When companies embark on employee training programs, it’s important that they find alignment between the employer (including managers) who are providing for and developing the training program and the employees who receive the training. If employers are trying to train employees on material employees feel is not valuable, for example, those trainees are not likely to be fully engaged in those training efforts.
But while there is a persistent stereotype that employees are disengaged with company training efforts, the opposite is often true: many employees are craving more, not less training.
Employees Increasingly Value Training Opportunities
According to a recent report by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and TalentLMS titled 2022 Workplace Learning & Development Trends, roughly 80 percent of HR managers believe that company-provided training is a key factor in attracting talent, and nearly half (48%) of employees say that such training was a factor in choosing a job.
It’s the Content of Training That May Not be a Good Match
The disconnect often comes with the content of that training. For example, the SHRM/TalentLMS report found that, “55 percent of workers said they need more training to perform their job more effectively, and 38 percent want training that is more relevant to their current role.” Additionally, the report found that 61 percent of employers provide time-management training but only 42 percent of respondents said this was an area where they wanted training.
Of course, managers and employers should ultimately be the ones determining what training their employers need to better serve the organization. But it may be useful from both a content development and employee/trainee engagement standpoint to incorporate some feedback from the trainees themselves.
And employers should be even more open to suggestions from employees as to the methods and formats used in training programs, even if they aren’t willing to be as flexible on content.
Seek Input from Employees
According to the report, 31% of respondents want “more control over the training programs, including being able to choose methods that match their learning style and development opportunities that make sense for their career progression.”
One of the biggest factors in the success or failure of an employee training program is the engagement of the trainees. Data suggest that employees are genuinely hungry for more and better training. In other words, the potential for that engagement is there. It’s up to employers to make sure they’re aligned with their employees on the content and format of employee training.
Lin Grensing-Pophal is a Contributing Editor at HR Daily Advisor.
The post The Disconnect Between Workers and Managers on Employee Training appeared first on HR Daily Advisor.