SHRM and TalentLMS recently released the 2022 Workplace Learning & Development Trends research report. More than 8 in 10 HR managers (83%) believe training is beneficial to attract talent, and 48% of employees agree that training opportunities were a factor in choosing their current company.
Learning and development serves a dual purpose for organizations
- To reskill and upskill current employees to fill business needs
- To recruit and retain talented workers who want to continuously learn.
"Organizations must maintain a steady growth of knowledge and skills among their workforce if they wish to succeed, both from a business standpoint and to attract the right talent," said Jim Link, SHRM-SCP, SHRM chief human resources officer. "And while some leaders were hesitant to invest in talent during the Great Resignation, our research showed that 86% of HR managers believe that training is actually beneficial in retaining talent."
Key survey findings include:
- 55% of workers said they need more training to perform their job more effectively, and 38% want training that is more relevant to their current role.
- 32% want training to have a social element, such as peer-to-peer learning and learning groups.
- 32% want to be sure what they are learning is current.
- 31% want more control over the training programs, including being able to choose methods that match their learning style and development opportunities that make sense for their career progression.
- Online/self-paced courses are most popular with employees (cited by 70% of respondents),
followed by online/instructor-led training (63%), in-person learning with an instructor (63%)
and hybrid educational offerings (62%).
When it comes to the soft skills employees want to develop and what employers provide, there are some discrepancies. For example, 61% of employers provide time-management training but only 42% of respondents said this was an area where they wanted training. Employers and employees are more closely aligned around leadership skills: 54% of respondents said they want this training and 53% of employers provide it.
"Workplace training impacts another key pillar of people-centric organizations – and that is employee journey," said Dimitris Tsingos, co-founder and president at Epignosis, the company behind TalentLMS. "Reinforcing employee experience is a leading training goal for over 9 in 10 HR managers, our research revealed. Showing that L&D is crucial in shaping employee experience and creating a positive and caring culture."
Organizations should heed workers' desire to develop leadership skills as well as training in life skills and self-management.
ASE offers many options for training and development including in-person, virtual, custom, and on-demand courses. Learn more at https://www.aseonline.org/Talent-Management/Training-and-Development.