Business Skills Training Courses

Business Skills Courses

If you want to improve your business, management or leadership skills then you will find something of value here. A range of readily assimilated training videos to suit your needs can be found below.

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Social Media for Business

The Internet has changed our lives both personally and commercially. The boundaries between personal and business communication are now much less defined. Three quarters of us in the developed world use the internet and Social media. These have become serious business marketing techniques with over 90% of businesses with an in‐house marketing department using social media for marketing and committing up to 20% of marketers time in that direction. So far as your social media audience is concerned, 43% of people aged 20-29 spend more than 10 hours a week on social media sites. The starting point in any social media activity for business is your website or microsite and your social media activities will invariably be referencing this site so the first measurement of success in your social media activity will be the traffic you’re generating for your site through social media channels. This 100 minute course is designed to assist people in business to understand how social media techniques can be used as an effective business marketing tool. The object is to provide sufficient information to enable you to develop a social media strategy for a business and implement that strategy personally or through the informed engagement of third party specialists.

Facebook for Business

Facebook is the world’s largest social network. With over a billion users it’s very likely that a proportion of your target customer audience will have a Facebook account. In the ‘Social Media for Business’ course you’ll have been encouraged to research and investigate the preferred social media platforms used by your target audience, so you should have a good idea at this point if Facebook is one of the right platforms for you. Using Facebook in your business is about providing an effective means for your customers to interact with you and connect their friends to your business. Recommendation is the most powerful way a potential customer can be connected to a business, particularly when it’s being recommended by a friend. So if you know that a trusted friend likes a particular brand, you’re much more likely to engage with that brand. Facebook is essentially a platform designed to facilitate social interaction between people with whom you’ve already established some mutual recognition. This 80 minute course will explain all you need to know about Facebook.

LinkedIn for Business

LinkedIn is a very well established and respected social network with over 259 million users in more than 200 countries. It’s known as “Facebook in a Suit” or the most professional level of Social networking for businesses. LinkedIn is a very valuable tool to find the key decision makers within certain companies. It’s used for finding the best point of contact, gaining familiarity with their background before a call or sales pitch, making such contact much more effective. It’s a social network for professional people. Normally a person would create a LinkedIn profile that would include career details and would update their information periodically as to their current appointment. It would often include a personal statement, personal web address and possibly testimonials from employers and members of staff. If the person has particular interests both professionally and personally they may subscribe to one or more interest groups to receive updates and discussion opportunities. This 45 minute course will explain all.

Twitter for Business

Twitter is a social media platform that is used by a wide range of people, from celebrities, who use it to communicate with their fans to companies and brands who can use it to engage their customers and attract new ones. It is also used by people for the social aspect – to chat and share information with friends. In fact, there is no restriction to who or what can have a Twitter account and often a larger company such as Starbucks will also have individual accounts for each product such as Frappuccino’s and even individual store locations. Using Twitter successfully requires a significant commitment of time – being active is key to your success. It’s all about the image you create, and the best-viewed companies are the responsive ones. Twitter is a real-time information sharing network where users can share messages, news, images, opinions and links via short bursts of information called ‘tweets’ – these tweets have a character limit of 140 including spaces, which may sound very short but you might be surprised at how much you can get into a little space and how much influence that can have. Even though Twitter is a fairly simple service, it’s still important to understand the mechanics of it thoroughly. This 55 minute course will explain all.

Search Engine Optimisation for Business

Right now, potential customers will be searching for your products and services and if they don’t find their way to your site, you could be deferring them to a competitor. Imagine if your website could rank above your competitors’, using the kind of search terms that turn your visitor traffic into revenue. When it’s done well, search engine marketing can give search engines exactly what they need to put your website in a prime position on Search Engine Results Pages. The key is understanding what search engines need and since 90% of all searches in the UK are via Google, this pretty much means understanding Google. This 80 minute course will explain the proven techniques that will help you reach and maintain the number one results spot.

