The world of work is always changing, and it’s so incredibly useful to have access to data from organizations like Gallup, Pew Research Center, and LinkedIn to help us understand the trends. Organizations that understand the trends can be agile and focus their efforts on practices that will create a successful future for your organization and the people you employ.
The value of an organization’s learning and development strategy has increased dramatically. Employee retention is gaining more and more attention as an essential area of focus. 93% of organizations say they are concerned about employee retention, and at the same time, employees increasingly see data that shows they’ll likely to get more money by switching jobs than by staying where they are, and while more money is always appealing to workers, it is even more alluring in a time of increased costs and inflation. But employees aren’t just looking to grow their income in the short term. They’re looking to grow their skills and themselves.
All the way back in 2019, a report from the ExecuSearch Group found that 86% of employees would change jobs if offered more opportunities for professional development. LinkedIn’s 2023 Workplace Learning Report also points to the necessity of learning and development for employee retention and outlines four areas to focus on: Aligning learning programs to business goals, upskilling employees, creating a culture of learning, and improving employee retention.
In short, employee retention is a big deal, and one of the most important aspects of employee retention is learning and development opportunities.
Employees see the world changing. They’ve seen how remote any hybrid work have changed the workplace, and they’re not naïve to the impacts that AI and other tech might have on organizations in the near future. They’re smart, and they want to be prepared for it by having a robust, modern toolkit, as well as increasing their earning potential. The desire for learning opportunities isn’t just about technical skills, either. Employees also increasingly benefit from social and emotional learning (SEL). SEL plays a critical role in developing human capabilities around emotional intelligence, leadership skills, and interpersonal skills, which are essential to success in modern workplace cultures that emphasize collaboration, empathy, and relationships at work.
The core of learning and development, whether it’s leadership skills or technical skills, is the ability to accurately appraise your current skills and performance and identify areas for growth. Therefore, openness to feedback, giving productive feedback, self-awareness and social awareness are foundational skills for organizations that are committed to building and maintaining a culture of learning and development. Providing educational opportunities around these essential emotional intelligence skills is a great starting point if you’re looking to start establishing a culture of learning and development that will help you develop and retain the top talent you need to stay ahead of the competition.
Opmerkingen