(This article was first published on the RTS Group LinkedIn profile as part of 2022 Stress Awareness Month series exploring how the Learning and Development industry can support upskilling and reduce the impact of stress in the workplace.)

Ask your team if they’d like more personal development at work and, chances are, they’ll say yes. And the PwC “Hopes and fears 2021” study backs this up, showing that in 2020:

💻 40% of workers improved their digital skills during lockdown

🖱 77% of people were ready to learn new skills

⌨️ 62% of UK workers were ready to learn new skills to remain employable in the future

Upskilling in a Changing World

That’s brilliant news for all of us in L&D – just think of the opportunities! But we see that the flipside is 39% of workers worry that their job will be obsolete in five years. Technical progression is inevitable. Increased automation is coming to all industries.

It’s a stressful thought.

Not just buzzwords

This is where L&D steps in. Upskilling… Personal Development… They’re not cute buzzwords to be thrown around in job interviews and ignored. Used well, they’ll boost morale and give your team the chance to grow, generate expertise and find new business opportunities. They open doors to promotions, progression, and that personal sense of success we’re all looking for at work.

The demand is already there in your workplace, and it can be a force for good in company wellbeing. Now it’s time to tap into that.

The challenge

“But,” we hear you say, “If we develop people they will leave us for other opportunities.”

That might be true, but not developing people is no longer an option.

52% of Gen Z and Millennials are considering changing employers this year according to Microsoft's 2022 Work Trend Index report. That’s over half your current and future work force. And since the pandemic, their priorities have changed, placing well-being and mental health over work.

To quote Dave Wild, employees have a “worth it” equation that you cannot afford ignore.

Do you want a stressed-out workforce held captive by frustration? Or do you want a motivated team that pushes your company forward with you?

Give your team control, let them flourish and grow. And if they leave you, let them spread your reputation as a company that grows people alongside profits. Walk the walk so that the next generation of talent wants to develop with you.