According to a study conducted by the learning platform Skillsoft, there is a gap between the strategic priorities of organisations for 2025 and their workforce’s readiness to achieve these goals.
A survey of over 2,100 employees from the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Germany revealed that only 48 percent of respondents were aware of the strategic goals of their organization for the upcoming year. Only 40 percent of those who were informed felt that their role was very clear in helping to achieve these goals. And only 33 percent believed their skills were closely aligned.
According to the study, improving operational efficiency (48%) and increasing revenue and profitability (46%), as well as enhancing customer satisfaction (39%) are top priorities of organisations for 2025. Priorities such as closing skills gaps (19%) and improving leadership and managing (19%) were deemed to be of lesser importance.
Employees report gaps in training and preparation
Only 23 percent of respondents said they felt fully prepared to face future challenges at work. Nearly a fifth of respondents cited a lack in training and skill-development opportunities as their primary concern over the past year. Despite the rapid changes and technological advances in the workplace, only 31% of employees said they received new training opportunities or skill development, which included exposure to emerging tools such as generative AI.
Employees want more frequent, updated, and personalised training. As a way to improve preparedness, mentoring and coaching have also been highlighted.
According to the findings, organisations are facing significant challenges in acquiring and retaining talent (31%) and meeting customer expectations (28%), as well as in effective leadership and management (27%). A further 23 percent identified skill and competency gaps as a possible hurdle.
Burnout and dissatisfaction
Only 25 percent of employees expressed extreme satisfaction with their current role. The study also shows that employee dissatisfaction has a strong correlation with feelings of being unprepared for future challenges (86%), and lack of visibility in organisational goals (43%). Only 21 percent of respondents were very satisfied with the culture in their organization.
Burnout and exhaustion ranked as the most common challenges in the last year. They affected 39 percent of respondents. The other key challenges were decreased motivation and engagement (35%), and an overwhelming workload (35%).
Employees who are dissatisfied in their jobs believe that their skills don’t align with the strategic goals of their organization. Gen Z employees expressed higher levels of unhappiness (25%) than other age groups. This could be a sign that workplace expectations are different between generations. 54 percent of employees who are not satisfied with their jobs also expressed their dissatisfaction about the culture in their organization.
Communication and Development as Key Solutions
“It is clear that increasing operational efficiency, revenue and customer satisfaction are business priorities. It is difficult to achieve these goals if they are not broken down into measurable steps, communicated to the entire workforce, and a supportive environment exists for employees to develop new skills to support this strategy, said Ciara Hayrrington, Chief people officer, Skillsoft.
By creating a solid foundation of talent and communicating a strategy that is consistent, employees are better prepared to innovate, adapt and contribute to the long-term success of their organization.
