I'm married to an auto technician. Keith knows the value of doing a regular oil change on a vehicle. After a number of miles, oil begins to get dirty, fluids go down, and an engine doesn't run at peak efficiency. Gas mileage goes down and the life of the car may be shortened.

It's the same way with the professional development for members of your team. Unfortunately, with a tight economy, professional development can be one of the first budgeted items to cut. It can seem hard to justify the cost of a class or conference when profits have gone down or income is low. But there are ways to continue to develop your team while keeping costs down. Here are a few ideas:

Read a book together. Select a recommended business book and assign a reading and discussion schedule.

Watch a webinar. Have your teammates enroll in an online webinar on a particular topic. It's even better if the webinar is offered multiple times so your employees can choose what works best for them. (Set a deadline for completion of the seminar.) Discuss the topic as a group over box lunches.

Encourage networking. If there is a professional organization for  your industry that has a local chapter, encourage your employees (particularly support staff who can feel neglected when it comes to professional development) to get involved. Often these local meetings are inexpensive and a great opportunity to learn. (I'll be speaking to an organization for legal professionals in February, for example, in my own city.)

Check into local training. You may not be able to afford to send all your team members to an out of town conference, but there may be a local training center that offers classes on computer skills, work relationships, writing, etc.

Bring in a speaker. Partner with one or two other organizations to bring in a speaker on a topic that would help all of you. This could be less expensive than sending all your employees away yet still give a sense of "newness." For example, HOPE Unlimited (sponsors of this blog) offers several seminar topics that can be customized for your team needs and budget.

Think outside the box. Professional development doesn't have to be restricted just to your own industry. Consider generic but valuable topics such as wellness, CPR, proofreading skills, or financial skills training (i.e. budgeting) that can improve your employee's quality of life and have positive effects on your workplace culture. Sprinkle in a seminar or field trip "just for fun," such as visiting a local museum or having a cooking class.

Keep professional development a priority. By regularly instituting "required" professional development opportunities, and even rewarding those who attend, your employees will feel cared for and you will experience a more effective and positive workplace culture. This, in turn, can build your bottom line...whatever that may be!

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Keith and I would love to come work with your team, to build better relationships and productivity. Contact us about our DISC assessments, workshops, and consultations.