Hays regional director shares five ways to embed learning in your organisation

New research suggests employers are failing to provide the learning their staff need to continue performing their jobs effectively – thereby missing an opportunity to reduce the skills gap.

According to Hays and Go1’s Learning Mindset Report, less than half (48 per cent) of the 15,000 professionals surveyed believe the learning resources provided by their employer allow them to upskill as their role demands. Yet 60 per cent of more than 5,000 organisations surveyed believe their learning resources are adequate.

Almost all (92 per cent) surveyed professionals said their role always, frequently or occasionally requires them to learn new skills.

And while 82 per cent of organisations are worried about skills shortages, 42 per cent of professionals said their employer doesn’t have a clear development plan in place involving learning. Another 16 per cent are unsure.

Further, only half (52 per cent) of professionals said they receive any learning resources from their employer, despite 83 per cent describing themselves as highly interested in learning new skills.

It’s well recognised that learning is in the best interests of both employers and their staff. Organisations can prioritise learning to fill skills gaps and develop new competencies in staff to remain competitive. Meanwhile, learning helps professionals keep their skillset relevant and future-proof their career.

But if learning is not embedded successfully within an organisation, both employers and their staff fail to realise the full benefits – as our survey demonstrates.

Even with the best intentions, many employers seem at a loss to identify and develop the skills needed for an effective workforce. Here are five steps to help organisations reconnect with employees on learning expectations, experiences and outcomes.

1. Align learning to business ambitions

Research quoted by McKinsey shows just 40 per cent of executives believe their learning and business strategies are aligned. By linking training to objectives, employees see the relevancy and are more likely to engage in the learning process.

A skills mapping exercise allows you to identify current strengths and weaknesses, then design and deploy learning to match business needs. But make sure you allow room for agile learning opportunities, so your workforces’ skills can adapt quickly to change.

2. Set learning into the flow of work

Create a culture of learning, such as by encouraging staff to ask questions, incentivising knowledge sharing and creating to-learn lists alongside to-do lists. Regularly communicate learning opportunities and give employees the time to upskill.

Consider assigning staff stretch opportunities or tasks slightly outside their current proficiencies. While it will take them longer to complete the task, they will learn, and retain, new skills.

3. Pay attention to data

When implementing a new learning program, determine the metrics that point towards success, review them regularly and improve processes as appropriate. Consider including development discussions in your quarterly or annual reviews.

4. Turn to technology

Existing and emerging technology can help meet employee learning expectations and deliver upskilling opportunities. Chatbots, for example, can send timely prompts to remind staff to complete learning sessions or even reinforce learning with a series of quickfire questions. Virtual spaces, such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams, can help foster mentoring programs across borders. And while it’s an emerging option, the metaverse could help facilitate learning opportunities in future.

5. Train for today, plan for tomorrow

Many organisations offer training that meets the needs of today – but successful upskilling should also consider the technical, digital and soft skills your workforce will require in the future. Draw on market knowledge, global insights and key indicators to guide your upskilling and create development pipelines so you have the right talent in place when needed.

Eliza Kirkby is the regional director of Hays