Dive Brief:

• Only 41% of employees say their employers are training workers in preparation for the future, a new Axonify study found. The microlearning platform's State of Frontline Workplace Training Study, conducted by global market research firm Ipsos in June, showed that nearly one-third of frontline workers don't receive any formal training.
• In key highlights of the study, 76% of respondents said that an employer would be more appealing if it offered additional training "designed to develop their skills for the future." But employees surveyed across industries said they often only receive training a few times per year, are trained on the wrong things or that the training is "boring and not engaging."
• "Preparing the frontline workforce for the future is a win-win situation," Carol Leaman, Axonify's CEO, said in a media release. "The challenge for Human Resources and Learning and Development leaders will be to deliver training at scale so they can equip the modern frontline employee with the knowledge and skills they need to keep up with the pace of business."

Dive Insight:

The needs of the workplace of the future aren't lost on workers, 37% of whom admitted in an edX poll that they lacked proficiency in at least one subject area or new skill in a past or current job. Despite knowing they need the help, many workers remain uncomfortable asking for the training they need out of fear of seeming incompetent or unprepared for the job.

Organizations can avoid being left in the dark about what employees need by cultivating a culture of learning. "Make learning and development a value and expectation," Dennis Baltzley, senior partner and global head of leadership development solutions at Korn Ferry, previously told HR Dive. "Make it part of the fabric of the company — i.e., one Fortune 500 company tells their employees, 'we expect you to grow and change at least as fast as this business!'" Managers in particular can play a large part in creating a culture that encourages employees to experiment — and fail — in order to bring about new innovation.

For retail and part-time workers in particular, rising technology is pushing a call to upskill — but employers may need to prepare for the serious investment that may entail. Training or reskilling the 1.4 million U.S. workers who automation might replace could cost a total of $34 billion, or $24,800 per employee on average, according to analysis published by the World Economic Forum. In the face of a tight talent market, however, many employers have opted that training up current and future employees is well worth the money spent.