In Brief
The Problem
Though many people now acquire work-related skills through MOOCs (massive open online courses), they often do so without the support or knowledge of their employers. Companies are missing an opportunity to offset the steep decline in formal training and boost worker engagement—with minimal investment.
The Solution
By encouraging people to enroll in MOOCs, providing study time, and even serving as surrogate instructors, managers can enhance team members’ development. Having employees pilot courses for one another helps ensure relevance and quality. And tracking completion reinforces the value of learning while increasing the odds that people will finish.
Companies say they want their people to learn and grow, but in practice they’re skimping on training, often leaving it to individuals to manage their own development. In a recent survey I conducted, more than one-third of 1,481 employed learners—mostly managers and knowledge workers taking online courses—said they had received no training from their organizations in the previous 12 months. Things look even worse if you consider what’s happening in the workforce more broadly. In the United States the proportion of people who received employer-funded training decreased from 21% in 2001 to 15% in 2009 (the most recent data available). And business cycles weren’t to blame: The decline was steeper in boom periods than during recessions.
