One in four workers (24%) are offered no training at work beyond a new starters’ induction, according to a poll from the TUC.
The survey of more than 3,000 working adults found that just one in three (33%) are given regular training opportunities by their employer.
TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady warned that too many people are stuck in jobs where there is no chance for progression. “It’s about time managers started to wake up, invest in their workers’ skills and listen to their workers’ opinions,” she said.
“Companies that train and listen to their workforces perform better and hold on to talented staff. The short-sighted approach of too many employers has blighted the UK for years. And it is stifling productivity as we head towards Brexit.”
Gemma Dale, co-founder of the Work Consultancy and former HR director at Tunstall Healthcare UK, told HR magazine that development should be seen as an investment. “Failing to invest in developing your workforce is shortsighted – if not that surprising,” she said. “To some organisations providing training is seen as a cost and not an investment.
“When budgets are tight learning and development is often stopped as a way to save costs. However, while this might deliver short-term savings, the long-term impact of failing to develop people can be disastrous. In the current context of technological development and speed of change, continuous people development is essential for organisations that want to stay agile and future-fit."
She added that there can be misconceptions around training. “There are still some managers who believe that if they train and develop people, they will leave,” she said. “This isn't likely to be the case. We know that learning and personal development are critical to employee engagement and retention. Employees who feel that they are able to grow and develop will be motivated and engaged – and therefore more likely to stay with an employer.
“The provision of learning and development is in the interests of both employee and employer; the employee develops new skills and the employer in return (and their customers) receive the benefit of these skills, as well as improving engagement within the organisation.”
