Chartered Institute

of Personnel and Survey report March 2005

Development

WHO LEARNS
AT WORK?
EMPLOYEES’
EXPERIENCES OF
TRAINING AND
DEVELOPMENT
Contents

Summary of key findings 3

Introduction 4

How much training do people receive? 5

How successful was the training? 7

Evaluation 8

Different forms of training – how much are they used and how appealing are they? 9

Barriers to training 11

Learning outside work 12

Training in small firms 13

Who has the learning opportunities? 14

Conclusions 15

Background to the survey 16

Who learns at work? 1

Summary of key findings

Who Learns at Work? investigates what 750 people who participated in a training activity
at work in the 12 months before the survey – the customers – thought of the training
they received. It looks at who received the most training opportunities, preferred training
methods and how successful the training was.

• Of the 750 respondents, 78% had received some • Only 16% of respondents have declined the offer
form of training in the previous 12 months. of training in the past 12 months. The main reasons
given by people for turning down the offer of
• Just over three-quarters (79%) of people say their training are that they are too busy (43%) or that
employer provides them with enough training the training is not relevant to their job (28%).
opportunities.
• Nearly a quarter of respondents have undertaken
• Ninety-four per cent believe the training they training outside work in the past 12 months.
received had helped them do their job better.
• Those working in small businesses are less likely to
• Sixty-two per cent of respondents who have receive training.
undertaken training in the past 12 months have
explored with someone how useful it was to them • There remains inequality in learning provision.
in their work. Those with higher levels of qualifications are more
likely to receive training, as are those in younger
• The most common forms of training received are age groups. Part-time workers are as likely to
training held in a meeting room or classroom and receive training as their full-time counterparts, yet
on-the-job training. But on-the-job training is by far the evidence suggests they receive marginally fewer
the most popular method, with over half (54%) of days per year.
respondents rating it as their preferred method of
learning.

Who learns at work? 3

Introduction

It’s widely accepted that the UK should invest more in There is also an emphasis on the individual taking
skills to help close the much-discussed productivity gap responsibility for their own learning, with individually
with other major economies. The importance of human tailored training interventions such as one-to-one
capital to organisations has been widely reported by coaching showing a sharp increase.
organisations including the CIPD and is considered to
make a significant contribution to competitive While there are a number of strong themes emerging,
advantage. these are coming from the perspective of the training
and development professional.
Rapid economic change and faster depreciation of new
skills have led to a greater need for employers to invest Who Learns at Work? (2005) builds on the 2002 survey
in ongoing training to ensure that employees skills are and investigates what 750 people who participated in a
constantly updated. And there’s good reason to suppose training activity at work in the 12 months before the
that these skills requirements will go on rising. survey thought of the training they received. It seeks to
determine from the individual perspective if enough
But employers are often criticised by Government for training is available, if it is relevant and successful, and
not providing enough training, and they are increasingly what the preferred methods of learning are.
reporting widespread skills shortages.

Within this context, training and development in

organisations remains in the limelight. Since 1998 the
CIPD’s training and development surveys have tracked a
number of significant changes in the training and
development practices used in UK organisations and the
priorities of training and development practitioners.

Recent years have seen a significant shift in focus – from

training to learning. Learning is the process by which a
person constructs new knowledge, skills and capabilities,
whereas training is one of several responses an
organisation can undertake to promote learning.
Learning must be cultivated everywhere, at all times, not
only on training courses and not only in response to
perceived gaps in capability. What people choose to
learn is likely to be more important to the business than
what they are trained to do as it increases the adaptive
capacity that allows organisations to remain agile in the
face of uncertain conditions.

4 Who learns at work?

How much training do
people receive?

Seventy-eight per cent of those interviewed had received some form of training
in the past 12 months.

