Only 32.9% of US employees are actively engaged in their jobs. This is according to Gallup’s monthly employee engagement study. That means the vast majority are either “not engaged” or “actively disengaged.” While employee engagement has risen about a percentage point over last year, Gallup reports that employee disengagement still costs the economy about half a trillion dollars annually.
For your business to be successful, it is important to have engaged employees. LearnKit conducted a 2015 survey on training and engagement in which the results show that there is a strong correlation between the two. “Those who were not provided with proper training or job related learning in their role were disengaged. Those who felt they received effective job related training were engaged.”
Currently the corporate learning landscape is shifting, according to John Baker, founder and CEO of D2L, an educational technology company. Employees do not just want compliance training, they are seeking an engaging onboarding experience, as well as the development of both a craft and leadership skills.
Training magazine publishes an extensive annual review of the training industry in the US. According to its most recent report, executives’ highest priorities for their training programs include:
- Increasing the effectiveness of the program (29%)
- Reducing costs/improving efficiency (19%)
- Measuring the impact of the program (16%)
When it comes to program design, Training advises shifting the focus from process to outcomes. Training programs based on outcomes concentrate on the development of employee skills that will have a positive impact on the goals and success of the business. Methods to achieve this type of learning environment include formal training, coaching, mentoring, and job rotation. Make sure you adjust the method to fit that of the employee, accounting for the skills and information needed based on time at the company, past experience, and job title or position.
What are you doing to support the learning and development of your employees? Is it tied to your goals for business growth? Is it fostering engagement?