How to Create a Training and Development Program

As a founder, one of the fastest ways to scale isn’t hiring more people—it’s helping the people you already have grow sharper skills, master their roles, and step into leadership.

Create a training and development program is how you do that.

Training isn’t about tick-box workshops or compliance videos. It’s about building a system where employees gain skills, perform better in their roles, and grow into leaders.

Without it, you’ll plateau—your people won’t keep up with your business growth.

When I first built my team, they were motivated but undertrained.

We lost clients because tasks were mishandled and I had to step back in.

Eventually, I created a structured training and development program—clear skills maps, role mastery paths, and leadership tracks. Within six months, productivity doubled and, for the first time, I could take a week off without fires breaking out.

The lesson? Training is an investment, not a cost.

Training is an investment, not a cost. A development program is your growth engine.

What Exactly Is a Training and Development Program?

A training and development program is a structured framework for building employee skills, improving role performance, and preparing staff for future leadership.

It combines:

• Skill building: Learning new technical or soft skills.

• Role mastery: Deepening expertise and efficiency in a current job.

• Leadership development: Preparing employees for management or strategic roles.

Examples:

• Offer structured learning platforms and leadership tracks.

• Focus on role-specific mastery and creative growth opportunities.

• Develop leadership pipelines and continuous staff training.

Your program doesn’t need to be corporate-level—just intentional and repeatable.

Why This Could Make or Break Your Business

Strong training and development programs matter because they:

• Boost productivity: Skilled employees deliver better results faster.

• Improve retention: Staff are more likely to stay if they see growth paths.

• Free the founder: You step back from micro-managing.

• Build leaders internally: Promoting from within reduces hiring risks.

• Future-proof your business: Skills keep pace with market shifts.

Skip it, and you risk constant turnover, inconsistent performance, and a founder-dependent operation.

Before You Start

Prepare these essentials before creating your program:

• Clear business goals (so training aligns with strategy).

• Defined role descriptions and outcomes.

• A skills matrix of current vs required abilities.

• Training resources (online courses, mentors, internal experts).

• A budget (time and money).

• A review cycle to measure progress.

This ensures your program delivers ROI, not just activity.

How to Create a Training and Development Program: Step by Step

Step 1: Identify Business and Role Needs

Start with strategy.

• Pinpoint the skills your business needs to grow.

• Assess gaps in your current team.

• Highlight the most critical roles.

Result: Your program aligns with business outcomes, not generic training.

Step 2: Build a Skills Matrix

Map out required skills for each role.

• Include technical, soft, and leadership skills.

• Assess proficiency levels (self + manager rating).

• Mark priority gaps.

Result: You know where to focus training first.

Step 3: Create Role Mastery Paths

Each role should have a growth path.

• Define beginner → proficient → expert levels.

• Show what mastery looks like with KPIs and behaviours.

• Assign resources (mentors, courses, SOPs).

Mentor tip: Share paths with employees to give them a future, not just a job.

Result: Employees see how they can grow with clarity.

Step 4: Layer in Leadership Development

Some staff must grow into leaders.

• Identify high-potential employees.

• Train in communication, delegation, and decision-making.

• Give small leadership responsibilities early.

Result: You grow future managers who can step up.

Step 5: Choose Training Formats

Mix methods for impact.

• On-the-job shadowing.

• Online courses (LinkedIn Learning, Coursera).

• Workshops and role-play.

• Peer learning groups.

• Coaching and mentoring.

Result: Training is practical and engaging.

Step 6: Set Timelines and Milestones

Keep it structured.

• Plan quarterly focus areas.

• Create 30-60-90 day goals.

• Review progress in employee reviews.

Result: Growth feels achievable and measurable.

Step 7: Measure and Adjust

Track outcomes, not just effort.

• Monitor KPIs linked to new skills.

• Collect employee feedback.

• Refine quarterly.

Result: Your program evolves with your business.

Mistakes to Avoid

Overloading staff. 

Result: burnout. Fix: balance training with work.

Generic courses. 

Result: wasted time. Fix: align training with real outcomes.

Ignoring leadership development. 

Result: bottlenecks. Fix: build leaders early.

Not measuring ROI. 

Result: wasted budget. Fix: link training to performance metrics.

People don’t just want jobs—they want growth.

What It Costs and How Long It Takes

Direct Costs (2025/2026):

• DIY materials: $0–$500.

• Online learning platforms: $30–$200 per user/month.

• External workshops: $1,000–$5,000.

• Leadership coaching: $3,000–$10,000 annually per leader.

Timeline:

• Design: 2–4 weeks.

• Rollout: ongoing, with quarterly cycles.

• First results: 3–6 months.

Hidden Costs:

• Staff time in training.

• Opportunity cost if training isn’t aligned.

• Turnover if promises aren’t matched by growth.

Mentors Tip: 

Blend external courses with internal mentoring for high impact at low cost. Investing a few thousand can save tens of thousands in turnover and lost growth.

What to Do Next

✅ Want it done for you? Book with Noize for expert support in compliance and culture [Noize.com.au].

✅ Get The StartupDeck—200+ founder-tested strategies to accelerate growth [theStartUpDeck.com].

The Bottom Line

A training and development program is more than a perk—it’s a growth engine. It sharpens skills, deepens expertise, and grows leaders from within.

Without it, you’ll face stagnation, turnover, and founder dependency. With it, you’ll build a team that performs, stays, and leads.

Founders who build training systems don’t just grow businesses—they grow people who grow the business.

FAQs

How much training should employees do? 

1–2 hours a week is usually enough without disrupting productivity.

Do I need a budget for training? 

Yes—even $500 per employee annually goes a long way with smart use.

What’s the difference between training and development? 

Training = current role skills. Development = future growth and leadership.

Can small startups offer leadership programs? 

Yes—start with stretch projects and mentoring opportunities.

How do I know if training works?

Link it to KPIs such as faster ramp times, higher quality work, or lower turnover.