The results present a positive picture of both the training sessions. The mean number of training activities
percentage of employees who receiving training and the in the past year is 4.9.
amount of training they are receiving. Seventy-eight per
cent of those interviewed had received some form of Respondents working in the public sector are more likely
training in the past 12 months. than those working in the private sector to have received
training on more than five occasions in the past 12
Those working for larger organisations or in the public months (28% as opposed to 21%). Based on the means,
sector are more likely to receive training than those those who received the most training are those in
working for smaller companies. Women are more likely companies with 500+ employees, those working full-time
than men to receive training. These differences and and those with a degree. Respondents in the youngest
others are discussed later in this report (see page 14). age group (16–24) participated in more training activities
in the past 12 months than those aged 25 and above.
Over one-third (37%) of those who received training in
the past 12 months did so on one or two occasions. Figure 1 shows the number of training activities
Twenty-seven per cent participated in six or more participated in by those receiving training.

Figure 1: Number of training activities participated in by those receiving training

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Base: 586 (all who had received training in the past 12 months)

Who learns at work? 5

There are differences in the amount of training received To gauge the employee perspective, we asked
by employees, yet over three-quarters (79%) of people respondents in the current Who Learns at Work? survey
state that their employer provides them with enough who had initiated their most recent training. Only 17%
training opportunities. had initiated it themselves.

Initiating training Line managers have a critical role to play. As Figure 2

Of the 531 training and development practitioners who illustrates, 45% say that their line manager initiated
were respondents in the CIPD’s Survey Report, Training their most recent training.
and Development 2004, 94% agreed that employees
should take more responsibility for their own learning Initiating training themselves is more likely where
and development. Yet this shift towards individual respondents possess a degree. This would appear to
responsibility for learning appears to be very much in confirm that the more learning an individual undergoes,
the early stages. The training and development survey the more confident they are in requesting further
found that, in most organisations (60%), the HR/ opportunities. Individuals initiating training are also
training department is responsible for driving learning more likely to be in organisations with less than 20
and development activity. employees, where there’s unlikely to be an HR/training
department.

Figure 2: Who initiated your most recent training activity?

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Base: 586 (all who had received training in the past 12 months)

6 Who learns at work?

How successful was the training?

Ninety-four per cent of respondents who have undertaken training in the past 12 months
believe the training they received has helped them do their job better.

As Figure 3 illustrates, half (50%) think the training Employees and training and development professionals
received has been very successful, while a further 44% appear equally positive about the training experience.
judge it to have been quite successful. The CIPD Training and Development 2004 survey found
that 94% of respondents believe that the training
These striking results confirm the importance of training delivered is of ‘great benefit’ (79%) or ‘some benefit’
in the workplace and the value that employees place on (15%) to their organisation. The remaining 6%
training and development opportunities. registered their responses as ‘don’t know’, thereby
highlighting the possible difficulties involved in assessing
Only 6% of people report that their training was not the benefits of training from the perspective of the HR/
successful. Given the small sample size (34 training department.
respondents), care should be taken when drawing
conclusions. However, the top two reasons given by
those who judge their training to have been
unsuccessful are that the training was not relevant to
their job and that they already knew what was covered.

Figure 3: How successful has the training been in helping you do your job better?

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Base: 586 (all who had received training in the past 12 months)

Who learns at work? 7

Evaluation

Sixty-two per cent of respondents say that the usefulness of the training has been
discussed with them.

Successive training and development surveys have in their work. Sixty-two per cent said that the
stressed the importance of evaluation but some usefulness of the training had been discussed with
respondents report difficulties in the practicalities of them. Discussion is more likely to happen in the public
evaluation because the impact of training is often not sector than the private sector (65% as opposed to
directly measurable. Yet, as is illustrated in the CIPD 57%) and where there are more than 100 employees.
Change Agenda, Human Capital: External reporting
framework, people management and development Where discussions about the success of the training take
professionals need to take a lead in presenting and place, over half (51%) take place with respondents’ line
collating the information that is necessary for managers. Thirty-five per cent hold discussions with
organisations to demonstrate their effectiveness in someone from their HR/training department and 17%
sourcing, managing and retaining the vital human with an external provider. There are no significant
capital they need for business success. And assessing differences between the public and private sectors.
the effectiveness of training and development in the
workplace is a key contributor to this. Line manager support is therefore important in driving
training and in evaluating the effectiveness of training.
So how regularly do employees have an opportunity to Getting management buy-in for training and ensuring
‘evaluate’ the success of their training with someone? that line managers are serious in their approach to
Respondents who had undertaken training in the past learning remains a priority for training and development
12 months were asked if, whether following the practitioners.
training, anyone had explored how useful it is to them

Figure 4: What was the role of the person who explored the usefulness of the training with you?

