Nearly half (45 percent) of HR managers interviewed said their greatest staffing concern is employee training and development. Retaining top performers came in second, with 27 percent of the response.
The survey was developed by OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service specializing in the placement of highly skilled administrative professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on telephone interviews with more than 500 HR managers at companies with 20 or more employees.
HR managers were asked, “Which of the following is your greatest staffing concern as a human resources professional?” Their responses were:
- Training and developing employees – 45 percent
- Retaining top-performing employees – 27 percent
- Recruiting new employees – 23 percent
- None/doesn't apply – 5 percent
“As workers take on expanded responsibilities, it becomes more important for companies to offer professional development to help their teams keep up,” said OfficeTeam Executive Director Robert Hosking. “Training programs boost job satisfaction for employees by enabling them to build new skills and take on more challenging roles.”
Workplace Redefined, a recent Robert Half study that examined the attitudes of multiple generations of workers, showed that professionals of all ages value ongoing education. “Job security is on everyone's minds, and having up-to-date skills is the key to staying relevant and marketable,” noted Hosking. “By providing training opportunities, companies demonstrate they’re committed to their employees’ long-term career growth, and this can help with their retention efforts.”
