A new survey by Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) found that 92% of employers expect to invest either the same or more time and money on improving staff qualifications and skills next year as they have this year.
The survey, which asked 105 finance directors and managers at organisations of all sizes across the UK about their attitudes on qualifications skills, discovered that 44% of respondents expect to use more in-house training in the future while 31% believe they will focus more on remote learning resources.
According to the findings, employers are also changing the way they provide staff training with 44% of employers looking at podcasts and vodcasts and 38% considering increased use of live e-learning.
Smaller employers choose to focus more on personal interaction with 38% saying they prefer staff to be taught face-to-face, however just one in ten large employers feel the same.
The figures also suggest that financial results are not the most crucial factor when it comes to staff training, as 51% of the directors and managers surveyed said the main benefit in training staff is increased engagement and retention.
Commenting on the results, Jane Scott Paul, Chief Executive of AAT, said:
“A lot has been made recently of businesses taking fewer risks, sitting on capital and refusing to invest profits. But this research paints a very different picture. Employers are clearly committed to improving staff qualifications and skills, but they’re not just treading water – instead they are looking for new ways to provide staff training.
“Businesses have been much maligned recently for a perceived lack of investment in their staff. But employers are showing far greater commitment than they are given credit for. They now need to get the message out there that they are supporting their staff and are committed to improving their skills and qualifications.”
