Over the past several years, numerous workplace studies and workforce experts, including Spherion, have extolled the benefits of offering training and development programs to employees. According to Spherion´s recent groundbreaking Emerging Workforce Survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, the message regarding the importance of offering such programs as on-line skills training, seminars, and tuition reimbursement, seems to have gotten through to today´s employers. The survey of U.S. employers found that almost all respondents offer at least two training and development programs, and fully 90% of today´s employers believe that their use of such programs is the most successful way to retain employees.

However, Spherion found that while employers have been busy bolstering their training and development programs, workers seem to have written these programs off. Even though workers ranked growth and earnings potential the second most important factor in retaining them as employees in the Spherion survey (after basic factors salary and benefits), the same workers ranked training and development last in their list of retention drivers.

There is no question that today´s workers are interested in growth opportunities. Why then wouldn´t workers turn to training and development programs as a means of achieving their goals?

Unfortunately, dangerous disconnects exist between employers and employees when it comes to training and development issues. Spherion has uncovered one such disconnect that could be undermining the best efforts of today´s employers to offer ongoing learning and skill enhancement.  While the overwhelming majority of employers offer training and development options, employees are far less likely to think their company offers them. And, for the minority of workers who are aware of training and development programs available to them, nearly half (46%) aren´t satisfied with what´s available.

The disconnect is staggering. For example, nearly 92% of employers offer funding to attend seminars and trade shows. Yet, only 28% of employees believe this service is offered by their employer. The same disconnect is found for every one of the six development programs studied in the survey.

Maximize the ROI of Training and Development Programs

There is a potential for a high return on investment of training and development programs for employers. The near-term shortage of knowledge workers in the United States means training and development of existing workers will become invaluable. Bersin & Associates estimates that companies spend between 1%-4% of total payroll on training. Moreover, according to Business Roundtable, U.S. employers, especially large companies, spend more than $70 billion each year on worker training and education benefits. As jobs continue to require more complex and sophisticated skills, the workforce ages, and technology advances, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts companies will dedicate even greater resources to job-specific training programs.

Such large financial investments should be delivering high returns for today´s organizations. Unfortunately, many companies simply aren´t seeing the paybacks because workers are unaware or unimpressed with what´s available to them.

In order to maximize their investments, employers should first conduct an audit of their training and development line up. Are the courses and programs available in-line with what employees need and want? Does the content fit with the majority of employees´ development goals? Are employees using the programs? If so, which ones?

Some of today´s leading, cutting-edge employers choose to require or incite their workers to take advantage of growth opportunities. For example, expect workers to dedicate a minimum number of hours to professional development each year as part of their performance measurements. Or, offer incentives for completing a number of courses such as paid-time off or bonuses.

Tips on How to Turn the Workplace into a Classroom

1. Require supervisors to conduct individual development plans and career discussions with employees
2. Hold supervisors in your organization accountable for encouraging and supporting employee development efforts.
3. Enable employees to take advantage of training and development programs by supporting requests for flexible work arrangements.
4. Serve as a role model by participating in training and development opportunities yourself.
5. Provide a mix of self-directed and formalized training programs.

An increasing number of experts and strategists predict that an organizations´ ability to attract, motivate and retain talent now and in the future will be the primary indicator of fiscal performance and survival. This is powerful incentive for organizations to reexamine their training and development programs, look at how they market them to employees and ensure a return on their investment in the form of attracting and retaining valuable talent.

Richard Lamond is the Senior Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer of Spherion Corporation (NYSE:SFN).  He can be contacted at 954-308-7600 or via email dicklamond@spherion.com. More information on Spherion is available online at www.spherion.com.