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Base: 361 (all who explored the usefulness of the training with someone)

8 Who learns at work?

Different forms of training –
how much are they used and
how appealing are they?

The most common form of training received in the past 12 months by respondents is
training held in a meeting/classroom or on-the-job training.

In the CIPD’s Training and Development 2004 survey, Training in a meeting room or classroom is most evident
respondents gave the average proportions of formal in the public (61%) rather than private sector (45%).
and informal training delivered in organisations as 40% Full-time employees are a little more likely than part-
formal and 60% informal. time employees to have received training in a meeting
or classroom (55% compared to 49%). Those not
The most common form of training received in the past possessing a degree are more likely to have received
12 months by respondents to this survey is training held on-the-job training.
in a meeting room/classroom or on-the-job training.
Figure 5 illustrates the prevalence of these two methods The Training and Development 2004 survey examined
and shows the most recent forms of training received. the growing trend of coaching. Training and
development practitioners were asked if their
organisation’s use of coaching had changes in the

Figure 5: The forms of training received in the past 12 months

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Who learns at work? 9

last few years. Seventy-seven per cent reported at least meeting room or classroom is the best method of
a small increase. This is reflected in the responses given learning for them. This supports the growth of informal
by learners in this survey, with coaching featuring high methods of learning, but also indicates a mismatch
in the table of techniques used. between the learning that is taking place in organisations
and the learning that employees believe is most effective.
As we have seen, classroom and on-the-job training are
the techniques most used, but what do the learners Figures 6 and 7 show the best and least appealing
prefer? Learners prefer active rather than passive methods of learning. Four ways of learning emerge
learning. The respondents’ clearly preferred method of almost equally as the least appealing methods of
learning is being shown something and then practising it. learning: reading books/articles, watching videos,
This is particularly true for those with no or low levels of correspondence courses and accessing learning material
qualifications. Only 19% state that being taught in a via the Internet.

Figure 6: The best method of learning

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Figure 7: Least appealing method of learning

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10 Who learns at work?

Barriers to training

Sixteen per cent of respondents have declined the offer of training in the past 12 months.

Interviewees were asked whether their employers had than men to cite family/personal commitments outside
offered them any training in the past 12 months that work as a reason for turning down training. Women,
they hadn’t taken up. Only 16% of respondents had however, are slightly more likely to give lack of time as
declined the offer of training. a reason.

As Figure 8 shows, the main reasons given by people Those groups who have received the most training in
for turning down the offer of training are that they are the past 12 months (full-time employees, those working
too busy (43%) or that the training is not relevant to in the public sector, those in companies with 500+
their job (28%). employees and those with a degree) are also the groups
that have declined more training opportunities.
Eighteen per cent of women decline training compared
to 15% of men. Interestingly, women are no more likely

Figure 8: Why training is not taken up

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Base: 121 (all who had declined training in the past 12 months)

Who learns at work? 11

Learning outside work

Twenty per cent of respondents have undertaken training in their leisure time.

Table 1: Percentage of respondents who have undertaken training outside work in the past 12 months

Gender Highest qualification Working status Age

Male Female Degree GCSE/A None/ Full- Part- 16–24 25–34 35–44 45–54 55+
or above level CSE time time

20 20 34 19 6 18 25 23 24 20 17 17

Base: 750 (all respondents)

The breadth of learning opportunities available to Table 1 confirms that those with qualifications are
individuals means that there are considerable amounts considerably more likely to undertake training outside
of learning taking place outside the workplace. work than those without. There is small decline by age
Interviewees were therefore asked whether they have in the likelihood of individuals to undertake training
done any courses or other training outside work in the outside work.
last 12 months and, if so, whether this training was
work-related, purely for personal interest, or both.

Twenty per cent of respondents have undertaken

training, whether personal or work-related, in their
leisure time. The 148 who have undertaken training
outside work explained that it was as likely to be purely
for personal interest (39%) as it was to be purely for
work-related reasons (38%); 24% say that the training
was for both reasons.

