Employees want more learning opportunities!   

Our latest survey reveals the surprisingly cost-effective training and development approach that workers wish more employers would adopt 

From technical proficiency and capabilities in management and communication to vital knowledge for compliance, employers of all sizes and in all sectors need skilled and informed workers who are up to date with the latest demands and developments. Our latest survey suggests that most workers are also keen to develop themselves but are typically frustrated by a lack of opportunity.  

It’s easy to see the theoretical business value of providing training to support this. But of course, there are costs. You need a balanced approach that delivers ROI and satisfaction for all parties. An analysis of our survey responses suggests that a massive training budget isn’t imperative: employers of all sizes could do better at addressing training needs in surprisingly cost-effective ways.  

Workers want to expand their knowledge and skills  

Over 95% of our survey respondents said it was important to them to develop themselves through professional training or further education. But it isn’t always easy for them to translate that motivation into action. 19% admitted that they don’t know what training opportunities are available in their current role. And 62% said that in practice, their day-to-day workload created a barrier to learning and development.  

A straightforward step for any organisation is to make sure that everyone knows about the training you offer internally or support externally. As well as making good use of internal comms channels to promote development opportunities, managers need to be well-informed so they can encourage individual employees to access and attend relevant training.  

Time is the enemy 

Tackling the pressures of time and workload is more challenging. Over three quarters of our respondents stated that the commitment of time needed was their biggest inhibitor to taking part in training. Having a pro-development culture matters: employees need to see and believe that their employer knows the value of time spent improving skills and knowledge.  

Leading by example helps. Even the most senior and experienced people in the organisation benefit from development time and they should be open and positive about this to model similar behaviour for colleagues. The challenge is also there for employers to make training available that fits into typical work schedules without creating extra stress or making the worker feel like they’re shirking their day job. 

Training builds allegiance and motivation 

Employer-funded training and development is a big cost: naturally employers want to see a return. Some fear that their workers are exploiting the educational opportunities offered and funded by their employer in order to set themselves up for a new job with a competitor. This seems a small risk in light of our respondents’ revelation that four out of five are most motivated by the ability to learn more and gain skills in their current role or to advance in their current organisation.  

Trust is a key issue here. Employees want to do a great job and having the best skills and knowledge will help them to do it, boosting their satisfaction and allegiance to your organisation at the same time as increasing the performance and reputation of your business. Investing time and money in training demonstrates that you want your people to evolve and grow. Connecting competencies gained through training to internal opportunities for promotion or reward creates even greater motivation and loyalty. 

Two surprisingly cost-effective preferred training solutions 

62% of workers favoured work shadowing and mentoring as a means to develop and enhance their skills. Of course, there’s a cost to releasing people from their daily responsibilities, but offering a structured scheme for a few hours a month could be a great approach, allowing experienced and specialist colleagues to share their skills and promoting engagement and teamwork in the organisation. 

80% of the workers we surveyed said they preferred online courses as a form of training. E-learning has become highly evolved in recent years, with engaging and interactive programmes on a whole range of topics. Free MOOCS, LinkedIn learning and academic taster courses that can broaden and deepen knowledge and skills, with workers progressing at their own pace. For technical and specialist skills, many providers and brands offer free professional development webinars. The market for paid-for online courses is competitive, constantly driving up quality, and digital or hybrid courses generally cost less than their classroom equivalents. 

Employers can help their staff by researching and promoting accredited online training and development programmes and providers with an established reputation. E-learning is efficient and flexible, but you still need to ensure that your employees have time allocated to undertake the learning as a priority activity. 

Our take-out from the survey: know the value and power of training and take practical steps to help your workers find time and options that work for everyone 

Most workers are keen to develop and take opportunities to build their professional and personal skills and they want to apply them in their current workplace. But they generally struggle to find the time. Employers need to do more than express enthusiasm for training, they need to give their workers time to pursue it and identify digital training methods that workers can take up at convenient times without adding to the stress of their current work. That doesn’t mean expecting them to train in their own time. An organisation that values learning and knows the importance of fulfilled employees with the best and most current skills and knowledge needs specifically to create time and opportunities for training and development. 

Understanding individual employees’ training needs and aspirations is key. Even in a small organisation, regular informal conversations about opportunities and growth can make the difference and encourage employees to discuss and explore development activities, to everyone’s benefit. Keep development high on the agenda and your business and your people will thrive.