UK workers would rather learn from peers and receive on-the-job training instead of training days and in-house development programmes.
Instead, the only way they have found to effectively fit training into their workflow is by learning as they go, either seeking out help from peers or looking things up for themselves.
Learning and development teams have the opportunity to make programmes more relevant and impactful, without the need for them to stretch resources further than they are today, by prioritising “in-the-flow” learning.
360Learning’s The State of Learning in the Flow of Work in 2022 report finds that there is a mismatch between the types of corporate training learners deem effective and the types of training that Learning & Development teams are investing in.
The skills gap is widening
At a time of job market volatility, economic instability, a looming recession and a widening skills gap, data from the collaborative learning leader’s latest research has found workers across the UK, Europe and the US are showing an increasing desire to learn and develop – for their own and their business’ benefit.
However, a squeeze on time, a lack of resources and ineffective training programmes are creating significant roadblocks.
In particular, the 360Learning survey of almost 3,000 employees and L&D decision makers across the UK, US, France and Germany found that two stalwarts of corporate training – online learning, and external conferences and workshops – are no longer seen as effective ways to learn in 2022.
Peer support is in, workshops are out
Online learning which includes eLearning, virtual workshops and massive open online courses (MOOCs), was found to be the most common training method offered by 70 percent of British L&D teams.
Yet it was seen as one of the least effective ways to learn by the staff themselves, with less than a third (29%) of respondents citing this method as their preferred training route. Similarly, external conferences and workshops, as well as in-house programmes (which were the second most common training types after online learning) were only seen as effective by 37 percent of employees.
At the other end of the scale, training methods that all fall under the “learning in the flow of work” umbrella, however, were found to be most effective at boosting job skills.
More than 61 percent of respondents said that learning from peers is the best way to learn a job, closely followed by coaching and mentoring (59%), and instructor-led, on-the-job training (53%).
Despite this, these methods are among the least common training routes taken by businesses across the UK, practised in fewer than half of all businesses surveyed respectively.
This is creating a mismatch between what L&D teams deem to be working and what employees actually want.
Taking training into their own hands
Almost half of these workers (47%) added that the only way they see their learning and development improving is if their manager lightens their workload.
To make matters worse, the data shows that the learning needs of individuals are, in 67 percent of cases, not identified until performance reviews. A small yet significant 5 percent of businesses even said they have no measures in place to identify learning needs.
This is seemingly causing a large number (63%) of UK respondents to take training into their own hands; having to learn on the go and look things up themselves in order to effectively fit training into their workflow.
The L&D mismatch
Despite the mismatch between the types of training that are common and those which are seen as most effective, 72 percent of the L&D decision-makers surveyed said they consider the training their business provides to be effective at the point of need. This suggests that, while there is not an absence of training for learners, the perceived benefits of the different types is lacking.
L&D teams, therefore, have the opportunity to make programmes more relevant and impactful, without the need for them to stretch resources further than they are today.
Encouragingly, it appears their staff are also keen to grasp such opportunities. The survey findings show there is a strong desire (among 61% of staff) to take advantage of any and all learning programmes, both in order to be better at their jobs (67%) and to keep themselves motivated (63%). This is a positive trend to note from the 360Learning report because it has not always been the case.
For many L&D teams across the globe, learner engagement has historically been seen as a common challenge that repeatedly presents itself.
David James, Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, said: “Our UK and global surveys prove that, while time and resources remain tight and creating the right learning outcomes continues to be difficult, employees have a strong desire for personal and professional development.
This is one of the hardest parts of the battle won. Shifting to more immediate, in-the-moment guidance and support is not only seen as the preferred route for many employees, and a priority for L&D teams according to our results, but it is been shown to have a huge range of benefits for both the individuals and businesses themselves. 360Learning was founded because we know how impactful collaborative and tailored corporate learning and development can be and the results from our survey show that this is a shared ideal. Now we just need to get everyone on the same page.”
Amelia Brand is the Editor for HRreview, and host of the HR in Review podcast series. With a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory, her particular interests within HR include employment law, DE&I, and wellbeing within the workplace. Prior to working with HRreview, Amelia was Sub-Editor of a magazine, and Editor of the Environmental Justice Project at University College London, writing and overseeing articles into UCL’s weekly newsletter. Her previous academic work has focused on philosophy, politics and law, with a special focus on how artificial intelligence will feature in the future.
