Training has long been essential to workforce development. Flexing the muscle of the mind, helping your colleagues to reskill, upskill and stretch their thinking is the best way to improve not only the flexibility of your organisation, but also is a great way to give back to your people.

Younger generations are keener than ever to get their teeth into new skills. In fact one survey even found 79% of Gen Z employees and 75% of Millennials said they’d actively look for a new job if their current employer didn’t offer upskilling opportunities (Seismic).

With the accelerating pace of technological advances, quick, continuous and frequent upskilling will be essential for organisations simply just to keep up with others – ever heard of theRed Queen effect? We’re not just adapting to get ahead, we’re adapting to not be left behind in the dirt.

Incoming upskilling investment

It appears leaders are seeing this seismic shift and taking it seriously. According to the Oliver Wyman CEO Agenda 2025, four out of five CEOs plan to invest in raising workforce skills in the next two years, a significant proportion.

The remaining fifth may find that standing still comes with a cost. Workforces cannot afford to stay static anymore.

This move to invest more in skills is welcome, but this shift must extend across the entire workforce. It’s not just early-career employees who need development; mid and late career workers also equally need to be brought along with and evolve with the changing demands of work.

Yet despite CEO intent, the report also highlights a disconnect: 42% of employees believe their company is not going far enough in preparing them for long-term success.

Why this conflict?

Is there a mismatch between intention and reality?

This is perhaps the case for some, but equally the disconnect could reflect barriers such as low awareness of learning programmes, difficulty accessing training, or insufficient time and space in the workday for employees to do any upskilling or extra training.

There’s more to be done

Build clear guidance and comms that show what training programmes and opportunities your company has to offer. Employees need to understand what programmes exist, how to use them, and why they matter.

Beyond communication, organisations must create the right environment for learning. This means dedicated time, manager support, and a culture that places development at the centre, not on the sidelines like a wallflower at the side of the disco.

By enabling people to continually build their skills and flex their “little grey cells”, organisations will set themselves up for resilience and long-term success, with both a more engaged and more capable workforce.