengths as well as areas that may need work. Show appreciation for your team’s leadership qualities with giveaways for employees, like this etched glass paperweight.
Promote volunteerism
For many, learning by doing is the most effective way to grow. Becoming an effective manager starts with leading. Encourage employees to join the board of a nonprofit or volunteer to lead an event. Thank team members in unique ways for their service. A seed packet that symbolizes growth is a great giveaway.
Identifying opportunities for growth
For managers, identifying opportunities to prepare their employees for future leadership roles can boost employee engagement and productivity. By encouraging them with training swag and other giveaways for employees, you can help keep teams motivated for continued success.