Although employers’ training priorities have been well documented over the years, employee opinions on this topic are scarce, possibly because their employers continue to be the primary purchasers of workplace-based training and development programs.

To gain a better understanding of how employees perceive and value employer-provided training opportunities, AchieveGlobal conducted research with more than 1,100 full time workers from the U.S. and U.K., representing a range of industries, organization sizes and positions. Findings demonstrate that employers who integrate employee desires into development programs can make measurable differences in key performance indicators such as overall job satisfaction.

One of the first results was that the method of training delivery significantly impacts employee satisfaction and buy-in. One-half of survey respondents received training through traditional classroom instruction, while 44 percent receive a blend of classroom instruction and e-learning. Overall, employees reported they are receiving training in their preferred media.

Interestingly, the belief that older workers aren’t as receptive to e-learning is untrue. More than one-half of respondents with at least 30 years of employment preferred blended classroom and electronic delivery, while 37 percent preferred classroom only.

Even if employees feel comfortable with the delivery method, they may not find the training valuable in helping them perform their daily job responsibilities. Respondents perceived product knowledge and profession-specific continuing education/development to have the highest value related to their job functions, followed by:

• Coaching and supervisory development
• Mentoring
• Customer service skills
• Basic leadership/teamwork skills, including interpersonal skills
• Basic sales skills

The most widely offered programs – new employee orientation and workplace issues training – ranked relatively low in importance in employee preferences.

What employees want, independent of position or industry, reflects the contemporary business climate, the need to understand business and financial issues and an interest in building interpersonal skills. Not surprisingly, they ranked financial and marketing skills as top priorities, and demonstrated significant interest in basic leadership and teamwork skills training.

Perhaps most important, the research demonstrates a clear relationship between employees’ perception of training opportunities and their level of job satisfaction. Employers who incorporate these attitudes and opinions into their programs develop happier and more productive associates, thereby deriving more value from their development expenditures.

Andy Smith is vice president, central region, of AchieveGlobal (www.achieveglobal.com), international provider of training and consulting services in the areas of leadership development, sales performance and customer service. You can reach him at andy.smith@achieveglobal.com.

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