LSC Train to Gain survey finds employees would like to use extra day for training

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Leap year is always romantically associated in Britain, when women get the much awaited chance to propose marriage to their beaus. It looks like romance is the last thing on the mind of employees, this February. Almost a third of UK’s workforce would like to train, making the most out of this leap year, reveals a new survey conducted by LSC’s Train to Gain.

Despite such passion and enthusiasm, the survey which interrogated over 1000 employees nationwide, shows that almost half admitted that training is often overlooked at work, resulting in a lack of communication between bosses and their workforce. While 42% thought their employer is unlikely to give them training, over half the supervisors questioned said they would.

Managed by LSC, Train to Gain is the Government’s flagship service to support employers in England, of all sizes and in all sectors, to improve the skills of their employees, unlock talent and drive improved business performance.

While exploring the reasons behind lack of proper training, the survey found out that 49% of the respondents were put off by the expenses associated with it while 61% blamed it upon the time constraint they were subjected to.

However, in spite of all the odds, training is still indispensable for the productivity, innovation and competitive levels of both the individual and the company. An earlier survey by the LSC established that if you invest time and money in learning, employees of all levels can grow their salary by £2,000 to £3,000 every year.

Train to Gain, Director, Glenn Robinson said: “Given that it’s a Leap Year, why don”t you propose to your employer? Don”t get left behind: this is the perfect opportunity to speak to your employer and ask for the training you need. Improving your skills will help you take control of your future and will have as much impact on your career as it will on your general well being.

Deputy Secretary General at the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Frances OGrady, said: “In todays fast paced world, the biggest barrier to training is time. The survey shows a welcome thirst for learning, but too many employers dont recognise the value of training and refuse to give time off to train. More employers should get involved in Train to Gain, which will benefit staff and raise skills at their organisation.”

One business, Martins World Travel has certainly benefited from the Train to Gain – their annual profits were boosted by 15%. Impressed by the positive results, they are going to use the scheme to improve the skills of even more employees. Branch manager, Kevin Groom, said, “Training sharpened the awareness of our customers” needs and we”ve converted sales that we wouldn”t have had this time a year ago.”

Rinku Chatterjee