Data protection in the Workplace

If you or your organisation handles personal information about individuals you have legal obligations to protect that information. In this 80 minute course the benefits of good data safety are explained and include, good business practice, the protection of people’s rights and the protection of your organisations reputation. In recent years some companies and individuals have experienced serious legal consequences for data protection breaches and this highlights why it is so important to get it right. Training should be a vital part of any company’s data protection policy.

Conflict Resolution in the Workplace

‘Unmanaged conflict is the largest reducible cost in organisations today, and the least recognised’. Our society, and therefore our workplaces, are full of individuals with very different backgrounds, beliefs, values and attitudes. With such diversity conflict, at some point, is inevitable. Conflict in workplaces is not only inevitable, it can actually be valuable. That is if it is handled correctly and focused on the right areas. This 45 minute course will consider what conflict is as well as its impact and role in the workplace. We will consider some of the triggers for workplace conflict and how it develops before looking at a number of different ways of managing it.

Equality, Diversity and Discrimination

We’ve all heard and used the words ‘equality’ and ‘diversity’ before but what do they actually mean and how do they affect you as an employer or employee? Well if you take the words on their own they are actually quite different, equality is the state of being equal, especially in rights and opportunities. Diversity is the state of being different or varied. However these 2 things should not be seen as opposite to each other, after all people can be different but they still have the same rights. When it comes to places of work there is legislation in place to ensure that we all meet our responsibilities in relation to equality and diversity… And one way to make sure we meet these responsibilities is through training as this 70 minute course will show.

Stress management

The Health and Safety Executive states that ‘work related stress develops because a person is unable to cope with the demands being placed on them’. This can come from any aspect of their life but it often comes from demands placed on them at work. So why is stress a problem in the workplace? Well the latest estimates show the total number of cases of work related stress depression or anxiety account for 39% of all work related illness. Some occupations may be more susceptible to stress but it can affect anyone and can impact on health, ability to function effectively at work and at home and in relationships. This 30 minute course will cover an introduction to stress and why it’s a problem, some of the causes of stress and some ways to minimise the risk of stress.

Time management

Good Time Management will improve and enhance the time spent in the workplace and can even go a long way to improving the quality of the work you produce. For most people however this is easier said than done. We’ve all experienced that feeling of having more work to do than we can possibly complete in the time we have. This can lead to increased stress… dissatisfaction…and demoralisation… This 105 minute course can help, by introducing you to some of the theories and techniques of time management that can really make a difference.

Presentation Skills

Giving a successful presentation can be one of the hardest parts of many people’s jobs. Ultimately preparation will be the key to success when it comes to giving a presentation, but how do you make sure you are prepared enough? What about the structure? The content? How should you use visual aids? Being a successful presenter also involves understanding your audience, their expectations and needs. This 55 minute course covers the common mistakes people make when preparing for and giving a presentation so you can avoid these, as well as going over good practice and providing some practical advice that you can put to good use the next time you have a big presentation to make.

Managing Sickness and Absence

Employee absence can be costly in terms of both lost time and money. It impacts businesses, managers, and colleagues in ways that range from them having to take on extra work or undertake additional training, to experiencing additional stress and a drop in morale. This 30 minute course will help you to understand the different types of absence and identify ways of measuring absence. It covers why you should complete return-to-work forms and how to conduct effective return-to-work meetings. The course finishes off by explaining the formal processes involved in managing absence and how to apply appropriate policies.

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Sexual harassment is unwanted conduct of a sexual nature. Experiencing sexual harassment can be one of the most difficult situations a worker can face, however it should not be happening and all workers are protected by law from sexual harassment. Handling accusations of sexual harassment can be difficult, and if not done correctly can lead to the company being held liable along with the perpetrator of the harassment. This 55 minute course will start by defining sexual harassment and explaining how protection comes from both employment law and criminal law. You’ll see from workplace statistics how widespread and serious the problem is, and how the management response to concerns raised is often poor or non-existent. It also addresses how allegations should be handled, explains the importance of having clear and robust policies and the role line managers tend to take when it comes to dealing with these situations. The course also covers investigation from the employer’s perspective, the role of employment tribunals, and concludes with some case studies that will give further insight into what constitutes harassment and the outcome of cases where the businesses did not act appropriately to deal with this behaviour.

