2 in 3 UK workers quit due to lack of L&D opportunities

New research from totaljobs has revealed that two in three UK workers have changed jobs due to a lack of learning and development (L&D) opportunities.

Despite the UK’s low unemployment rates, employers are increasingly faced with a task of ensuring that they retain their existing talent. The new findings from totaljobs’ survey of 2,623 employees and 98 employers suggest that one such way is through training.

Alongside building employee morale, the research shows that the UK workforce is keen and looking to upskill, offering a potential alternative for bridging the UK skills gap. As many as nine in ten (90%) workers would like their employer to make more training courses available.

These emerging L&D expectations are supported by employers, with 80% of those totaljobs spoke to agreeing that companies should offer their staff the opportunity to develop professionally. Similarly, 87% of employers said they encourage their staff to attain professional qualifications, underlining L&D as a growing priority for employers and employees alike.

Importantly, four in five (81%) employers agree that their staff perform better after training, highlighting the positive impact training has on both businesses and employees, who benefit from refreshing existing skills and learning new ones. Besides the positive impact on an individual’s career, businesses as a whole are reaping the rewards, with nearly 90% of employers stating that upskilling an individual team member also improves their wider team’s output.

In fact, training is so important to the workforce, that 41% of people say they have secured a new job as a direct result of training, with almost half of workers paying for their own professional training.

Highlighting this trend, over two-thirds (67%) of employees believe training is more important today than it was two years ago.

These findings are backed by another study that totaljobs conducted with Robert Walters, which found that the skills gap in the UK is due to worsen due to Brexit, highlighting the need for further learning and development. The research found that the skills gap is most acute at a junior and mid-management level. Forty-eight per cent (48%) of candidates believe that employers should partner more effectively with local universities and educate students on potential career paths, and that companies should offer work placements.

David Clift, HR Director at totaljobs, said of the findings: “We are often told by employers of all shapes and sizes that they need skilled employees to fill difficult roles – and they are struggling to find them. This research shows that there is a keen workforce looking to upskill and improve, so new skills and talents may well be right under their nose. It’s safe to say that training and development is a key area companies need to focus on, it’s a win-win for all.”