A tried and tested interview question if ever there was one. Chances are you've been asked it. You might have even asked it yourself.
“Running the company” and “doing your job” are some of the cliched, slightly cringeworthy answers you might expect from the admirably ambitious and forward-thinking candidates.
It’s a question designed to gauge long-term commitment to a business and uncover future intentions.
But have you ever turned the question around to you and your company?
What are you doing to aid the growth you expect from your candidates over the next 5 years? What systems and training do you have in place to get them there? And how will you make sure your workplace still satisfies the improved employee you want them to become?
Supply and Demand
Employee desire for learning and development is at an all time high. This Forbes article even suggests it has become a competitive differentiator.
Make no mistake. Your competitors are reacting to this trend and commitments are being made to meet the increased desire.
67% of HR managers already increased L&D budgets from as far back as 2022.
46% already have specific training in place for new graduates.
72% of HR managers would invest in mental health and well-being training if they had a higher L&D budget.
77% of HR managers are likely to focus on life skills within the next 12 months.
Change is coming, if not already here, and there are wheels already in motion.
The Big Reassess
The post-COVID work environment is a drastically different one. Not just because of remote and hybrid opportunities being more commonplace.
Mindsets have shifted. People have asked themselves big, difficult questions about their jobs. Their roles. Their sense of purpose.
The Great Resignation. The Great Rethink. The Big Quit.
Whatever name you heard coined for the mass employee exodus of 2021 and 2022, the sea of people seeking work want something different.
To be somewhere that offers them a future.
That provides a sense of purpose.
Somewhere that equips them with what they need to realise not only their ambitions, but the improved balance of life and work they crave.
They want to be a part of something bigger.
And if you question whether L&D is the right tool to achieve it. Just look at the stats from this 2024 LinkedIn learning report.
7 in 10 people say learning improves their sense of connection to their organization.
8 in 10 people say learning adds purpose to their work.
L&D doesn’t need to be thrust onto reluctant employees. It’s being actively sought after.
The Forbes article backs this up too.
1 in 4 employees are not satisfied with the learning and development in their companies.
76% are more likely to stay with a company that offers continuous training.
55% say they need additional training to perform better in their roles.
One in two employees is pursuing learning opportunities on their own, outside of training at work.
Brave New World
Dangling rungs up the corporate ladder as incentivised bait and “clear paths” to higher pay brackets through promotion is the surface-level learning and development of the past.
Totally reshaping how involved your businesses is, in not only the continued L&D of your employees, but with their sense of job satisfaction itself, is the future.
Overlooking the responsibility you and your business have in your employee growth cycle. Doing the bare minimum to assist them in their development.
And allowing workplace opportunities to them to be the same five years from now.
Is likely to get you the answer to your question you won’t want to hear.
The place your ideal candidate honestly sees themselves in 5 years...
Is with another company.
An in-house Daley Habits Bootcamp draws on decades of real-world experience to motivate your workforce, improve communication, and deliver change.
We equip you and your teams with the skills you need to master being more effective and drive your business forward.
Get in touch at www.daleyhub.com to find out how today.
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