Leadership Skills

A leader doesn’t necessarily have to be a ‘manager’, but it’s difficult to see how a manager could be truly effective without having at least some leadership skills. This 90 minute course will introduce you to some of the important techniques and theories that can help you to improve your leadership skills and be more effective in your role.

Negotiation

Negotiation is a basic means of getting what you want from others. It’s a back and forth communication designed to reach an agreement when you and the other side have some interests that are shared and others that are opposed. This 46 minute course covers the basics of what constitutes a negotiation, the key stages of a negotiation, skills you can apply to your negotiations and some practical advice so you can bring all of this together and become a more effective negotiator.

Project Management

The effective management of projects is an essential skill in many workplaces. Correct control of stages and different aspects of projects helps to increase the chances of projects being successful. There are many tools and approaches to managing projects, from a simple ‘to do’ list, to complex methodologies. When a project is managed correctly it ensures that there’s a sound business reason for undertaking the project, that it’s clear who’s involved in delivering the project, what the expected outcomes are and how resources and risks will be managed throughout the project. When it’s done poorly the project can suffer from feature creep, delays, go over budget or not get finished at all. This 90 minute course covers some of the common project management methodologies, setting goals, and actually achieving them, identifying the need for a project to be started, using key project management tools and much more.

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Disciplinary Procedures

The aims of the disciplinary procedure are to provide a framework within which managers can work with employees to maintain satisfactory standards of conduct and to encourage improvement when necessary. This 45 minute course covers the aims of the disciplinary procedure, penalties including investigations, allegations and suspensions, procedures for carrying out hearings, and appeals.

Anti-Harassment and Bullying

Your Company should be committed to providing a working environment free from harassment and bullying and ensuring all staff are treated, and treat others, with dignity and respect. This 32 minute course covers the commitments that will be laid out in your company’s anti-harassment and bullying policy. It then explains the differences between harassment and bullying, the steps that can be taken if either of these occur in or out of work, and some case studies to illustrate the points covered throughout the course.

Effective Delegation

Effective delegation is an essential skill to learn if you want to be an effective manager. After all, the best managers don’t strive to be super-heroes. Instead,they are exceptional at picking good people to do what they need to have done, and then letting them get on with it. However delegating effectively can be difficult. It means identifying the right tasks to delegate, overcoming barriers to delegation and taking the time to delegate properly so that everyone knows what they’re expected to do and by when. When it’s done right the benefits are numerous and improve the working lives of everyone involved from the managers to the staff and it has wide ranging benefits to the organisation as a whole. This 110 minute course will start with the essentials , defining exactly what we mean by delegation and why it’s so important. It then goes into details about, the elements of delegation, overcoming the barriers to delegation, how you can choose which tasks to delegate and who to the process of delegation and much more.

The Principles of Performance Management

In any organisation, the traditional model of strict command and control wastes a significant amount of time and money. Mutual trust, employee motivation and readiness to perform can easily be undermined. Performance management, on the other hand, offers a different, much more effective approach. In formal terms, performance management involves the achievement of performance targets through the effective management of people and the environment in which they operate. It’s about setting achievable goals for the organisation and targets for individuals and teams. This 55 minute course will explain all.

Developing Teamwork

Developing Teamwork is all about building stronger relationships within your team by getting to know each other better and creating the foundations for an exceptionally high performing group of people. This 30 minute course will start by explaining in detail what team working is and cover some of the basic principles for putting together a group of people who will work well together. It then goes on to cover conflict within teams, explaining some of the reasons conflict occurs and some strategies for managing conflict. It finishes off by exploring some of the different styles of management behaviour and how to develop a resilient team.