12 Who learns at work?

Training in small firms

Interviewees working in firms with more than 100 employees are more than twice as likely
to receive training as those working in smaller organisations.

Previous studies have suggested that those working in People working in businesses with less than 100
small businesses are less likely to receive training from their employees are no less or more likely to turn down training
employers. The experiences of respondents who work in opportunities, but they are slightly more likely to feel that
firms employing less than 100 people confirm these they are not offered sufficient training opportunities.
findings. Interviewees working in firms with more than
100 employees are more than twice as likely to receive Table 2 compares the experiences of people working in
training as those working in small organisations. small businesses with those working in larger businesses.

It also confirms that interviewees in small businesses As might be expected, there is a close correlation
who have received training in the past 12 months are between the size of the organisation – and therefore the
more likely to receive on-the-job training. But this is not likelihood of having an HR/training department – and
a negative result as respondents across the board whether respondents have the opportunity to explore if
indicate a clear preference for on-the-job training. There their training has been successful. This is clearly an issue
is also little difference of opinion by size of organisation for owners/managers in small organisations as there is
in terms of the success of the training. the possibility that the training activity that is taking place
might not be meeting organisational objectives.

Table 2: Individuals’ learning experiences, by size of employing company percentage of respondents answering ‘yes’)
Company size (employees)
1–19 20–99 100–499 500+
No employer-provided training in the past 12 months 44 29 18 16
Training in a meeting room or classroom undertaken 29 37 45 64
On-the-job training undertaken 33 47 52 42
Training/coaching one-to-one from a coach or mentor 13 16 27 25
undertaken
Training/coaching one-to-one from a line manager undertaken 8 16 25 32
Training received electronically 8 8 18 26
Training ‘very’ or ‘quite’ successful 90 92 94 93
Whether anyone explored if training was useful 40 45 63 71
Training offered but not taken up 12 9 12 15
Not enough training opportunities 27 21 22 25
Course/other training undertaken outside work in the past 9 17 22 24
12 months

Who learns at work? 13

Who has the learning opportunities?

The survey enabled differences to be identified between respondents based on education,

whether they were in full- or part-time employment, and age.

Table 3: Percentage of respondents who had received training in the past 12 months

Gender Highest qualification Working status Age

Male Female Degree GCSE/A None/ Full- Part- 16–24 25–34 35–44 45–54 55+
or above level CSE time time

74 82 84 80 67 78 78 85 81 83 73 71

Base: 750 (all respondents)

There remains inequality in learning provision. Those receive marginally fewer days per year (a mean average
with higher levels of qualifications are more likely to of 4.3 days compared to 5.1 days for full-time
receive training, as are those in younger age groups. employees).

Women are also more likely to receive training than Full-time respondents are more likely to receive training
men. Relatively high levels of training are taking place held in a meeting room or classroom than part-time
across the board, however, and it is encouraging, respondents (55% and 49% respectively). Both groups
although not the ideal, to see that 71% of respondents receive almost equal amounts of on-the-job training.
over 55 are receiving training.
When asked if their employer provided enough training
Table 3 illustrates that there is no difference between opportunities, there was little difference by education,
full- and part-time employees in the percentage that working status or age (Table 4).
had received training, yet the evidence suggests they

Table 4: Whether their employer provides enough training opportunities (percentage of respondents answering ‘no’)

Gender Highest qualification Working status Age

Male Female Degree GCSE/A None/ Full- Part- 16–24 25–34 35–44 45–54 55+
or above level CSE time time

23 19 17 23 18 22 20 18 24 21 21 19

Base: 750 (all respondents)

14 Who learns at work?

Conclusions

Large amounts of training is taking place in the workplace and it is well

received by employees.

