Dive Brief:
- Upskilling opportunities promoted throughout the year may be associated with higher employee engagement, Feb. 12 findings from SHRM indicate.
- Surveyed workers who said their organizations share such offerings were “significantly more likely” to feel engaged at work, compared to others at companies that didn’t promote such opportunities (59% versus 31%). The more than 1,500 respondents also reported higher job satisfaction and increased commitment to their organizations when they had access to upskilling.
- In light of those findings, SHRM recommended employers integrate upskilling into career development plans and communicate those plans consistently throughout the year.
Dive Insight:
Employee engagement has trended downward in recent years, according to Gallup tracking. But given the state of the job market, that doesn’t necessarily mean employees are leaving. Instead, workers are holding tight to their current positions, economic experts told HR Dive following last week’s jobs report.
Low engagement combined with low turnover can equal reduced productivity — dragging down company culture and costing employers dearly, research indicates.
Learning and development professionals, however, may be well positioned to help, given SHRM’s finding that upskilling can improve engagement — perhaps significantly so. Resources such as workshops, online courses and mentorship programs can help workers enhance their technical skills, interpersonal skills and AI-related skills, the organization concluded in its report.
HR can’t stop there, however. SHRM’s report specifically tied engagement to upskilling opportunities being “promoted” throughout the year. That means those tasked with L&D may need to ensure regular, clear communication about which resources are available and how employees can access them.
Employers also must also ensure workers have an opportunity to put to use any new skills acquired. January survey results from Resume Now revealed that 69% of U.S. employees say their skills aren’t being fully realized in their current positions, and when that happens, engagement can fall even further.