Recently, there has been a lot of talk about the KFS and the possibility of covering the costs associated with training.

What does this look like in practice? Is it the only option to reduce the cost of staff development?

What is KFS?

KFS is an abbreviation for the National Training Fund, also known as Krajowy Fundusz Szkoleniowy in Polish. This fund is a form of support provided by the Labor Offices and is financed by employers as part of the contributions they make to the Labor Fund. The money collected in the Labor Fund is then allocated to the KFS to support training initiatives. It is not rare for training companies to send an offer to state that the KFS finances 100% of training costs.

However, this applies only to micro-enterprises, for example, those with fewer than ten employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total of less than €2 million. Larger companies can count on 80% support, while the missing 20% must be their contribution. Any entrepreneur operating in Poland can apply for funding. However, in practice, each office determines the scope of training and recipients that can be financed.

Example conditions of one of the offices

Support is directed to the manufacturing, warehousing, transportation, social assistance, and healthcare sectors. People who performed work in particular conditions or of a specific nature for at least 15 years and who are not eligible for a bridge pension can apply for the subsidy. Another relevant point is that trainees must be employed under an employment contract.

They cannot be an associate of the company or a member of the management bodies of the entity. Training that began before the application was submitted is not eligible for funding. In addition, training in soft skills, the recently fashionable coaching, or the basics of a foreign language, unfortunately, funding will not be received. The same occurs in the situation of studies or the organization of symposia and conferences – even industry conferences.

Of course, these are theoretical assumptions because each office sets these conditions individually. Note that it is necessary to indicate the employee (by name) who will participate in the selected specific training. Unfortunately, a limitation is the relatively short deadline for submitting applications – in some cases, it was as little as two days.

After a successful application, a contract is signed with the authority. Most contracts have additional provisions that specify the required threshold for training attendance, the frequency of training use, etc. The next step is to transfer the funds to the company account. Finally, all that remains is the implementation of the training and the submission of the necessary documents to the relevant Labor Office.

Unfortunately, not all Labor Offices allow entrepreneurs to take advantage of the abovementioned measures. So, is there another way to reduce the cost of training?

Of course, there are other ways. They can be, for example, e-learning platforms, tools that allow you to organize training as Distance Learning. It is a rather versatile technique that uses interactive electronic media. As a result, users can receive training at an attractive and convenient time and place. It is worth noting that numerous studies confirm that e-learning is considered one of the most effective methods of learning.

E-learning in companies

The dynamics of the modern market require freedom of place and time of work. Through this, productivity and employee satisfaction are increased. Nowadays, it is hard to imagine functioning without easy access to up-to-date information. The same goes for acquiring and expanding knowledge.

Since online courses can be taken at their convenience and any amount of time can be devoted to learning, employees do not have to interrupt their work, waste time commuting, and get frustrated because another chore is being added to them that breaks up their workday. E-learning allows people living in different time zones to complete selected training courses regularly and implement themselves into the company’s structures.

Everyone has access to the current knowledge base - at any convenient time. Many researchers believe that due to the dynamic spread of the Internet, mobile devices, communication noise, or the high pace of life, our approach to the reality around us has changed. We need constant access to information, yet we get bored quickly and find it extremely difficult to stay focused. We look for low-engagement, concise, and easy-to-read information. This trend is particularly noticeable in social media. Short videos, memes, and photos are the most popular. Rarely do users reach for longer articles.

E-learning fits in well with this trend by using its key features to make the learning process more effective.

This form of training passes the test, for example, in the context of hiring new employees. In addition to the products and services presentation, they can be employed to teach procedures and standards or implement health and safety training. In addition, these methods are also very often used to train staff with longer tenure, for example, when launching a new product. Importantly, this form allows ongoing monitoring of the progress made by a given “learner.”

Another undoubted advantage is the possibility of constant improvement of the training itself. To this end, feedback from participants can be significant. Forcing such modifications is also influenced by the company’s development and the changing market environment. Traditional training, attended by only one department, can, for example, disorganize the entire company’s work.

The web-based training system solves the nuisances described, as everyone participates at their convenience. It saves the time needed to organize and get to the training itself. Not to mention the cost of the trainer’s fee or the rental of the training center, transportation, participants’ accommodation, food, etc. In turn, the unlimited number of people who can attend the training makes these platforms an increasingly popular tool not only for companies but also for universities or various types of institutions.

This form of training is rarely criticized, but if the disadvantages are already mentioned, the most frequently cited is the limitation or lack of interpersonal contacts. At the same time, this is the feature thanks to which e-learning has gained such interest since it is based on individual knowledge acquisition. On the other hand, it can be an enormous advantage, especially for people who are shy and feel uncomfortable in a larger group of people.

Will e-learning completely replace traditional training? In many cases, it may replace conventional training, but there are still situations where it has a significant advantage. However, it is worth considering e-learning as an element to reduce the cost of operating a company. I invite you to try out the demo version of our e-learning platform to get familiarized with its full capabilities.