Lack of L&D A Factor In Why 37% May Quit Job
New research from Cypher Learning has found that for 37% of workers, a lack of learning and development (L&D) is a contributory factor in why they may want to leave their job. The number rises to 44% in terms of 18-34 years olds.
As we highlighted in a recent article, the main underlying cause for the fact that there are severe skills shortages within the economy is a chronic lack of investment in skills and training over a very long period of time. The fact that so many workers regard the lack of L&D opportunities as a reason for leaving, highlights the frustration they feel about the poor attitude of many employers towards investment in skills and training
The new research also found that in terms of workers:-
- 77% believe that their employers L&D needs to improve
- 31% believe that their employers sub-standard L&D is having a detrimental impact upon their job satisfaction. Indeed 15% confirmed that they had received no training whatsoever in the previous year. Moreover, 40% believe that poor quality / lack of L&D is damaging their career prospects, 40% believe that it is having a negative impact upon their ability to do their job, and 71% stated that their employer adopted too much of a "one-size-fits-all" approach
- 73% believe that having a "vocal and attentive" manager improves their promotion prospects
- 50% believe that their manager does not have the qualities and abilities required that would assist them in their career progression
- 68% believe that guidance world assist them in dealing with the unwritten norms of the workplace
- 63% believe that their education left them unprepared for the world of work. This number increased to 67% in terms of 18-24 year olds
- 55% do not trust HR to act in their best interests
- 66% believe that being competent is less important as a factor in career progression than being popular, with 74% stating that they knew of somebody who quite simply did not deserve their promotion
Commenting upon the findings of the report, the founder and CEO of Cypher Learning, Graham Glass, stated: "Given that retention was the number one priority for HR professionals going into 2024, it is vital that organisations take a closer look at their L&D offerings to ensure they can compete for talent. The research shows us that employers that offer continuous skills development and make employee development a priority are set to have an edge over the competition."
Nursing Roles Top The List Of CV Searches
According to research conducted by Indeed, nursing roles topped the list of CV searches. They accounted for 6.9% of all searches.
Care work, sales roles, teaching assistants, customer services, and chefs also featured very highly in the list.
A change in Government policy which has led to an increase in the minimum salary threshold for UK visa applicants to £38,700.00 from £26,200.00, has meant that the number of visa applications re nursing and health care has fallen by 76%. The decline in the number of visa applications has meant that employers are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit, and this is one of the reasons why nursing roles top the list of CV searches.
This highlights once again that employers cannot simply look to continue recruiting from abroad as a quick fix to the problem of skills and labour shortages. There is no getting away from the fact that a skills development and training overhaul is required in this country. As we pointed out in a recent article, employers need to look at this and other ways to address the issue of skills shortages.
Commenting upon the findings, the senior economist at Indeed, Jack Kennedy, stated: "The search terms used by UK businesses to review the millions of CVs on Indeed are indicative of the occupations where there are acute skills shortages that have been present for months, if not years. It’s no surprise that healthcare roles feature in the most in-demand roles, given the struggles the NHS continues to face in attracting and retaining staff."
