The legacy of Covid means that many staff are still working remotely or on a hybrid basis; with 72% of office workers saying that access to face-to-face training and development opportunities would encourage them back into the office.

Missing human connection

According to the whitepaper – Learning and mentorship in the digital age – published by Unispace, a global leader in creating bespoke workplaces, employees want more in-person learning and development opportunities and more connection to their colleagues. The study of 3,000 employees also found that 78% of employees feel disconnected from colleagues, and 75% said they would feel happier returning to the office if they knew that their team was there. What this means is that office spaces need to be re-imagined to facilitate connections and provide separate areas for group learning, mentoring, and private study.

Offices support learning and development opportunities

The study found that 72% of office workers would like the opportunity to access face-to-face training and development, while half would appreciate in-person mentoring opportunities. Less than a third of employers said that their staff had access to online training and development opportunities when working from home.

The survey also revealed a disconnect between the employer and employee’s perception of the suitability of their office space for training and development. 81% of employers felt that their workspaces were designed to facilitate training and development for their staff. However, 38% of employees said they do not have access to dedicated break out areas and almost a quarter revealed that they had no communal areas for joint learning and collaboration.

Emma Forster Mitrovski, CEO Australia & New Zealand at Unispace comments:

“While online training has come a long way in terms of break out rooms and virtual interaction, it is clear from our survey that there is no substitute for learning with your colleagues in a physical and collaborative environment.”

“Remote working has provided a significant opportunity for the workforce to obtain a better work-life balance and have more autonomy over when, where and how they work. However, the value of in-person connections and face-to-face training cannot be underestimated. Our study shows that employers are not confident in virtual on-boarding and training and that employees value the opportunity to connect with colleagues for in-person learning and mentoring.”