Learning and development top priority

A new survey has found that learning and development remains a key priority for UK businesses looking to retain staff in today’s ultra-competitive labour market.

Research conducted for the latest Global Hiring Trends Report produced by HireVue sought to ascertain how organisations are finding, hiring and keeping talented workers. Its findings suggest companies are increasingly focusing on retention strategies in order to avoid losing their best employees.

For instance, almost half of the 300+ UK-based hiring leaders surveyed for the study said their firms had invested in learning and development during 2021 in a bid to retain staff, while just over half had prioritised internal promotions to demonstrate a strong commitment to their workforce. Other commonly utilised incentives designed to keep workers happy included increased compensation, which nearly two in five businesses invested in, and employee culture events, deemed to be a priority by over a quarter of surveyed firms.

Commenting on the findings, Darren Jaffrey, General Manager at HireVue, said, “Resilience is key for businesses right now. The Great Resignation kickstarted the need for not only better hiring processes but also workplace cultures that advocate employee happiness.”