Learning and developing is a key driver to boosting employee engagement. In fact, 80% of employees said learning and development opportunities would help them feel more engaged on the job. The same survey found that one of the top reasons employees feel disengaged or bored at work is the lack of opportunities to grow and learn.

Although engagement is influenced by many other factors such as company culture, the leadership team and incentive programmes, learning and development can make a huge difference in improving confidence levels, motivation, performance and overall happiness at work.

If you’re not currently offering learning and development opportunities to your employees, here are some reasons why you should be.

Boost Confidence

Gaining more knowledge and developing skills is a great way to boost confidence as it gives employees a greater understanding of their responsibilities. For those who have areas of their role that they struggle with, learning and development will give them the opportunity to focus on improving this and find their self-esteem outside their comfort zone.

For those in client-facing roles, a boost in confidence will be reflected in the service they provide. Think of it like this… If you’re heading out to buy a new mobile phone and you ask the customer assistant for some advice, if they seem fairly clueless and are stumbling over their words, it’s likely you won’t feel confident in their advice. Whereas if they were showing confidence and came across as extremely knowledgeable, you’d feel a lot happier in committing to purchase off the back of their advice.

A boost in confidence levels will enhance overall performance as employees will feel more empowered to achieve more and climb higher. This leads us nicely to the next point…

Enhance Performance

It’s pretty clear that if your employees are knowledgeable and well-trained then their performance is more likely to improve. By refining their skills and expanding their knowledge, employees will be better equipped to do well in their jobs.

A report published in “The International Journal of Business and Management Research” indicates that 90% of employees surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that training and development programmes improved their job performance.

Employees who invest time in keeping on top of changing industry standards will help your business hold a position as a leader and strong competitor within the industry.

Drive Motivation

Sure, learning and development will enhance performance, however, this will only happen if the employee wants to put their learning and development into practice. They have to want to deliver great results! If they’re committing to bettering themselves, then that’s a great sign that they want to perform well.

By investing in learning and development, you’ll show your employees just have serious you are about their potential and you value them as individuals. Feeling valued and having the opportunity to develop will give your employees a motivation boost and they’ll be more engaged with their jobs.

Improve Overall Happiness

A boost in confidence and improved performance will enhance the employee’s overall happiness at work. Unhappy employees can indulge in absenteeism so offering training and development to improve happiness will also result in less absence.

If their job offers them satisfaction and the opportunity for growth, they will become loyal, resulting in improved retention. Research from LinkedIn’s 2018 Workplace Learning & Development Report revealed that 94% of employees said that they would stay at a company longer if it invested in their career development.

As this week marks learning at work week, it gives businesses the perfect opportunity to reflect on current learning and development opportunities and explore new ones. It’s also a great opportunity to celebrate and recognise those employees who are investing in enhancing their skills and career.