Employees are more likely to leave a company if they are not able to learn and progress, says Paul Hanly.
Paul Hanly, founder of New Leaf Technologies, says employee training and skills development initiatives are not just business imperatives, they’re leadership ones.
“They are the foundations on which organisations build the leaders and managers of tomorrow through intelligent programmes and approaches that recognise internal value, employee potential, and the importance of cultivating a culture of growth, learning and innovation.”
Research by LinkedIn found that employees with the opportunity to learn at work are 47 percent less likely to be stressed, 39 percent more likely to feel productive and 23 percent more prepared to take on extra responsibilities. They are also 21 percent happier and 20 percent more likely to leave a company if they don’t have the opportunity to learn and grow.
Pros and cons of training
Paul says if done right, training can foster a culture of intrapreneurship and growth. Employees will feel connected to the business and to their personal and professional growth within the company.
And if it is done the wrong way, it becomes an expensive investment into a learning platform that sees little engagement and even fewer results.
“Today, more than ever, it is critical that companies reassess their learning methodologies and platforms to ensure that every employee within the business gains invaluable leadership skills,” says Paul.
He points to a recent survey which revealed that resilient and agile skills development and training is the equivalent of paving the way to a successful business future with future-proof employees that are committed and engaged.
“Transformational leadership isn’t the exclusive remit of the C-suite or the managers,” says Paul. “It is felt in the intrapreneur – the employee that has been empowered to innovate within their role and to explore new ways of working with confidence. It is felt in the resilience of employees who are committed to the company and interested in how its growth will impact their own. And it is felt by HR professionals who see measurable returns on their training investments.”
According to Paul, organisations can build the leaders of the future while enhancing the potential of their people by creating a culture of learning that positively impacts strategy, engagement and retention.
He says an environment that respects the time employees put into their skills development and that recognises the value of engaging with those skills is one that will be far more resilient and sustainable than one that mandates learning with little return or reward.
“The people you invest into today are going to be trained with the skills and approaches that you need for your business tomorrow. They will be immersed in your culture and understand your unique business requirements and will intuitively know how to support your business. It’s not a straight line to achieving a culture of learning and skills development success, but it is one that will help the business stay ahead of its skills expectations and requirements,” Paul explains.
He shares that a recent PwC survey found that around 80 percent of CEOs find the search for skills to be one of their biggest challenges.
“The past two years have really highlighted the importance of investing into people and their futures within the company,” Paul concludes. “It gives them confidence in their roles and in their career growth, and it gives them a sense of value – leadership can see their promise and is investing into it.”
