10 Myths About Professional Training - Infographic

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Myths About Professional Training

There are a lot of assumptions and myths surrounding professional training and L&D, but how many are actually grounded in fact? At findcourses.com, we’ve gathered some helpful and interesting stats from around the web that debunk some of the more common myths.

Myth #1: “Only large-scale companies have access to training."

Flexible options like e-learning and in-house training make it easier for small businesses to skill-up without taking too much time away from the office. According to Goldman Sachs, 88% of small businesses offer training to all (if not a large portion) of their employees. These small businesses report a higher rate of revenue growth, with 74% reporting the increased revenue within 18 months.

Myth #2: "Becoming certified won't help me find a job."

Above all else, potential employers are looking for someone with a resume that suggests that they have the skills to do the job required. They realize that someone who has taken a course, or better yet, taken a course and earned a certificate on the subject has learned these skills to a particular standard.

Some interesting industry stats:

• 89% of employers think IT-certified individuals tend to perform better than non-IT-certified individuals in similar job roles
• 41% of respondents to an AMA survey of projects said that being PMP certified helped them geta  job. 68% of respondents had this certification
• 42% of companies either prefer or require HR certification in potential employees.

Myth #3: "Professional development isn't a priority."

80% of L&D professionals agree that developing employees is top-of-mind for the executive team. Additionally, 27% of L&D teams received an increase in budget.

The Association for Talent Development (ATD) collected training information from over 2,500 firms and found that companies that offer comprehensive training:

• have 218% higher income per employee than those with less comprehensive training
• enjoy a 24% higher profit margin than those who spend less on training
• generate a 6% higher shareholder return if the training expenditure per employee increases by $680

Myth #4: "Training isn't modern or digital enough."

Today's workforce is increasingly tech savvy as more and more who enter the job market are brought up in an era of the internet, iPods, tablets, smartphones, etc. Training has become more digital and modern to appeal to this market.

• By 2025, millennials will make up 75% of the workforce. 
• 87% of millennials would choose to work for a video-enabled organization over a company that has not invested in video.
• 67% of people now use mobile devices to access learning.

Myth #5: "E-learning is not as recognized as in-person training."

The main thing to realize is that e-learning is just a delivery method. The real question you should be asking is whether or not the course provider is accredited. An e-learning course from an accredited and reputable provider will be held in much higher regard than an in-person course from a lesser-known provider.

• 88% of employees say e-learning helps them more on a daily basis than classroom-based learning.
• Companies who offer online learning tools to their employees have seen a 50% boost in productivity.
• Companies who offer online training and on-the-job training can generate 26% more revenue per employee.

Myth #6: "I'll have to pay for the training myself."

Employee turnover is a widespread and expensive problem faced by many employers. When you account for the fact that 76% of millennials think professional development opportunities are one of the most important elements of company culture, it's no surprise that an increasing number of companies are paying for training.

• HR Magazine reports that companies investing $1,500 or more per employee per year on training average 24% higher profit margins than companies with lower yearly training investments.
• 76% of respondents toan SHRM survey pay for employees' off-site development, including seminars, conferences, and courses or training to keep skills current.
• 36% of employers pay for all certification and training expenses for IT.

Myth #7: "Training courses are way too theoretical and not practical."

Businesses have more imagination than ever when it comes to presenting realistic, real-life training. Delivery types include:

Myth #8: "Microlearning is not as effective as long-form training."

With time constraints on the rise and attention-spans on the decline, this makes a major case for microlearning: bite-size chunks of easily digestible information usually in video format. While microlearning cannot always replace long-form training, particularly for technical topics, it has a valued place in today's corporate training and keeps pace with our rapidly digitizing world.

Microlearning courses:

• are preferred by 8 out of 10 L&D professionals because their learners prefer them
• can be produce in 300% less time and at 50% less cost than traditional courses
• drive 20% more information retention than long-form training

Myth #9: "Mental health first aid and well-being training aren't beneficial."

The problem

• 1 in 5 adults in the US have a mental health condition.
• Depression in the US is estimated to cost around $17-44 billion dollars in lost productivity.
• Only 15% of HR managers feel managers are training to recognize the problem of mental health.

The good news

There is a range of training and support available for managers and workforces in Mental Health First Aid, Resilience Training, Mindfulness and more. Training can reduce the stigma around mental health, increase mental health literacy, contribute towards a healthier workforce and help ease the costs associated with mental health conditions in the workplace.

• 80% of employees treated for mental illness report improved levels of work efficacy and satisfaction.
• One of the biggest pitfalls to successful workplace wellness training is one-time events.Invest in long-term wellness training for success!

Myth #10: "Learning stops outside the classroom."

Learning culture is the support and encouragement of ongoing learning throughout the whole organization, and the sharing and application of new knowledge and skills.

Top performing organizations are five times more likely to have learning cultures.

How can you implement a learning culture?