Intelligent CXO Issue 43 | Page 57

INTELLIGENT SECTION

FINANCE SALES & MARKETING HR SOLUTIONS EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

Training leaders report increased employee engagement after prioritising learning and development

Learning & Development ( L & D ) programmes have been shown to improve employee engagement , productivity and creativity according to a report commissioned by learning platform provider , Rise Up .

The survey , conducted among 200 senior L & D professionals in the UK , reveals that 64 % of training leaders have seen an increase in employee engagement after investing in L & D . This is in addition to 43 % of respondents noting that enhanced L & D efforts have positively impacted employee retention , and a quarter claiming that L & D programmes have helped improve innovation , creativity and productivity .
Despite the performance benefits associated with L & D , there are still challenges in getting buy-in at board level . The report found that 41 % of respondents
ONE OF THE MAIN BARRIERS TO AI ADOPTION IS A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWLEDGE , WITH 71 % OF L & D LEADERS ADMITTING THIS IS HOLDING THEM BACK FROM EFFECTIVELY USING IT . say less than half of their initiatives are getting approved by senior management . There are also inconsistencies in the amount of annual investment in L & D . Around a fifth ( 21 %) of respondents say less than £ 10,000 per year is allocated . In total , more than half ( 59 %) state the annual L & D budget is lower than £ 100,000 . This adds to the industry ’ s opinion that the function is not always taken as seriously as it could be , especially in light of the growing skills crisis in the UK .
The report also investigates the application of AI in L & D and found that while it is gaining global recognition in some industries , 55 % of UK businesses are yet to apply it in their L & D processes . One of the main barriers to AI adoption is a lack of understanding and knowledge , with 71 % of L & D leaders admitting this is holding them back from effectively using it , and
57 % stating their teams lack the necessary skills to implement AI-driven solutions . Of those that are using AI , adaptive learning with personalised training content is being turbocharged . As a result , 75 % of businesses find adaptive learning effective and are experiencing a positive impact on employee engagement while 63 % find it improves employee retention .
Arnaud Blachon , CEO and Founder at Rise Up , said : “ L & D can have a profound effect on employee performance and retention , as well as delivering bottom-line benefits to businesses . However , there are still a significant proportion of leaders who are yet to realise the impact it can have on their performance . The focus needs to be on using technology to create personalised learning environments where employees feel valued and want to stay , reducing turnover and nurturing long-term growth .” x
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