New research launched today reveals that the average UK professional has gone two years without any training, with more than one in ten (13%) having no training in over four years. As a result, nearly two thirds (63%) of UK employees say they would switch employers to secure more regular training opportunities.
With UK productivity at a record low, the research by AVADO, the digitally-powered professional learning provider, reveals this lack of training is holding back UK businesses. Two fifths (41%) of professionals say they’re less productive in their job without regular training and a quarter (26%) are worried they’ll be passed over for promotions.
When they do receive training, only half of workers (53%) say it allows them to keep pace with developments in their industry. When asked what is holding them back, staff say taking time out of the office is the most common reason that training isn’t more regular (37%) while the cost to their employer also plays an important part (29%). Nearly a quarter (23%) also highlighted that there was lack of suitable courses available to them.
To make training more useful and exciting in the future, 43% of the UK employees would like the option to access courses online and one in five (18%) would be keen to use virtual reality. In addition to this, 84% say they’d like to take control of their own professional development by choosing the content that’s most relevant for them and completing it when it suits them best – and would feel more loyal to an employer who allowed them to do so.
Mark O’Donoghue, CEO at AVADO comments:
“One of the biggest challenges facing businesses today is digital disruption, as a result we are seeing organisations trying to transform rapidly, without implementing effective training to ensure their people have the necessary skills to adapt to new ways of working.
With that being said, the world of work is changing fast – employees now change jobs more frequently than ever and the rise of the gig economy means more staff are on short term contracts or self-employed. Yet the world of training hasn’t kept pace and, as a result, many workers aren’t getting the professional development they need to learn new skills in order to be productive and effective in their jobs.
“Online learning is making it easier than ever for businesses to offer staff regular and relevant training that they can complete at a time and place that suits them, with innovations such as VR and AI set to revolutionise training even further. By embracing this new way of learning, businesses can make sure training is not only more collaborative, engaging and effective but has a real impact on individuals and the how the business operates.”
Rebecca joined the HRreview editorial team in January 2016. After graduating from the University of Sheffield Hallam in 2013 with a BA in English Literature, Rebecca has spent five years working in print and online journalism in Manchester and London. In the past she has been part of the editorial teams at Sleeper and Dezeen and has founded her own arts collective.
