The importance of continually providing training and learning opportunities for employees has been made apparent in a recent survey. The survey revealed that 56% of workers would leave their current role if their employers stopped providing training. A further 31% admitted they had already left the job over the issue.
But what many HR leaders forget, is that offering continuous learning isn’t just a tactic to stop employees leaving, it has serious benefits for both the employee and the business as a whole.
How Continuous Learning Benefits Employees
Research has shown that a continued commitment to learning is good for our health and overall wellbeing.
In terms of genuine health benefits, one study into continued adult education, showed that participants had lower risks of developing coronary heart disease. In a separate well-publicised study on dementia, researchers found that adults who committed to learning another language delayed the onset of Alzheimer’s by up 5 years.
But there are other benefits linked with continual development and learning, specifically with regards to mental health, mood and wellbeing. The University of Wolverhampton, noted the ability of an adult learning and community arts project to effectively rehabilitate those suffering from mental health conditions.
How Continuous Learning Benefits Businesses
By creating culture of learning in the workplace companies will increase staff satisfaction and therefore retention. Many business leaders forget it’s far cheaper to train and develop existing employees than it is to find a replacement for them if they leave.
Secondly, the knowledge gained helps employees to be more productive and allows them to contribute more to your business. Companies that offer online learning and on-the-job training generate 26% more revenue per employee than those who don’t.
Finally, companies can use continued learning and development as a benefit to differentiate themselves from competitors. Employee expectations are changing. This is particularly true of the Millennial generation, who are expected to exceed a third of the workforce by 2020. In a recent ManPower survey of over 19,000 workers contained within this age bracket, a staggering 80% rated the opportunity to learn new skills as a primary factor in considering a new job.
Thus, if you don’t currently offer any continued learning to your employees, you’re likely missing out on top talent.
Which Type of Learning Is Most Beneficial?
Whilst it can be attractive to offer employees the ability to learn about subjects not pertaining to their work, most prefer training and learning that is related to their professional field.
Personal development is ranked above all others as a priority for employees. Learning new skills, earning new qualifications, and working towards professional certifications within their field top the list of desired learning outcomes for today’s employees.
In terms of delivery method, an Instantprint survey revealed that 43% of staff prefer on-the-job training, 25% would like a coaching or mentoring programme, and 15% want access to online learning (eLearning).
It appears that eLearning in particular is an increasingly used medium for development. This comes as no surprise after it was proven to improve knowledge retention by 25% to 60%. Some of the world’s biggest companies are beginning to recognise its potential. 41% of Fortune 500 companies now report that they use some form of eLearning to instruct their employees.
Keep Employees Engaged with Continuous Learning
Continuous learning helps to avoid the costly process of rehiring and retraining employees by keeping retention rates higher. Furthermore, both productivity and revenues rise at companies that provide learning opportunities for their employees.
Here at DocHQ we can help you to provide continuous learning through our employee engagement platforms. They can become part of a wider benefits package that can be tailored specifically to your employees’ needs including services such as: annual health checks, mental health counselling, doctor visits, and physiotherapy clinics. To learn more about improving your workplace wellness, get in touch with a member of our team to discuss your requirements.
DocHQ Ltd is a Health Tech company improving choices. We help you connect efficiently to health support and advice whether you are at home, work or travelling. See our website for our services or call us on 0330 088 0645.
