How to tackle the Number One challenge in workplace training and development. August 15, 2019

How to tackle the Number One challenge in workplace training and development

A 2018 Linked In Workplace Learning Report, focused on, “The Rise and Responsibility of Talent Development in the New Labour Market,” has surveyed over 4,000 professionals globally and found that the, “Number 1 reason,” employees don’t engage in workplace training, learning and development is because they, “don’t have the time.”

Furthermore, human resource (HR) managers and talent managers agree that their, “Number 1 challenge,” in talent development, training and development is getting employees to, “make time for learning.”

If “not having time” is the biggest challenge for workplace training and development, how can organisations overcome this?

Firstly, HR managers and talent managers that are building training and development programmes, need to offer employees training courses that are flexible and that will fit in with employee’s demanding schedules. HR managers and talent managers need to think ‘outside of the box’ about what they can offer employees.

In order to do this, HR managers and talent managers need to find and partner up with innovative training institutes that can offer their employees’ short courses, bespoke courses, flexible dates, flexible locations, in house learning and group learning sessions.

Secondly, employee’s managers need to invest more time in motivating employees to undertake training. If employees are claiming that, “finding time,” is a challenge, managers need to encourage employees and motivate employees to prioritise training.

Unfortunately getting managers to take an active role in employee training and development, is in fact the second biggest challenge identified by HR managers and talent managers in the Linked In Workplace Learning Report.

It was noted in the Linked In report that, 2/3 employees claimed they would be more motivated to learn if their direct managers were involved in the training and development process.

In addition to this a staggering 56% of employees said they would spend more time learning if their direct manager directed them to complete a specific course in order to gain specific skills.

It is the role of HR managers and talent managers to help employee’s managers understand the impact they have on their employee’s training and development.

Demonstrating the impact learning has on business outcomes such as retention rates, team metrics and team performance can be a good way to communicate the importance of engaging employees in this area.

Tackling the challenge of getting managers to be active in the training and development process should be a priority. If this 2^nd biggest challenge, of getting managers to take active roles in the training process is overcome, it could also be a viable solution in overcoming the Number 1 challenge in workplace training and development as well.