Sales Skills

This 120 minute course will start by providing an overview of the basic rulesfor sales people, along with the right mindset, self-assessment and the goals you’ll need in the short, medium and long term. It’ll cover cold calling, including how to prepare, what to say and how to deal with gatekeepers as well as walking you through a typical face-to-face meeting. You’ll learn how to start a meeting, the questions you need to ask your prospect, practical tips for presentations including, staying relaxed, getting across your main messages, handling questions and using presentation aids. We’ll also be analysing how you can sell by stressing the results prospects can expect if they buy, and how best to play to their emotions. We’ll take a look at negotiation. We’ll highlight how you can avoid it, what to say if you’re drawn into it, and how you can use your negotiating skills to land the sale and much more.

Objective Setting

Setting clear and precise goals and objectives ensure that everyone is working towards the same goal, allowing for business and personal growth. Objectives clarify priorities and allow employees to allocate their time and resources more effectively. They also introduce a way of understanding how work will be measured and evaluated, thus enabling employees to evaluate their own performance, and make adjustments as necessary. This 30 minute course aims to help you write effective objectives that deliver results. It covers the importance of goals and objectives and why we need them, the barriers to you achieving your objectives and how to overcome them, what SMART objectives are and how to write and identify them and concludes with some tips for successful objective setting .

Managing Meetings

We think everyone would agree that poorly called or run meetings waste valuable time for any organisation. This 60 minute course will show you how to run meetings effectively and improve your ability to instigate actions that are quick and efficient. The course starts with some basic definitions and statistics that outline how important running meetings effectively can be. It examines factors that make meetings great, and some practical steps you can take to ensure everything runs smoothly and successful outcomes are achieved. It also covers some of the ways you can handle any problems that may arise. Finally, it looks at different decision-making approaches you can use and finishes off with some notes on keeping a learning log to help you learn and grow, ultimately becoming a more confident and effective participant or chairperson.

Developing Good Employee Relations

Effective businesses encourage the development of positive relationships between managers and employees, as well as amongst co-workers. Establishing and maintaining good work relationships is the key to a positive workplace, and it doesn’t have to take a lot of time. This 45 minute course will define employee relations and cover the many benefits good relations can bring to an organisation. It’ll explain how to build confidence in management, including sharing the company vision, building strong teams and the importance of employee feedback. It’ll examine how a proactive HR presence benefits employee relations. Then look at employment contracts and the role of the Employee Handbook. The course briefly discusses Performance Management including information on motivating employees and how best to show your appreciation of their contribution to the company. Finally, it’ll show you how to deal effectively with complaints, discipline and how to combat negativity.

Introduction to Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence is a set of emotional and social skills that collectively establish how well you perceive and express yourself, maintain social relationships and cope with challenges. It’s not just a passing management fad, in fact it is based on a great body of data, based on studies of tens of thousands of working people taken from a wide range of industries. The research shows which qualities make a star performer and while Emotional Intelligence isn’t the sole predictor of performance potential, it has been proven to be a key indicator in this area. This 50 minute course will introduce the concept of emotional intelligence and look at how you can use it in effective and meaningful ways. It will examine the difference between emotional intelligence and IQ and dispel some of the myths surrounding emotional intelligence. It contains a section on the advantages and disadvantages of using emotional intelligence and considers the biological purpose for emotions and how best to manage them. Finally it will highlight the role played by emotions in the workplace and provide practical advice including tips for using emotional intelligence to deal effectively with emotions in situations that can arise in the workplace.

Introducing GDPR

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is designed to strengthen and unify the principles of data protection for all individuals within the European Union and the European Economic Area. The GDPR is an incredibly important change to data privacy regulations so understanding its correct implementation is vital for all UK businesses and organisations, and particularly for staff who regularly deal with personal data. This 60 minute online course is designed specially for those front line staff and provides a clear introduction to the main elements of the GDPR, including compliance and the consequences of non-compliance. It explains the roles of key players – Data Protection Officers, Data Controllers, Data Protection Leads and Data Processors and covers the main categories of personal data, along with the six lawful bases for processing data, and how to audit the data your organisation holds. Other topics examined include the Seven Principles of the GDPR and the Eight Rights for Individuals, along with the importance of your Privacy Policy – how to construct one, and how to use it effectively when dealing with data subjects. Finally, there’s important information on data breaches; how to avoid them, what to do if one is discovered and how to file a breach report.