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A lack of opportunities for growth and development is a major stressor for many employees, said Dan Turner, co-founder and COO of GrowthSpace. “If you look at employees who go back home, they’re stressed at home, and a lot of times it’s not supporting what they think their work environment should support,” he said.
“They’re not productive, or they’re in trouble with their boss or manager. And those are real problems that cause stress, and then they get picked up at home or exacerbated at home. So, it’s a virtuous cycle.
This indicates the need for employers Turner said to create “the right growth environment for employees” where they have a path to improve their workforce.
“If you think about it, the main factor that contributes to or hinders employee mental health is stress. That stress comes from the workplace. And a lot of that stress is employees who are in environments where they’re not productive, or they’re not developing enough,” Turner said.
“So, by creating a development path for them and developing them in their roles and beyond, employers can actually reduce stress for employees, and therefore positively affect their mental well-being, and therefore reduce some of that stress.”
Hard times ahead
According to new research cited by LinkedIn, this ongoing stress may be further exacerbated by the skepticism and uncertainty of the global economic environment.
A third of employers are already considering cutting learning and development budgets and other companies are also considering reducing workforces in flexible and hybrid models.
The findings come despite job seekers continuing to seek flexibility, advancement and development from their employers.
“We can’t go back. Companies that back away from flexible working, learning and development risk cutting their workforce and pushing people to competitors who offer more attractive options,” said Fionn Ang, managing director of LinkedIn APAC.
“Motivated employees are key to gaining a competitive advantage and can’t risk damaging business, especially at a time when people are already weighed down by other concerns, such as the high cost of living.”
According to Aung, focusing on flexibility and capabilities is “critical” to a company’s long-term survival.
“Traditionally these go first when times are tough, but they are critical to building diverse and flexible businesses to adapt to a rapidly changing world. Forward-thinking companies that invest in their people during these times will outperform and emerge stronger than competitors,” Ang said.
Impact on retention
It is clear that employers’ L&D efforts are critical to survival or thriving. According to another study.
Three-quarters (75%) of learners say strong workplace training has a very high or high impact on their decision to stay with an employer, according to global digital business services company Emergn. And 55% say L&D programs increase job satisfaction and employee morale.
However, only 23% of learners and 22% of leaders find their company’s current on-the-job training very effective, a survey of more than 1,200 professionals from the United States and United Kingdom conducted in July and August 2022 found.
“A lot of organizations are used to collecting what we can train our people to do…but individuals want to be connected to something, to a mission, to a purpose,” said Steven Angelo-Eady, president of Learning Services. “If you don’t know why [the training is] Importantly, it will feel like a waste of your time and your energy.
“Everything you do [in L&D] Must be related to the work of the company. If they don’t connect, you will be dissatisfied.
‘Lip Service’
Employers would do well to heed these warnings, said Richard Wahlquist, president and CEO of the American Staffing Association (ASA) in Alexandria. Looking at the results of his organization’s latest survey.
“It’s a complete reflection of workers understanding that we can no longer pay lip service to lifelong learning.”
80% of American workers consider an employer’s professional development and training offerings an important consideration when accepting a new job.
However, in a survey of 2,042 American adults, just 39% say their current employer helps them improve their current skills or gain new skills.
These days, workers have choices, Wahlquist said.
“When employers talk to candidates, candidates are more interested in getting a sense of fit, alignment with values. [and] Culture, then invest money in addition. “One of the key benefits, as our survey indicated, is this investment in ‘me’ and my professional development,” he said.
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