Training Retains Employees, but Who Has the Time?

Marcianne Kuethen

July 23, 2013

Is your company actively developing its employees? A recent survey from Aerotek reveals that training may carry more weight than you realize. Three out of five employees surveyed said they would leave their current job if they were to receive a competitive offer. The survey discovered a correlation between employee development and retention. About one-third of employees who participated said they receive no ongoing training in their current jobs.

Over the years of helping people find meaningful work, we’ve talked to a lot of workers, both contract and direct. We’ve discovered that most temporary workers love contract work because of the opportunity to grow! While they bring the necessary basic skills to each new job, contract workers also constantly gain new skills as they are continuously exposed to new environments. This thirst to learn keeps them from accepting direct hire positions which offer what others desire most–security and predictability.

At Amtec, we frequently discuss the importance of meaningful work–how it engages employees and boosts a company’s employee retention rates. Part of finding meaning involves growth, as the survey indicates. Yet sadly, while hiring managers agree that training is important, they just don’t have enough time to do so.

“Hiring decision makers recognize the importance of engaging and developing their current workforce but many lack the resources to develop existing employees while keeping up with hiring demands,” said Tanya Axenson, vice president of Human Resources. “To break the struggle of choosing whether to invest in current or potential employees, staffing partners can shoulder time-consuming tasks in the hiring process, helping managers focus on the development of current employees.”

If you’re one of those employees who’s thinking about accepting a competitive offer, here are two questions you might want to ask your interviewer, in light of this survey:

What ongoing training and development do you currently offer your employees?

What makes your company different?

Employers, if you don’t yet know what makes your company unique, read this to get some ideas!

By Marcianne Kuethen