In survey after survey over the last ten years, training, development and advancement opportunities have become the most important things candidates look for when they select an organisation to join.
As a result, L&D is becoming ever more important to employers too. The shift to a digital, knowledge-based economy has placed a real premium on reskilling and upskilling. The rapid evolution in technology, in particular, means there’s a much shorter shelf-life for both software and hardware, making regular retraining essential.
Similarly, the rise in agile working, with its emphasis on a project-based career model, increases the need for ongoing training. Whilst this model offers variety, interest and challenge to employees, it also requires them to add to their skill-base regularly in order to fit into each new fluid team.
That’s why beginning the L&D during onboarding is so important. It’s the ideal place to build a strong narrative about the learning journey each new starter can go on. As well as emphasising the opportunities for skill development within their individual role, you can also highlight opportunities for getting involved in agile projects, as well as more formalised training provisions such as management development programmes or technical training courses.
This allows each employee the time and space to explore content, digest your offerings and start to map out their own development journey. It’s far easier to do this before joining than during the inevitably hectic first few weeks in a new role. Of course, the degree to which each person will engage in customising their own L&D plan will vary. But both L&D uptake, engagement, workforce skill levels and performance could be improved by such an approach.
