2018 Workplace Training Report

Why Learning & Development Has Become the Hottest Employee Benefit

Here’s good news for hiring managers, HR pros, and anyone concerned about attracting and retaining top talent: one of the most attractive benefits you can offer helps the organization as much as it does the employee.

Traditionally, organizations invest in training because of how it benefits them: better bottom lines, higher productivity, greater agility and improved competitiveness. But employees and job candidates view learning and development opportunities as a benefit to themselves, making them more valuable and more promotable.

In fact, research suggests that opportunities for learning and development are one of the hottest employee benefits you can offer, especially for younger workers. The reason: These employees recognize that in a fast-changing business environment, job security and career advancement come from the skills they possess, not the organization they work for.

Increasingly, they see training as something to expect and even demand from their employers. They want to work for organizations that help them grow.

In this Research Summary, we identify key trends in the research literature about learning as an employee benefit, and the implications for L&D professionals, HR managers and executives.