You can’t go for too long in a workplace these days without running into one of the most pervasive buzzwords in recent memory: upskilling.
Born out of a crucible that includes rising student debt and waning interest in advanced degrees, upskilling is the process of providing additional education and training to expand an employee’s skill set, and prepare them for evolving job roles. It has become increasingly popular among leaders and employees alike, especially as AI becomes a bigger part of working life.
But a new report reveals that most companies are actually pretty terrible at upskilling their workforces. Only 3.8% of employees are learning new skills on the job within two years of being hired, according to ADP’s recent People at Work 2025 Report, based on data collected from 38,000 working adults across 34 markets. And just 17% of workers strongly agree when asked if they believed their employers were investing in their skills.
And like most other different aspects of the workplace—including wages and leadership representation—upskilling also has a gender problem. But notably, this seems to be isolated to North America. Around 22% of men in the region reported feeling that their employer invests in the skills they need to advance their career in the future, while just 15% of women felt the same way.
All in all, the report paints a fairly devastating picture about how employers are falling short, especially considering how important upskilling can be for retention. Workers said that flexible work schedules and career advancements were their top two reasons why they would stay with their employer. And employees who receive training describe themselves as 3.3 times more productive than those who do not.
“Employers who devote resources to on-the-job development can build a more highly skilled workforce,” write Mary Hayes, Jared Northup, and Nela Richardson, who all contributed to the report. “And that investment can result in teams that are more productive and loyal to the organization.”
Sara Braun
sara.braun@fortune.com
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