Training is a key component for any business in any industry in any economy. But when it comes to our modern knowledge economy, effective employee training is simply essential.
Unfortunately, according to a new report on the employee and customer experience from Sitel Group, a customer experience management company that explores the impact of employee learning and development, many employers may not be effectively prioritizing employee training.
The Stigma of Training
According to the Sitel Group report, many U.S. employees say they have actually avoided asking their employers for training on specific topics or activities out of fear that their employer will perceive them as underqualified for their job.
Additionally, many employees also believe that their employers penalize them for lacking certain job skills.
Employee Views on Training
The Sitel Group report focuses on the following topics:
- The high number of employees who say that learning something new on the job makes them more motivated and engaged in their work;
- The specific kind of training most employees find most effective in helping them perform their job well;
- The kind of training that most employees have participated in during the last year (and which the fewest have participated in);
- The number of employers that don’t offer any soft skills training (i.e., how to talk to customers effectively);
- The large number of employees who would leave their job if they aren’t offered training to help them learn new skills in their role;
- The large number of employees who say that when searching for a job, it is important to them that the employer offer a formal training program to employees; and
- The vast majority of employees who say their employer doesn’t incentivize or reward them for completing training.
The Sitel Group report goes into great detail on the topics mentioned above, and we encourage readers to take a look at the full report. For our purposes here, the key takeaway is what we see as an alarming finding on the perception of disincentives for employees seeking training opportunities.
What does this mean to you? Employers should work with their HR function to determine whether their organization may have fallen into this trap. Employees who seek out and complete job-related training should be encouraged and rewarded. These trainings benefit not only the employees but also the overall organization.