More than half (53%) of workers aren’t confident in their employer’s commitment to developing their skills, with less than half (47%) feeling their employer invests in the skills they need to advance, according to a global report.
This lack of confidence is most acute in Europe, where less than a third of workers have faith in their company to deliver, finds the report, The People at Work 2024: A Global Workforce View, from HR software and services provider ADP, with nearly 35,000 worker respondents from 18 countries.
In the Asia-Pacific region, nearly half of workers are confident in their employer’s investment in training and development, while Latin America has the largest share of workers (71%) who are confident they have the skills they need to advance in the next three years. North America comes second, with a 61% share. Fewer than two in five (39%) employees in the UK believe their company sufficiently invests in the skills they need to advance in their careers. Among workers aged 18 to 24, only 43% think they have the skills they need to advance their career. That sentiment changes quickly as workers age, however. Among 25- 34-year-olds, 62% say they have the skills they need.
European companies are the least likely to discuss skills development or career progression with their employees. What’s more, only 46% of European workers talk to their employers about career progression, 20% less than workers globally.
Thirty-nine per cent of 18-24-year-old workers believe they have the necessary skills to further their careers in the next three years, highlighting an urgent need for upskilling. However, young adults aren’t reluctant to ask for training. More than 72% of 25-34-year-olds talk to their employers about skills, training and development, as do 69% of their younger colleagues.
Nearly half of workers globally believe future skillsets will include technological abilities that aren’t currently essential, with 41% of UK employees believing this to be true. In Europe, a large proportion of employees seem to be indifferent to AI – nearly one in five (18%) of UK workers thinking their jobs won’t be affected by technology, although 19% admit they have insufficient knowledge of AI to determine how it might affect their roles, compared to 7% who say the same globally.
The findings highlight a need for strategic investment in training and development, supporting employees to aid understanding of AI and technology, and for employers to have regular discussions with employees about career progression and skill requirements, implementing tailored approaches for different demographics.