The current tight labor market has made it hard to attract, and more importantly, KEEP good associates. Among the newest group of workers, Generation Z, it has become especially difficult to find and retain the best workers. Maintaining positive employee experiences is one of the best ways to keep younger Gen Z workers satisfied with their workplace, and new research indicates that offering formal training to employees is one of the best ways to keep their workplace experience positive.
Of 1200 wage employees surveyed by the Sitel Group, 88% indicated that being offered a formal training program is very important to them when searching for a new job, and 94% of Gen Z workers (as well as older, more established workers) felt that they were the most excited and motivated when they were learning something new about their job. The type of training offered by employers is also important to the workers surveyed. A full 40% of the Gen Z workers said they prefer that digital training be incorporated into training programs offered by an employer, 30% said they would prefer digital and in-person training, and 15% said they would prefer digital only training.
Unfortunately, there seems to be a disconnect between these younger workers and management, as 35% of the workers feel that their employer doesn’t take the time to assess their skill level or take the time to offer them the training that would be most beneficial to them. Many Gen Z workers said they were worried that asking for training would prevent them from advancing in their positions because managers didn’t appear to think that training was important. Over 40% of those Gen Z workers avoided asking for training as a result.
Employers should take note of the above statistic, because 44% of Gen Z workers said that they would consider leaving an employer if they were not offered training and the opportunity to learn new skills for their job. These statistics indicate that offering training is not enough – employers must also ensure that their management staff is on board with offering training on an ongoing basis, and they should show enthusiasm for those training programs to their workers. No employee should ever be penalized because he or she asked for more training.
Creating access to varied types of training programs and ensuring that all management personnel encourage and support the employee training process is crucial to the success of retailers who wish to find and retain the best talent in today’s tight labor market. An added bonus for retailers: as employee satisfaction improves, your customers will be happier, more satisfied customers, and that will be a certain boost to your bottom line.
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