Lack of Time Found To Be the Main Roadblock in Employee Upskilling

• The top challenge
  employees face when participating in training programmes is the lack of time where
  they are “too busy with work” (49%) and being
  “unwilling to attend courses outside of work hours” (34%). Employers also cite “attending
  courses as disruptive to day-to-day operations” (58%) as the main obstacle when
  implementing training programmes for their employees.
• In order to increase
  participation in training programmes, employees desire more support from their
  employers through “paid leave hours for training” (61%), “providing a temporary
  cover at work” (52%) and “short refresher courses” (43%).
• Employers believe that the
  top three methods to ensure their employees are equipped with the necessary
  skills are through “more flexible arrangements for employees to work and learn”
  (43%), the “cultivation of a self-driven learning culture” (39%), and the
  “introduction of more training methods” (39%).

SINGAPORE
– Media OutReach – 2 November 2021 – The pandemic has placed a heightened emphasis on the need for
developing the skills and competencies of the workforce, in order for companies
to emerge stronger and more resilient. Yet while many companies recognise the
need for enhanced workforce learning programmes, NTUC LearningHub (NTUC LHUB)’s
recent Workforce Learning in Workplace
Transformation (WLWT) report^[1] unveiled
that more must be done to encourage employees to upskill, in order to
accelerate workplace transformation in the endemic world. In particular, the report
uncovered that time constraints form a consequential barrier to employee
participation in training programmes.

Employees Desire More Support From Their Companies

According to the
report, 88% of employees revealed that their companies and line managers are
supportive of their participation in training programmes. Yet the inability to
find colleagues to cover the workload while employees are away for training is
a real challenge faced by many. In fact, 32% voiced that more support could be
provided to encourage employee participation in training programmes, especially
in the form of working arrangements to cover work while one is away on course.
This includes paid leave hours or days (61%), more support from supervisors or
line managers to temporarily cover work (52%), or offering short refresher
courses (43%).

Employers (58%)
also voiced their sentiments towards supporting employees on their learning and
development (L&D) journey, addressing the concern that attending courses
might be disruptive to business operations. However, it is imperative for
employers to prioritise the upskilling of their employees and recognise that L&D
is an indelible component towards accelerating business and workplace
transformation, especially in the current situation. Employers surveyed cited that in order to
ensure their workforce is  equipped with
the necessary skills, the shift needs to be conducted from the top, through
more flexible arrangements for employees to work and learn (43%), cultivating a
self-driven learning culture (39%), and introducing more training methods
(39%).

Commenting on the
findings, NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Chee Hong Tat said, “Employers and
workers want greater flexibility in when, where and how they receive training. 
Our experience during the pandemic shows that this can be best achieved through
a trusted online training platform which delivers quality courses that are
relevant in meeting industry needs.  As part of NTUC’s Training and
Placement ecosystem, NTUC LHUB is well-positioned to be a strategic partner for
government and employers to deliver training outcomes, and provide lifelong
employability for workers through lifelong learning.”

Lack Of Time Is The Top Challenge For Employees’
Participation In L&D Programmes

Time was found
to be the top challenge and roadblock to employee participation in L&D programmes.
Many employees voiced concerns of having to participate in training outside
their working hours and hence were less willing to participate, contributing to
the low take up of company-offered training programmes. Employees mentioned
that they are too busy with work (49%), have family or personal commitments (34%)
and do not have a necessary stand in to cover their work while they were away
on course (32%). This correlates with the perception of employers who believe
that the lack of time during work hours is the biggest obstacle faced towards
skills training, being disruptive to daily operations (58%), busyness at work
(58%) and employees’ lack of support or interest in the courses offered (46%).

According to
Sean Lim, Director of Human Capital at NTUC LHUB, “A commonly used framework by
L&D professionals is the 70-20-10 rule where 70% of learning takes place on
the job, 20% through collaborative work, and the remaining 10% through formal
learning methods such as sending employees for courses and training. This
framework ensures that organisations take a practical and comprehensive
approach when it comes to employee development, while also taking pressure off
employees as they can learn in a variety of means most natural for them.”

To download the
Workforce Learning in Workplace Transformation Report 2021, visit https://www.ntuclearninghub.com/workforce-learning-2021.