Every company has its share of employee training, and there is no denying its importance. Onboarding offers the knowledge needed to integrate into the company, while skills training is conducted to fulfill a specific knowledge or skills gap. But what is employee education, and how is it different from employee training?
Employee education is the concept of providing your workforce with access to learning opportunities that develop skills, grow their knowledge, and advance their careers. It benefits the personal growth of the individuals while supporting greater organizational goals.
Aside from company perks and salary, today’s top talent looks for employers that enable them to learn and grow professionally. A recent LinkedIn report showed that 94% of workers would stay at a company longer if they had access to more learning opportunities.
If your objectives are to drive business growth, enable professional development and equip your employees with the skills they need to succeed, it’s crucial to consider education as more than just a benefit that checks the box.
Here are three key benefits of employee education and how organizations can leverage education as a strategic investment.
Advance DEI in your workplace
In the workforce, Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) are often passed over for career advancement opportunities due to lack of education or qualifications. Employee education levels the playing field for underserved demographics by providing these groups with access to learning opportunities that may have otherwise been unattainable.
A person’s job satisfaction shouldn’t be determined by their degree status or where they’re from. Providing employee education means cultivating a diverse talent pipeline for future leadership roles and creating a more inclusive workplace for your team members.
Retain your best talent, and attract more
The competition for highly qualified talent continues to increase, and top talent craves growth. The opportunity for growth is one of the most important things to the modern job seeker when evaluating a prospective employer, and this remains true for existing employees.
By providing your employees with access to continued education and growth opportunities, you get less turnover from your best people. At the same time, it raises the bar overall for your organization’s brand by making it known to prospective employees that you support their ongoing learning and advancement.
Increase your agility
Change is inevitable, and usually out of your control. However, what your company can control is how you help prepare your people and business in an ever-changing environment. An important part of that business agility equation is employee education. When you invest in employee education, you equip your people with the in-demand, new skills that keep your business relevant and competitive.
Employee education also creates new pathways in your company, furthering its agility. Career pathing guides talent on how to advance from their current position to a new position, along with the tools, information and education required. This results in stronger succession planning and leadership development across all levels — creating the sustainable competitive advantage every business needs.
The effects of employee education can be transformative for an organization and its employees alike. Ready to learn how you can develop an employee education program? Contact us today!
