Gen Z are calling time on the lack of learning and development and showcasing their disillusionment with investment in their careers by looking for employment elsewhere, a survey has found.
The new report, From skills to success: L&D insights for the modern workforce, based on survey results by Cypher Learning, asked 4,500 workers from the UK and the US about their experiences of learning and development and the subsequent impact it had on their health, happiness and contentment in the workplace.
The findings highlight that the majority of UK workers (77 per cent) felt more could be done. With around a third (31 per cent) saying it was negatively impacting on their job satisfaction.
Many (37 per cent) said it was a reason they may leave their company and look for employment elsewhere. This rises significantly among the younger age group (18-34 years olds) who were most likely to want to leave (44 per cent).
For this age group, timeout of development during Covid lockdowns has meant they are prioritising their personal and career growth over and above other rewards and benefits. Employers that ignore these early warning signs risk a flight syndrome among this swathe of young workers who readily show that loyalty to one employer is no longer the mainstay of their values and ethos, many of whom prefer to either gig or job hop at regular intervals.
Many of this age demographic (73 per cent in the UK and 75 per cent globally) also believe that people with more vocal and attentive managers are more likely to be promoted. It is a case of ‘who shouts the loudest’ wins, which plays out for the extroverts but penalises those who are quieter and shier if the results are believed.
Not only is questionable promotion under scrutiny but also managers as a whole, with 50 per cent in the UK and 53 per cent globally saying their manager was woefully under equipped to help them progress in their career.
Many of this generation of new professionals have missed out on vital soft skills development during successive Covid lockdowns when they would ordinarily have been sitting senior school exams or taking their first steps at university or further education institutes. With this in mind, 68 per cent of UK workers and 69 per cent globally said they would welcome guidance and training to help them navigate the ‘unspoken rules’ of the workplace. Meanwhile, 63 per cent of UK workers feel that school/college/university has left them unprepared for the workplace, with two thirds (67 per cent) of 18-24 year olds agreeing.
Key to these problems between employers and Gen Z is a lack of trust. More than half (55 per cent of UK workers and 54 per cent globally) reported that they did not trust HR to look out for their interests. And one in 10 workers (9 per cent globally) said they would feel sceptical and unconvinced if they were offered bespoke training as they would question the motives behind it.
Graham Glass, founder and CEO of Cypher Learning, said: “Given that retention was the number one priority for HR professionals going into 2024, it is vital that organisations take a closer look at their L&D offerings to ensure they can compete for talent. The research shows us that employers that offer continuous skills development and make employee development a priority are set to have an edge over the competition.”
He added that transparency was key to building trust: “People need to know that their future does not rest solely in the hands of an incompetent or disinterested manager. But a third of respondents say there is no formal process for tracking skills progression.”
In a silver lining for employers, the trends can be reversed, with a quarter of UK respondents (23 per cent) and 30 per cent globally saying that the training they received was ‘exceptionally rewarding’ and this positive outlook leant them towards better feelings towards their employer.