Over 80% of employees are doing some kind of training activity at least once a year to brush up on existing skills or learn something new, but only 36% of L&D leaders know how their staff learn at work. To help you keep your employees engaged, we’ve looked at the research and developed a list of 5 things your employees want from your L&D program:

1. Give them clear learning goals and pathways

Spherion Staffing’s Emerging Workforce Study highlights the direct correlation between employee happiness and having clear goals and missions. The research shows that employees at companies with a clear mission and follow-through are 37% more satisfied with their training and development than those in organizations without those things. On the other hand, vague or unmeasurable goals can often lead to poor outcomes. That’s a huge waste of resources especially considering companies invest an average of $1,004 per worker in learning and development, according to Bersin by Deloitte.

2. Give them relevant training that helps them mend the “skills gap”

There are lots of debates over the scale and severity of the “skills gap,” but employees are definitely aware of its existence. That’s why 72% of employees say they value specialized training over an additional degree.

3. Give them both technical and soft skills

As employees progress through their professional pathways, their needs and preferences for learning content changes. Although the most sought-after subject area among professionals participating in training is still Computer and Technology, they increasingly desire leadership-oriented training. Yet only 38% of companies offer “soft skills”-centered training.

4. Give them autonomy over what and how they learn.

During an exclusive interview with Degreed, Tesla’s Director of Training Programs Beth Loeb-Davies explains that one of their key strategies for L&D is to to “treat people like adults and treat them with respect.” This resonates well with what most workers believe, as 92% strongly agree that employees should seek their own career development opportunities wherever they might be. In application, this means having faith in their learning abilities and giving your employees autonomy over what and how they like to learn.

5. Give them learning that fits into their schedules (or work patterns?)

When it comes to professional training, the most frequent excuse we hear is that “we don’t have time for that.” However, this doesn’t mean L&D should be left on the shelf. Even though today’s workers only have less than 1% of their workweek to devote to professional development and learning, it’s a personal priority for them to progress. Harvard Business Review Reported that one of the top 3 fears of workers was getting stuck with no development opportunities. Our research confirms this, as 48.3% of surveyed employees chose development opportunities over benefits.

By giving your employees what they want from L&D, you can create a program that best serves your employees needs and creates a true learning culture. Around here, we believe that learning cultures eat strategic learning for breakfast. Learn how Degreed can help you give employees what they want.