By Neal Glatt

Last week, more than 70 million people of all ages went back to school in the US.  That’s nearly one in four Americans.  Clearly, education is a critical value that continues to make this country great.  But education also affects whether our employees will work for us or not.  Here’s what the research proves…

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According to Gallup, nearly half of employees say they don’t have the opportunity to learn and grow at work.  When employees are being developed, they work harder and more efficiently, leading to better customer and financial outcomes.  But the biggest takeaway from ongoing development may be employee retention.

Employees who have an opportunity to learn and grow at work are twice as likely to say they will spend their career with a company than those who don’t have the same opportunities.  Developmental opportunities are frequently cited as one of the top factors when choosing a job, and the lack of growth leads to the disengagement of great employees.

Great companies help their employees learn and grow by providing them with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to become successful in future roles on a consistent basis.  They roadmap their career path with not only years of experience or demonstration of proficiency, but also completion of courses and earning of professional designations.

If you need better people, or are hoping that your employees won’t leave your company for the next next offer, send them “back to school” with the courses here on GrowTheBench.com.  Whether they are in sales, operations, management, or simply aspiring to reach the next level, they’ll find quality growth opportunities through the content on the site.