What workers want:
learning or leaving

With younger generations prioritising both hard and soft skills, organisations must adapt by offering flexible, human-centred learning solutions to meet evolving workforce expectations and prevent attrition.

Learning or leaving?

Providing the right employee support creates a ripple effect

Employees are looking for support to develop both hard and soft skills, with Gen Z (41%) and Millennials (35%) most interested in expanding their skills over the next two years. When asked what their employer can do better to increase employability, 40% identified help in developing soft skills.

The data reveals that employees who have access to career support are significantly more inclined to pursue additional training (33% vs 16%), take on more responsibilities (32% vs 11%), or apply for internal roles (21% vs 10%) compared to those who have received no support.

Coaching emerges as especially impactful, with 44% of coached employees expressing interest in further training. On the flip side, dissatisfaction with learning and development correlates strongly with attrition - 47% of employees unhappy with their career support are actively job hunting, compared to 30% of those who are not dissatisfied.

The importance of strategic learning support

“We are focusing on talent to reduce turnover and retain top performers.” Survey respondent

Alarmingly, 21% of Gen Z employees (aged 18-27) are considering leaving the workforce altogether, with the figure surging to 43% for those aged between 18-24, signalling a trend towards gig work or self-employment. It’s clear that the leaders of tomorrow have different expectations, and employers need to act now to ensure they understand the motivations and career goals of their employees.

Without strategic learning support, businesses may find themselves resorting to costly cycles of hiring and firing to facilitate growth. To achieve sustainable workforce transformation, HR leaders must prioritise comprehensive learning programmes that align employees' aspirations with organisational growth objectives.

“Effective career support creates a positive cycle, fostering continuous learning and ambition amongst the workforce. While hiring may be easier than nurturing internal talent, organisations that overlook career development risk increased turnover and reduced engagement.

It’s not just about retention, it’s about building a sustainable workforce with skills for the future, and if organisations fail to provide the right learning and career support, they risk losing the talent they need to drive transformation and growth.”

Sandrine Josse, Director, Private Markets Consulting – Talent Solutions France

How do people want to learn?

"A strong focus on talent development enhance the organisation reputation as an employer of choice attracting high quality candidates.” Survey respondent

51% of leaders said they believe most employees are unhappy with their learning and development. The picture isn’t quite so bleak for employees: 34% said they were unhappy. But it’s clear that organisations have work to do to meet the needs of their employees.

Unsurprisingly, in a world where job roles are expanding and changing at rapid pace, nearly 1 in 5 employees are seeking better technology (19%) and more time to engage with career support (18%). Employees are already at capacity and are struggling with the expectation that they fit learning and development activities into their packed schedules.

A switch to learning in the flow of work

In a social media age, where attention spans are short and time comes at a premium, people want to learn differently: they want options, flexibility, and a choice in how and when they access their learning.

Whilst employers can’t create more time, they can change the way they deliver learning and development. A two-day course shifts the focus for a defined period of time, allowing participants to fully step out – but what happens when they come back to the workplace? Too often, the learnings are forgotten as soon as the stresses of the day job return.

By contrast, learning in the flow of work integrates upskilling activities such as on-demand coaching and bitesize learning seamlessly into the working day, rather than as an additional bolt-on – replacing lengthy courses with education, experience and exposure within the business, embedding learnings in real-life situations.

But success also takes compromise: it’s essential for businesses to give participants the time and psychological permission to step out and reflect – or risk greater impact on wellbeing and performance, with 86% of high-potential employees globally saying they felt ‘used up’ at the end of the workday.

Of the career support provided by your employer, what would make it more impactful/useful?

22%

More human support (e.g. a professional coach, live events)

19%

Better technology

18%

More time to engage with it

15%

More human/face-to-face contact

14%

More manager support

Looking beyond tech to drive meaningful change

“Workers are looking for a supportive work environment, advancement opportunity and meaningful career. In order to satisfy these demands and create a more engaged and contented workforce, our organisations is investing in people.” Survey respondent

A strong desire for the human touch

Despite the common stereotypes, Gen Z isn’t as focussed on tech as many perceive them to be. The data reveals that when it comes to career development, young employees crave human interaction more than any other age group, with 42% of those aged 18-24 citing increased human support as their top priority for impactful career support. Meanwhile, only 5% want to use technology alone for career growth, signalling a high value placed on empathy and support for emotional wellbeing, which can only be achieved through human-to-human interventions.

What makes people make a change?

While technology is an essential tool and enabler, it’s not the primary driver of change or learning. A blended approach—integrating tech with human-led development—is preferred by 59% of employees planning further training and 64% of those looking to take on more responsibilities. But too often, organisations are relying on ineffective or incomplete strategies to drive change because at surface-level they are the more cost-effective options.

Technology serves as a facilitator, but without human engagement, its impact is limited. Effective career development hinges on understanding how and why people want to learn and develop, and what motivates them during times of change. A blend of powerful tools and human insights is key to inspire meaningful action, as well as to encourage high performance and productivity. Gartner reports that employees who operate in human-centric work models – where they are seen as people, not just resources – are 3.8 times more likely to be high performing.

“For HR professionals, leaders and managers already contending with talent shortages and ongoing transformation, the implications here are significant. Whilst it may seem simplest to implement a ‘plug and play’ platform for employee learning and development, this could be a false economy. Technology alone isn’t enough to drive meaningful change. Nobody makes a change in their life just by using a platform – they need human support to find the motivation, the courage, the confidence to make a change career or take the next step.”
Bernadette Hampton, Vice President Solutions and Market Development - Right Management Europe