HUNDREDS of small businesses in North Yorkshire are missing opportunities because they do not train their staff, according to new figures.

Quality and potential sales are suffering for lack of staff training, says a York and North Yorkshire employer survey issued to coincide with Investors In People Week this week.

Four out of five York and North Yorkshire businesses believe the skills gap damages performance.

A total of 46 per cent of businesses questioned say quality suffers while 38 per cent cite "missed opportunities", 37 per cent feel output suffers and 36 per cent believe lack of staff development causes sales decline.

Caroline O'Neill, Learning and Skills Council North Yorkshire planning and communications director, said: "The report makes it clear that too few businesses are carrying out a proper assessment of their skill needs and planning training and staff development to perform more effectively."

She said firms must recognise training as a way to keep a competitive edge.

Only nine per cent of small businesses with up to ten staff are fully committed to training, says the survey, and only 34 per cent are partially committed. Of those with between 11 and 24 staff, 21 per cent have no training commitment, 22 per cent are fully committed and 57 per cent are partially committed, suggesting larger businesses reap more training benefits than smaller ones.

Eighty five per cent of businesses with between 25 and 99 employees are fully or partially committed to training, 98 per cent of businesses with between 100 and 249 staff are fully or partially committed and all businesses with more than 250 staff are either fully or partially committed.

Businesses that provide training say benefits include increased productivity and efficiency, customer satisfaction, and multiskilling, enabling staff to undertake more tasks.

The report says employers in York (21 per cent) are most likely to develop staff business and management skills next year, compared with 14 per cent of businesses across York and North Yorkshire.

Helen West, chief executive of Business Link York and North Yorkshire, said: "The most important element of any organisation is the staff and the greatest commitment by managers and owners to develop their employees is to increase personal motivation. It also makes sound commercial and competitive sense."

Business Link York and North Yorkshire is running two free People Make The Difference seminars, in Harrogate on November 21 and February 20 and in York on January 23 and March 13.

- The Evening Press recently received its second Investors in People accreditation.

Assessors singled out the newspaper's training principles, along with factors like health and safety, appraisals and an accessible business plan.

The appointment of a full-time training manager was also highlighted.

The assessors' report said: "More people are involved in the business planning process, thus creating more ownership within the business."