Page 14 - Gi flipbook August 2018

NEWS | EDUCATION

Quarter of employees

received no training last year

AROUND A QUARTER of
the UK workforce did not
take part in any workplace
learning in the last 12
months, according to a
new survey that suggests
dwindling resources and
a reluctance to engage in
training opportunities may
leave the country lagging
behind in the skills stakes.
A total of 26 per cent of
employees surveyed by the
Association of International
Certified Professional
Accountants did not
participate in any in-work
learning opportunities over
the past year.
According to People
Management, 37 per
cent of the 2,000-plus
employees surveyed said
they did not believe they
needed to improve their Quarter of employees
skills. The accountancy received no training last year
body suggested that the
findings demonstrated a Crowley said this might Training budgets backlog of tasks and a full
risk of complacency among mean offering employees undoubtedly remain calendar,” he said.
both organisations and opportunities to take part under pressure. A 2018 Many smaller businesses
employees, which could be in both structured learning benchmarking report from still lack a commitment
damaging to the country’s and L&D solutions that findcourses.co.uk, which to training, Timms
overall productivity. were embedded in everyday surveyed 180 HR and L&D acknowledged, but he
But they may also tasks and processes. professionals, found that added: “I am not sure the
point to over-stretched “To be successful, only 32 per cent thought figures are accounted for
learning budgets that many L&D strategies need their L&D spend would [solely] by small companies
believe have suffered as to be aligned to the increase in the year ahead. that don’t have resources
the introduction of the needs of businesses but But Perry Timms, CEO of and have even less capacity.”
apprenticeship levy could also underpinned by an People & Transformational If businesses were unable
have concentrated learning organisational learning HR and author of to spare employees for
and development (L&D) culture that engages Transformational HR, said formal training, Timms said,
spend in certain areas of and supports both line workload constraints and they could consider blended
the business. managers and employees,” increasing complexity were learning opportunities that
Lizzie Crowley, CIPD she added. just as significant as budget utilise digital technology
Skills Adviser, said failing The report suggested that when it came to explaining and focus on applying new
to invest in learning may employees who missed out the lack of training being knowledge and skills in a
prove counterproductive on training risked lagging undertaken by some business context.
at a time when skills behind in their careers or employees. “I think it’s the end of
are at a premium. “With even dropping out entirely “Ironically, some of the well-intended but indulgent
Brexit on the horizon because they lack the work I’ve been doing to learning programmes and
and an ageing workforce, skills and knowledge to help people create some the beginning of sharply
alongside disruption and keep up with technology. capacity by being more tuned, user-centric,
the possibilities offered It recommended that frugal, agile and responsive problem-solving learning
by technological change, employees take on has hit issues of people that builds skills, capability
businesses need to focus increased responsibility being what I’ve come to call and capacity,” said Timms.
on a ‘build rather than buy’ for their personal ‘full stack’: an absolutely “It’s relevance beating
strategy,” she said. learning needs. rammed workload, a elegance.” ■

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News.indd 9 19/07/2018 12:46