L&D departments’ inadequate training threatens recovery

"Slow" L&D departments are failing to deliver the skills businesses need to recover from the recession, a study has found.

The survey of business leaders from 100 of the UK's largest 500 companies found almost half cast doubt on their L&D department's ability to provide the necessary learning services needed to deliver the firm's upturn strategy.

And the majority of those quizzed said staff skills gaps were the greatest obstacle to capitalising on the recovery.

L&D company Capita, which carried out the research, says L&D departments have failed to deliver the skills businesses need to fight the recession and position for growth.

Chris Sharp, Capita Learning & Development managing director, said: "The post-recession landscape demands a range of new skills. Yet the UK workforce is critically lacking essential capabilities.

"Firms have failed to provide the right training through turbulent times and arm their staff with the skills needed for recovery. There is a real risk that this will leave UK Plc exposed when the upturn finally arrives."

Worryingly more than half of business leaders surveyed described their L&D function as "slow to respond" to the changing requirements of their company during the downturn and many fear that their employees' skills will become obsolete.

As strategic objectives have evolved, close to half of senior managers reported no significant change in the training delivery to their workforce. Going forward, almost as many say they expect no significant change to L&D delivery over the next two to three years.

And more than two thirds of those questioned said their under-trained staff were struggling to cope with expanded job remits following waves of recent redundancies.

"As companies now position for growth, L&D strategy needs to catch up fast and evolve in line with firms' recovery strategies," concluded Sharp.