The more training employees get, the more they want

Dive Brief:

Employees are thirsty for knowledge and anxious to upskill, according to a new study from Cerego emailed to HR Dive. The data suggests the more training employees are provided, the more training they want. For those who receive training monthly, 80% report they want more; for those who receive training quarterly, 77% want more. Annual training and training every six months were also cited at 72% and 78%, respectively, of employees requesting more knowledge.
But is all training beneficial to employees? Forty-five percent found company training useful. But only 30% of respondents felt that up to 75% of the training they received on the job was valuable to them.
The results revealed that 15% of respondents were trained by their employer every six months; 30% quarterly and annually and only 20% on a monthly basis. The data suggests the more frequently training is provided, the more employees are interested in acquiring more knowledge.

Dive Insight:

Employees and job seekers are not only expecting to be upskilled and trained — they are beginning to demand it. Many believe their managers aren’t helping them develop the skills they need for today’s work as well as the challenges of tomorrow, according to data from Gartner. Recent data from LinkedIn also shows almost half of today’s workers do not see their own career path clearly. Employers have an opportunity to not only retain employees, but also advance their careers.

While the skills gap is challenging employers to find the right workers — thus further encouraging cultures of development — many entry-level candidates do not have the soft skills employers are looking for. Communication and problem-solving skills are top priorities for many employers seeing a lack of such traits in job seekers. As the market continues to tighten, businesses are looking to educators and the government for help in upskilling potential hires on top of the efforts taking place at the business level.

As traditional training, like classroom sessions, makes way for technology-based learning, employers are using learning design science to boost the learning experience for better knowledge acquisition and retention.