FM CAREERS - TRAINING
FEBRUARY 2020 61
The world of work as we
know it is changing faster
than ever. From rapid digital
transformation and agile working, to
increased globalisation, businesses
across the world are navigating a
period of extreme transformation.
At this pivotal point, future-proofing
businesses has never been so
important – and investment in skills,
digital skills in particular, has a vital
role to play.
Key to equipping workforces with
the skills and knowledge they need to
keep pace with change – and unlock
economic, organisational and personal
prosperity – Learning & Development
(L&D) should remain a priority for
employers in 2020. But what areas do we
need to focus on when investing in L&D
programmes, and how can we make
sure that it’s really working?
In 2019, Kineo (a City & Guilds Group
business) set out to shed light on – and
learn from – some of the principal
challenges in Learning & Development
today. Learning Insights is a global
research report, conducted amongst
1,300 employers and 6,500 employees
across 13 international markets.
From ensuring workplace learning is
accessible and engaging to all members
of the workforce, to making sure L&D
strategy is competitive on a global scale,
here are some of our key L&D learnings
for 2020.
Want L&D to be effective?
Make it accessible and engaging
As the skills that businesses need
transform, a massive 80 per cent of
British employees say their organisation
has taken steps to improve their skillset
and employability over the past year.
This is a great sign that employers are
trying to ready their workforce for the
future. However, these e orts may not
be hitting the mark – the study also
revealed that only 13 per cent of workers
rate training opportunities over the past
year as very e ective.
Naturally, businesses will be looking to
get the most return possible from their
L&D investment in the years to come
– so we need to address the e ectivity
problem.
The study highlighted two major
factors at play: interest in and
accessibility of L&D. A er all, if workers
are provided with training opportunities
that they find boring or uninspiring – or
if they can’t spare the time to attend
them – they’re less likely to reap the
potential benefits.
To optimise e ectiveness, not only
does L&D provision need to be more
engaging and flexible – delivered where
and when people want it, whether that’s
at work or outside of the workplace – it
also needs to be personalised to the
individual needs, experience and career
paths of learners.
Whether delivered via traditional or
newer digital methods, employers will
have to strike a balance between the
right content, and a flexible, highquality
experience to prevent their
investment from going to waste. To
do this, employers will have to listen
to the needs and expectations of their
workforce and develop an approach
to L&D that is both accessible and
inspiring.
Learning needs to reach all types of
workers in today’s workforce
The structure of the workforce itself
is evolving too: as both employers
and workers seek greater flexibility,
contingent or agile working
arrangements are becoming more
common.
Worryingly, despite the importance
of these workers, our study found
that many current workplace training
programmes are not catering to this
growing workforce – preventing both
individuals and organisations from
safeguarding their future. The research
revealed that one in five (20 per cent) UK
employers doesn’t carry out any training
with contingent workers – compared to
one in 10 for entry level workers – and
businesses also report the lowest levels
of training e ectiveness in this group.
But contingent workers are in just as
much need as full time workers when
it comes to upskilling to keep up with
rapid change – and employers that fail
to invest will be unable to unlock the
full potential of these workers. And
let’s not forget basic training. In a case
where any workers aren’t receiving
essential training like on-boarding or
compliance, employers are leaving
themselves vulnerable to commercial or
reputational risk.
It’s time for businesses to consider
upskilling and training in a broader
context, shi ing their focus to the skills
that will underpin the future of work and
making sure training is accessible to all
members of the workforce, no matter
how or where they work.
In the ‘global skills race’ there’s no room
for complacency
With the workforce
becoming increasingly
mobile – and overseas
talent critical to the
smooth running of
British businesses –
employers cannot a ord
complacency when it
comes to skills.
Our research indicated
that employers in
countries with rapidly
emerging economies are
among the most likely to
ramp up investment in
upskilling their workforce
in the near future, partly
in response to the
impact of technological
advances. For instance,
65 per cent of Kenyan
and 62 per cent of Indian
employers consider
digital transformation to be a significant
factor driving change in their business
– compared to just 42 per cent of UK
employers.
While these developing countries
embrace technology and pump
investment into the skills that will allow
them to compete on a global stage,
British businesses risk lagging behind
and losing talent to other markets.
Employers need to understand
the training needs of their workers
and ensure they continue to focus
on developing skills – especially
increasingly important digital
capabilities – as a long-term strategy.
Upskilling and future-proofing a
business means playing the long
game – and those who overlook the
importance of skills investment risk
losing altogether.
L&D in 2020: a two-way conversation
Businesses are facing a myriad of
challenges and having a skilled
workforce that’s future-fit is crucial if
they’re to set themselves up for success.
But while investment in L&D is vital to
this strategy, there is no ‘one size fits all’
approach.
It’s time for organisations to approach
learning as a two-way conversation –
where employers listen to the learning
needs of every part of their workforce,
and learners understand and value the
training they receive. With an informed
strategy, aligned with business goals and
employee interests, businesses can put
their strongest foot forward in 2020.
LEARNING INSIGHTS
According to a recent report from leading skills organisation City & Guilds,
the UK is falling behind in the global skills race. Here John Yates, Group
Director at City & Guilds Group off ers some essential insights on training
gleaned from the research
LATEST JOBS ON FMJ
HEAD OF PROCUREMENT – SOUTH EAST
Salary: £60k-£70k, + benefits
Location: London
https://bit.ly/2U4wzjW
HEAD OF FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
Salary: £45.00-£52.00 per hour
Location: London
https://bit.ly/37AN1fV
FACILITIES MANAGER
Salary: £33K per year
Location: Slough
https://bit.ly/2U1s7Ta
jobs.fmj.co.uk
Over
250 jobs live
on site
/2U4wzjW
/37AN1fV
/2U1s7Ta
