How Learning and Development Can Help Keep Younger Employees Engaged
This article was first published in Training Magazine.
Written by: Phillip Carmichael
Table of Contents
Avoid Quiet Quitting With Engaging Training
“Quiet quitting” has been the major buzzword of the last few weeks, with the term trending heavily on TikTok and Twitter and taking over headlines across the Internet. Quiet quitting doesn’t actually involve leaving one’s job, and definitions of the term vary. However, the overall idea is about “rejecting the notion that… employees should go above and beyond what their job descriptions entail,” according to LinkedIn.
Opinions on the term vary as well, with some seeing quiet quitting as a reaction to the “hustle culture” that dominated the pre-pandemic workforce. These people frame quiet quitting as setting healthy boundaries and prioritizing work-life balance, largely in response to stress and burnout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Others see quiet quitting as an alarming trend, indicative of low motivation, diminished morale, and decreased productivity, especially from younger workers such as Gen Z.
Whatever your views are, quiet quitting is undoubtedly tied to a lack of employee engagement and the latest challenge that organizations will need to address. But how can companies maximize employee engagement and motivate younger workers to deliver exceptional results? Learning and Development opportunities can help.
Employee Engagement and Job Satisfaction in Decline
According to a Gallup poll, the number of engaged employees dropped from 36% in 2020 to 34% in 2021, and again to 32% in 2022. Additionally, 19% of organizational workers are actively disengaged, meaning they do not enjoy their work, do the bare minimum, are disgruntled and disloyal, and often hinder productivity and morale.
60% of workers report being emotionally detached at work, and 19% are “miserable.” Of course, a lack of engagement affects the bottom line of businesses. Disengaged employees cost their company the equivalent of 18% of their annual salary, with these employees costing the world $7.8 trillion in lost productivity. In addition, businesses with engaged workers have 23% higher profits compared with businesses with disengaged workers.
While quiet quitting may mean establishing healthy boundaries and work-life balance for some workers, for employers it remains a source of employee disengagement that threatens organizational performance and growth.
Workers Want Learning and Development Opportunities
Various studies have found that Learning and Development opportunities are in-demand and increase employee engagement and job satisfaction.
57% of U.S. workers want to update their skills, and 48% would consider switching jobs to do it.
80% of employees said that learning and development opportunities would increase their engagement at work.
71% of workers say job training and development increase their job satisfaction.
91% of employees want more training opportunities from their employers.
And younger workers in particular value these opportunities for learning.
76% of Gen Z workers see learning as the key to their advancement.
83% of Gen Z workers want to learn skills to perform better in their current roles.
66% of workers between 18 and 24 years of age ranked upskilling and reskilling as the third-most important benefit when assessing new job opportunities, behind health insurance and disability benefits.
If employee disengagement and lack of job satisfaction are both causes and products of quiet quitting, then employers should take note of the above statistics to optimally engage employees.
Training & eLearning Opportunities to Increase Engagement
To keep younger workers engaged, motivated, and productive, and mitigate the effects of quiet quitting, organizations can give employees ample learning and development opportunities. These can be provided through an eLearning or virtual instructor-led training approach to engage a global or remote workforce.
Structured, strategic, and comprehensive training programs can give employees helpful and engaging learning experiences, thus increasing employee engagement, satisfaction, and retention. Formal training programs can be delivered through virtual instructor-led training, allowing for face-to-face interaction and real-time conversation with subject matter experts.
Instructionally designed skills training videos also help engage young workers by providing them with learning opportunities that they can pursue at their own pace, at any time, from anywhere, in a format they prefer. In fact, 56% of Gen Z find learning material more engaging if video is included.
To go one step further, companies can have custom eLearning content developed that is tailored to their organization’s business goals, branding, and workers’ individual roles and skills needs. Personalized eLearning content specific to younger workers’ roles and applicable to their day-to-day work will engage them much more than generic or “off-the-shelf” eLearning courses.
Focus on Health and Wellness and Work-Life Balance
In addition to providing role-based learning opportunities, organizations should also be sure to focus on providing specific health and wellness and work-life balance training as well.
Studies show that 66% of Gen Z would like a culture built on health and wellness and 42% of Gen Z workers prioritize work-life balance over other job perks. eLearning courses and training videos focused on health and wellness and maintaining work-life balance can be provided to both management and reporting employees to address concerns over stress and burnout.
By implementing learning opportunities centered around health and wellness and work-life balance, employers can show younger workers they are taking the initiative to invest in their wellbeing, therefore reducing the risk of employee disengagement.
In Conclusion
Whether you agree or disagree with quiet quitting, this trend remains a movement that stems from a lack of employee engagement and threatens to disrupt business productivity and growth. But organizations do have the option to proactively address this by providing exactly what young workers are looking for: engaging opportunities for learning and development. Are you look to improve employee retention and increase your company’s productivity? See how we can help!