5 Reasons to Invest in Professional Development

Published Date September 11, 2023

News Type Leadership News

Professional Development Program Manager

As Ohio’s labor market continues to recover from the pandemic and workers’ priorities continue to evolve, many organizations are facing challenges in attracting and retaining top talent while addressing employees’ career needs. There is a growing body of evidence that demonstrates how access to professional development supports employee and organizational growth.

Below are five reasons to invest in employee development and learning:

1. Learning opportunities attract better talent.

Employees are more likely to choose jobs that offer opportunities for learning and growth. Organizations are more likely to attract top talent when these benefits are explicitly mentioned as a benefit and are encouraged in workplace culture.

A recent survey by Deloitte found that learning and development opportunities were in the top three reasons why Gen Z and millennials chose new jobs.

2. Access to professional development encourages employee retention.

What do public service professionals want to learn?

Employees are interested in developing skills in technologies like artificial intelligence and Excel and communication skills like presentation and public speaking.

Professional development can help employees feel more prepared and engaged in their work. When employees have access to learning opportunities, they are more likely to be motivated and feel valued in their jobs, leading to a lower turnover rate.

LinkedIn’s Global Talent trends report showed that companies have a nearly 7% higher retention rate at the three-year mark with employees who have learned new skills on the job.

3. It supports your organization’s leadership pipeline.

Develop future leaders.

Rising leaders want to feel more confident in their abilities to manage and supervise. Consider offering courses like Transitioning Into Supervision, Elevation Through Effective Delegation and Managing in the Middle Using High-Impact Communication.

Developing future generations of leaders is critical in such a competitive labor market. Investing in skill building and training upskills high potential employees and supports career advancement, helping employees contribute in greater ways to their organizations.

Employees who have access to training are more likely to be promoted and to stay with their organization for a longer period of time.

4. Access to training supports employee wellness and a healthy work environment.

Many roads lead to development.

Check out Mental Health America’s list of training suggestions or consider these relevant MAPS courses:

More focus is being paid to creating healthy work environments that support employee wellness. Organizations can support employee mental health and well-being by increasing access to training that focuses on stress management, mindfulness, workplace well-being and communication.

According to a 2022 Mental Health America Report, companies that invest in developing supportive managers are correlated with overall healthier workplace scores.

5. Learning is critical for building a more inclusive and resilient society.

Learning and development empowers employees to become more effective problem-solvers and communicators, more engaged in their work and equipped to have a greater impact on the communities they serve.

By offering employees more opportunities to learn and grow, you create a team connected to meaningful work and better equipped to address the needs of the people they serve.

These examples demonstrate why access to professional development should go from a “nice-to-have” to the forefront of organizations’ talent strategies. By offering employees opportunities to learn and grow, organizations can create a more engaged and productive workforce.

The Glenn College is here to help.

Check out our professional development opportunities geared toward public and nonprofit organizations.