2 in 5 employees have resigned over insufficient development opportunities

Time hindered 57% from undertaking learning and development activities.

Two in five Singapore employees have resigned after their company failed to deliver the sufficient learning and development (L&D) opportunities they sought, LinkedIn revealed in its Future of Skills 2019 Report, adding that only 17% of workers express satisfaction over their company’s current L&D offerings.

Of the employee respondents, 57% cited time as the most significant barrier preventing them from undertaking L&D activities at work, although cost, accessibility, access to resources and general level of interest in the content also prevent them from undertaking L&D activities. The issue is also compounded by a mismatch in the company’s offerings and what employees want.

“It is therefore important for organisations to have a deep understanding of their current talent pool, and how to evolve it for their long-term business goals. Helping current talent to upskill or reskill early can help organisations ensure that their future talent needs are met,” said Feon Ang, vice president for talent and learning solutions, Asia Pacific, LinkedIn.

Employees are mindful of the need to upskill but believe that their companies are lagging behind when it comes to L&D, with almost 2 in 3 respondents daunted by the pace of change in their industries. Currently, the top 10 rising skills in APAC are dominated by technology-related skills, with the top three in Singapore’s workforce being blockchain, workflow automation and human-centred design.

At the same time, employees and L&D professionals also understand the increasing importance of soft skills in determining career progression. In the report, 62% of employees and 54% of L&D professionals in Singapore see soft skills, such as creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving, as playing a vital role.