Dive Brief:

• Employers today are out of step with their employees' perceptions of engagement, especially when it comes to training and development as well as collecting and utilizing feedback, according to an independent survey from Saba, the cloud-based talent management solutions provider.
• The survey of 1,200 U.S. HR managers and employees found just 22% of employees believe their employers are "very effective" in providing easy access to training and development, and the same low percentage (22%) say their employers provide training and development that helps in career advancement. 
• The survey uncovered a need for consistent employee feedback across age groups and genders in order to gain an accurate measure of engagement, as 68% of baby boomers and 61% of female employees, for example, say they rarely are asked for feedback, versus 56% of male employees.

Dive Insight:

Most employers today say talent is their most important asset, but the survey highlights the struggle many have in effectively engaging, assessing and developing their workforce. If the Saba data is accurate, HR leaders need to focus on finding better ways to improve effectiveness of talent development programs through more frequent and consistent feedback channels.

However, finding ways to collect effective employee feedback in a timely manner has been a thorn in HR's side for some time. In some recent developments, HR suite providers are looking to embed feedback technology into existing platforms, reflecting a growing need for alternatives to the traditional annual employee survey. No matter how HR does it, more leaders are finding value in gathering employee feedback, especially as engagement continues to be a concern.