Closing the Skills Gap Starts with a Culture of Learning

The skills gap between what organizations need and what the talent market offers isn’t new. But it is wider now than it has ever been in my 34 years in HR.

I first saw the warning signs in 2015, during my time as CHRO at another organization. I still remember a meeting with our recruiting team where frustration boiled over: “We’re just not finding people with these skills,” they said. Despite the high volume of applicants, we couldn’t fill critical roles — especially ones requiring STEM expertise. This was the moment it clicked: We didn’t have a hiring problem. We had a capability gap.

The gap has only deepened as technical gaps persist, and emerging technologies continue to widen them. The pandemic showed why thriving in today’s workplace requires more than just hard skills. It underscored the value of skills such as the ability to negotiate, influence, collaborate, and lead with emotional intelligence. These capabilities are now essential for success in increasingly hybrid, fast-moving environments.

HR leaders are responding. Many now list leadership and manager development (51%), talent management (27%), and learning and development (24%) among their top organizational priorities, according to SHRM’s CHRO Priorities and Perspectives report. These investments reflect the need to support continuous learning to create future-ready teams who can grow the business.

Eighty-four percent of organizations say building a learning culture can enhance resilience and foster a better workplace culture, according to SHRM and Talent LMS’ 2022 Workplace Learning & Development Trends report. It’s a foundational step toward closing today’s skills gap and ensuring your workforce is ready for what comes next.

And if any function is poised to lead the effort, it’s HR.

Misalignments Blocking L&D Progress

Rapidly advancing technology, shifting talent expectations, and volatile socioeconomic conditions can make any HR transformation tricky. But from my experience, three consistent misalignments keep organizations from progressing in L&D:

Undervaluing development

In the SHRM and Talent LMS 2022 Workplace Learning & Development Trends report, a third of HR managers cite inadequate budgets as a barrier to L&D. Yet underinvesting in L&D can cost companies key talent. While more than half of companies spend roughly $500 - $3000 per employee on L&D, data shows the average cost per hire is almost $4,700 — making a compelling case for shifting investment toward retention. Moreover, 76% of employees say they are more likely to stay with a company providing continuous training.

Outdated learning experiences

SHRM’s research also shows some employees find employer-provided training unmotivating, outdated, or irrelevant. In my experience, learning should be energizing — and when it isn’t, engagement suffers and real cultural change stalls. Without this spark, innovation rarely follows.

Misaligned learning opportunities

Even L&D programs with the best intentions and commitment can miss the mark if priorities aren’t aligned. A DeVry University report found only 51% of employees use upskilling benefits, citing a lack of time and a disconnect between the skills they want and those employers prioritize. Learning must align with daily workflows and business goals to have the desired impact.

These challenges are real but not insurmountable. If you believe a learning culture is critical to success — and see it as an employer’s responsibility to deliver — then you’re already ahead of the curve. Here are four strategic ways to build momentum once you’re aligned.

4 Ways to Embed Learning into Your Culture

1. Set the tone. Start by making it clear learning is a requirement for everyone. Make your message resonate by connecting the dots for employees and showing them how their development contributes to individual performance and business success. Then, back it up with action by tying learning to onboarding, offering incentives, and having leaders regularly champion L&D opportunities.
2. Make it simple. Build in time and access. According to DeVry, 40% of employees don’t have time during the workday to pursue upskilling, and 43% of organizations don’t allow it on company time. Giving people dedicated space to learn can increase engagement, inclusion, and adoption of learning tools. Just as important: Ensure your technology is user-friendly and accessible, wherever employees work.
3. Meet learners where they are. Today’s learners want short, personal, and meaningful content, similar to what they find on TikTok. Even my generation is into it. It’s fast, consumable, and creates a feel-good feedback loop. Just remember: Not everyone learns the same way. Offer variety through text, audio, hands-on, in-person, virtual, or AI coaching to make your L&D opportunities inclusive and engaging.
4. Prove the impact. Getting leadership buy-in is one thing. Keeping it is another. Track metrics such as participation, productivity gains, and individual performance outcomes to show how learning drives business success. Nearly anything you measure about an employee can be influenced by learning and used to justify continued investment.

Sustaining What You’ve Started

The skills gap may be growing, but so is HR’s role in solving business problems.

Building a strong learning culture does more than improve engagement and productivity — it supports the entire employee experience, which we know retains your best people, delivers better business outcomes, and keeps you resilient for whatever shifts come next.

Own your seat at the table and lead the charge to evolve learning strategies that grow with your organization’s needs.

My final advice to HR leaders based on three decades of experience is this: Stay the course, and while you focus on everyone else’s growth, don’t forget about your own.