Employees today seek many opportunities from their employers and workplaces; however, upskilling – learning and development – lands near the top of the list. In a recent Gallup poll, 48% of American workers surveyed stated they would switch to a new job if offered skilled training opportunities and 65% of workers believe employer-provided upskilling is very important when evaluating a potential new job.
Companies must commit to enabling a culture of learning that delivers relevant and engaging learning experiences that are easy to access and accelerate the growth of their business. The offerings must be tailored to meet employees where they are in their development journey, whether it be entry-level, mid-level management or even C-suite leadership positions, and empower employees at all levels to take ownership of their development.
As companies build out a learning and development model, it’s important to consider the three Es of learning:
- Experience: 70% of learning and growth happens when individuals seek out opportunities and new try new behaviors. Encourage employees to stretch themselves outside of their comfort zone.
- Exposure: 20% of learning is accomplished when individuals intentionally surround themselves with role models who they can observe in action.
- Educate: 10% of learning happens in formal settings, either through companies themselves or industry organizations.
A training program offered by JLL’s Property Management group uses training, coaching and assessments for professional development, diversity and inclusion, teamwork, manager effectiveness and leadership development to ensure employees are positioned to succeed. During the first half of 2023, more than 165 employees have completed the Real Leadership program, which considers everyone a leader, whether it is leading leaders, leading other or leading projects.
“The JLL Real Leadership training sessions helped me so much – they gave me the ability to have more self-awareness, recognize my strengths and maximize my potential,” said Carrie Trongone, vice president, JLL Property Management. “In addition, I refined old skills and acquired new techniques in designing and delivering presentations with authority and confidence. Building my leadership skills through this training has helped me boost my productivity, manage challenging situations, and ultimately reach my goals while effectively directing my department for success.”
According to LinkedIn’s Workforce Learning Report, more than 90% of employees say that they would stay at a company longer if it simply invested in helping them learn. Learning and development programs are intended to ignite a spark and equip employees with research-backed best practices that they can use throughout their career. The development journey doesn’t stop when they complete a program; in some ways, it’s just the beginning. It’s important to provide employees with the tools and network of leaders on similar journeys to support their continued development and the confidence to experiment with new behaviors.