Training works. The results of Who Learns at Work? the ‘have-nots’. Those with higher levels of qualifications
present a positive picture of the effectiveness of training, continue to receive more training, as do those in younger
with an overwhelming 94% of respondents believing that age groups. The results confirm that those with degrees
the training they receive helps them to do their job better. are also more confident in initiating training, and they
undertake more learning outside the workplace. There is
Employees are very positive about taking up learning no evidence, however, that those with lower levels of
opportunities. Only 16% of respondents had declined skills are more likely to turn down training opportunities.
the offer of training in the past 12 months. Time remains In fact, the opposite is true. The CIPD Think-piece, Basic
the main barrier to taking up training. Ensuring that Skills in the Workplace (2005), demonstrates that
employees have enough time to learn at work should workplaces need to think about the skills of all their
therefore remain a priority for training and development employees and encourage them to improve their
professionals. reading, writing and mathematical skills at a range of
levels, with training and development professionals
The role of the line manager is critical to training and providing additional support for those with lower levels
development in organisations. Line managers initiate a of skills. The results of this survey indicate that there is
high percentage of the training that takes place. They some way to go before this is the case.
are also responsible for over half of the discussions with
employees on the effectiveness of training that takes Small organisations still don’t train as much as larger
place. Ensuring that line managers have the skills for and organisations. Interviewees working in organisations with
are committed to support learning and development is more than 100 employees are more than twice as likely
essential. to receive training as those working in small
organisations. Where training does take place in small
Training and development professionals may agree that organisations, it is likely to be on-the-job training, which
employees should take more responsibility for their own we know is well received by employees. Any government
learning and development, but this is clearly in the early interventions targeted at small businesses should
stages, particularly for those with low levels of therefore focus on on-the-job training.
qualifications, and high levels of organisational support
are still required. The CIPD has long argued that a system based on rigid
qualification structures and targets, often linked with
Learners prefer active to passive methods of learning. classroom training, does not sit well with employers’
On-the-job training is the favoured method of learning need for flexibility and responsiveness. The evidence
for all categories of employee. This could be seen as a gathered as part of this survey confirms that employees
mismatch to the amount of classroom-based training believe that the majority of training undertaken is
that is currently taking place. successful, but they express a strong preference for on-
the-job learning. Government interventions must take
Training is widespread, but there remains an inequality in account of the preferred learning interventions of both
the amount of training received between the ‘haves’ and individuals and organisations.

Who learns at work? 15

Background to the survey

To gather the information, 750 telephone interviews The data were weighted to ensure accuracy and all the
with people in employment were carried out across figures in this report represent the weighted data.
Great Britain. Those not in jobs or those who were
self-employed were excluded. The sample (breakdowns Training was defined in the interviews as ‘any form of
shown in Tables 5 and 6) was representative of planned instruction or tuition, whether it was carried
employees in the public and private sectors and of out at the workplace or elsewhere, which was provided
full- and part-time employees. Respondents were also by your employer with the aim of helping you do your
divided to make them representative of employees job better’.
within different sizes of private sector organisations in
terms of numbers of employees. The company sizes The interviews took place in October and November
were 1–9, 20–99, 100–499, and 500+ employees. 2004 and were conducted by Plus Four Market
The sample was almost equally split between male Research Limited. This Survey Report was written by
and female respondents. Victoria Gill, CIPD Adviser, Learning, Training and
Development.

Table 5: Respondent breakdown (%)

Gender Highest qualification Working status Age

Male Female Degree GCSE/A None/ Full- Part- 16–24 25–34 35–44 45–54 55+
or above level CSE time time

50 50 21 49 24 78 22 5 19 34 35 8
Base: 750 (all respondents)

Table 6: Organisation details (%)

Type of organisation Company size (employees) Region
Private Public Non- 1-19 20-99 100-499 500+ North Midlands South Scotland Wales
profit
43 35 22 18 20 14 43 28 12 41 13 8

16 Who learns at work?

We explore leading-edge people management and development issues through our research.
Our aim is to share knowledge, increase learning and understanding, and help our members
make informed decisions about improving practice in their organisations.

We produce many resources on learning, training and development issues including guides,
books, practical tools, surveys and research reports. We also organise a number of conferences,
events and training courses. To find out more please visit www.cipd.co.uk

The interviews took place in October and November 2004 and were conducted by Plus Four
Market Research Limited. This Survey Report was written by Victoria Gill, CIPD Adviser,
Learning, Training and Development.
Issued: March 2005 Reference: 3272

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