Canadian workplaces not offering professional training, ADP reports
by Canadian Manufacturing.com Staff
40 per cent of Canadians say that their company rarely or never provides them with career development support, according to ADP Canada's Sentiment Survey
TORONTO—A business is only as strong as its employees, and a recent survey by ADP Canada finds Canadian companies aren’t doing enough to help their employees improve and grow professionally.
40 per cent of working Canadians say that their company rarely or never provides them with career development support, and almost equal numbers, 39 per cent, say they would leave and take a pay cut from another employer that offered better professional development opportunities.
This is according to the ADP Canada Sentiment Survey, a research series put together by the human resources specialist that identifies Canadian workplace trends. 828 working Canadians were surveyed between Jan. 30 and Feb. 2 2017.
Skills development programs, technical training, career mapping and mentoring are the services many Canadians feel are missing from their workplace, according to the report.
19 per cent say they haven’t asked for this type of support, while 14 per cent feel they aren’t senior enough to receive it. 9 per cent say their boss doesn’t have time to address their needs in this respect.
65 per cent of workers are ready to do professional development but feel their company is selling them short.
53 per cent agree that professional development would be nice, but they’re resigned to the fact that they probably won’t get it from their employer.
21 per cent believe professional development support isn’t that important and “it’s just a job.”
For those who are ready to undertake professional development, ADP argues that if they aren’t given the opportunity, they will go elsewhere—even for a pay cut.
“Our latest ADP Sentiment Survey reveals that Canadian workers face a troubling growth gap, and their employers are ultimately the ones that will pay the price,” said Sooky Lee, general manager, Human Resources Business Process Outsourcing at ADP Canada.
Lee has three tips for employers to actively foster professional development:
- Think ahead to the skills you’ll need from your team: Employers should compare the skills their workforce has now, with those they’ll need in the next three to five years.
- Make training and development the norm, not the exception: Lee says training and development shouldn’t be viewed as onerous, disruptive or expensive.
- Empower management so they can empower employees: Lee says some workers naturally want to learn new skills, while others need a nudge, but in all cases, employees need employers that can devote resources to help them grow and develop.
