SHRM Research Finds Strategic Learning and Development Drives Stronger Workforce Readiness

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — SHRM, the trusted authority on all things work, workers, and the workplace, released Skills (R)evolution: Preparing Employees for Tomorrow's Jobs, research revealing that organizations with strategic learning and development (L&D) practices report stronger workforce readiness, employee engagement, and business outcomes. Building on SHRM's ongoing research into the evolving skills landscape, the report introduces the Skills Strategist model, identifying the characteristics and practices that distinguish organizations best positioned to prepare employees for the future of work.

Key Findings:

• 72% of HR professionals said their organization’s L&D strategy is primarily driven by skills employees need within the next one to two years, while only 4% reported focusing primarily on long-term skills needs.

• 78% of global workers whose organizations offer L&D programs said participating in those programs positively impacts their workplace engagement.

• Organizations identified as Skills Strategists were more than 2.5 times as likely to report that their learning initiatives effectively fill workforce skills gaps compared to most organizations.

•  Skills Strategists were more than five times as likely to report stronger employee engagement and organizational culture than other organizations.

• Skills Strategists also reported stronger financial and nonfinancial business outcomes.

"Strong learning and development strategies do more than help employees grow — they strengthen the entire organization,” said James Atkinson, vice president of thought leadership at SHRM. "Our research shows that organizations taking a strategic approach to workforce development are better positioned to close skills gaps, improve engagement, and drive stronger business outcomes. That's a powerful reminder that investing in people remains one of the smartest investments an organization can make."

The report identifies Skills Strategists as organizations that take a more consistent and strategic approach to L&D. These organizations stand out in how they align L&D to business priorities, assess current and future skills needs, design and deliver learning experiences that are relevant and accessible, and use systems and processes that support a more effective L&D function. Compared with other organizations, Skills Strategists reported stronger workforce readiness, better employee engagement, healthier organizational cultures, and improved business performance.

The findings also point to several L&D practices associated with stronger organizational outcomes, including personalizing learning to employee needs, introducing new learning pathways when needs arise, ensuring senior leaders visibly promote L&D, and establishing clear guidelines for the use of AI in learning.

Methodology

This research is based on responses from 1,891 HR professionals involved in learning and development initiatives and 6,650 global workers. SHRM Thought Leadership analyzed organizational learning and development practices across four core focus areas — Strategic Alignment, Learning Assessment, Learning Design and Delivery, and Processes and Tools — to identify organizations demonstrating the strongest strategic approach to workforce development, referred to as Skills Strategists.

About SHRM

SHRM is a member-driven catalyst for creating better workplaces where people and businesses thrive together. As the trusted authority on all things work, SHRM is the foremost expert, researcher, advocate, and thought leader on issues and innovations impacting today's evolving workplaces. With nearly 340,000 members in 180 countries, SHRM touches the lives of more than 362 million workers and their families globally. Discover more at SHRM.org.