While formal training is critical, there are many types that can't be taught classroom style. What opportunities do your employees want to receive? Often, it is very different from what management is offering.
Creative ideas for training:
1) Have your front line reps spend a day training your senior leaders as if they were new employees. Not only will this highlight the good, bad and ugly of the day to day work, it can provide a unique opportunity to provide feedback. The TV show Undercover Boss was built on the premise that sometimes the problems at the top could be fixed quickly and easily with the ultimate flatness of hierarchy- the boss on the front line. It will give him or her a glimpse that no report can.
2) Consider a fellowship program. Often all it takes to recharge a tenured employee is the opportunity to work in another department for a few months. Meeting different people, learning new computer systems, connecting sideways or diagonally can not only highlight various strengths (other than the ones you were already aware of), it can also create friendships, partnerships and a great incentive for those motivated by new challenges to remain engaged.
3) Carve off time and money in your budget to allow employees to pursue their craziest ideas for your business. Google has a policy of allocating 20% of employee time to allowing people to pursue whatever hobby they find most energizing and engaging, knowing that the ideas will follow. Some of their big winners included Google News and Froogle.
When your employees know that you want them at 100% and are willing to invest in it, the entire culture starts to shift accordingly and the results will follow.
