From Barriers to Breakthroughs: What Really Motivates Employees to Learn?

"The key to success in college is a simple willingness to learn," writes University of Texas Professor Jonathan Malesic in an opinion piece for The New York Times.

But, he also said …

"This attitude is not fixed. It's something that every student can cultivate."

At Skillsoft, we believe that no matter where we are in life's journey, we're all still students. The desire to learn is a fundamental part of being human. From early childhood through adulthood, we’re constantly seeking knowledge, adapting to new environments, and growing as individuals. And, you know what?

The workplace is no exception.

In fact, in the age of AI disruption, the need for continuous learning at work is more important than ever. In fact, recognizing that everyone has the potential to be a lifelong learner is an essential component of staying competitive.

Education doesn't stop once formal schooling ends. Instead, it continues throughout one's career, driven by a desire to grow, adapt, and succeed in an ever-changing environment. When leaders assume that some people aren’t capable of learning new skills, they design L&D programs that exclude rather than include, frustrating individual potential and limiting growth. That mistake can have a significant impact on employee retention — and eventually, on the bottom line. 

So, if we accept that every employee has the potential to learn new things, why do so many L&D programs fall short? Perhaps it's because L&D professionals are still learning how to design training that harnesses that potential. Just as one student interviewed last year for a New York Times Learning Network essay said, 

"Motivation in learning can differentiate for many different types of people. Beyond that, learning is not only grades and striving for A’s. It’s an experience, a world that opens doors and unlocks keys that lead to new discoveries."

By understanding what drives people to learn new things, organizations can open those doors, offering training that encourages exploration and development beyond compliance — and beyond hard skills which can quickly become obsolete.

In our latest IT Skills and Salary Report, 32% of respondents reported their main driver for training was preparing their organization for a new initiative, technology, or upgrade. And, after earning a certification, 62% reported the quality of their work improved. That's good news for their employers, because it speaks to a strong desire to contribute to their organization.

In fact, studies have shown that the main drivers for training are benefits to employers as well as to employees themselves: 

• 59% say it improves their overall job performance.
• 51% say it gives them more self-confidence.
• 41% say it helps their time-management skills.
• 33% say it's a factor in earning them a salary increase.

In other words, training must be approached holistically, offering both career and personal growth. Let's look at some of the top challenges to effective L&D design, and how to overcome them.

1. Lack of Motivation and Engagement
The Challenge: One of the most significant barriers to effective learning is a lack of motivation. Businesses often view training as a checkbox task tied only to compliance, rather than an opportunity for growth. This can lead to content that feels rigid, generic or disconnected from their employees.

The Solution: Make the learning experience relevant, personalized, and easy to navigate. This can be achieved through personalized learning paths based on roles, strengths, and career aspirations. At Skillsoft, we help businesses deliver tailored content that meets individual needs. And, our new AI-driven features will ensure learners can access the most relevant and practical resources quickly.

2. Poor Training Quality
The Challenge: Another major obstacle is the quality of the training itself. Outdated methods, lack of interactivity, or poor instructional design can render training boring and ineffective. When employees perceive training as low quality, they are less likely to engage fully, resulting in poor adoption, low retention, and reduced application of knowledge.

The Solution: To enhance the quality of training, organizations should focus on creating high-quality instructional design. This includes using multimedia elements such as videos, infographics, and interactive simulations that cater to different learning styles. Hands-on practice also makes the training more relatable and practical.

3. Off-Target, Time-Consuming Content
The Challenge: Training that doesn’t align with employees’ roles or company goals can lead to wasted time and resources. Content that isn’t tailored to specific needs can result in poor adoption, as employees may struggle to see the relevance of what they are learning. What's more, 46% of tech employees we surveyed said their current workload prevented them from training.

The Solution: Ensuring that training content aligns with both employee roles and company goals is crucial. Conducting needs assessments and involving employees in the training development process can help identify the skills and knowledge gaps that need to be addressed. Design training modules that can be completed in 15-minute segments. And, factor in time at work for learning without overburdening current workloads.

Here's how one of our customers tackled the challenge of building a new, self-driven L&D approach. 

Terri Souder-Basa, Director of Learning and Development at Curia, a global contract research, development, and manufacturing company, joined Curia specifically to tackle the challenge of building an L&D approach. As a first step, she had conversations with company leaders to understand the current landscape and what skills the company needed most.

“Across all the leaders I talked with, there were clear commonalities,” Terri says. “They were looking for things like accountability, commitment, communication, collaboration, ethics, and creativity.”

Those competencies became the foundation of Curia’s Leadership Model. Curia implemented iLearn, a custom-branded instance of Skillsoft’s AI powered learning platform that uses Skillsoft content to help employees live into the company’s identified leadership behaviors. To ensure what they provide is relevant, aligned, and approachable, Souder-Basa and her team worked with leaders to organize content into smaller groups called “Leadership Journeys."

Once employees started learning about the program, demand quickly surged, and Curia increased their program from 500 licenses to 2500. 

“Once people had a chance to experience iLearn, other people were coming forward to ask, ‘How can I get this, too?’” Terri says. 

Now that we've explored some of the practical challenges and solutions around L&D training, it's important to remember that good training programs are simply a reflection of considered company culture. Organizations need to strike a balance between allowing employees' curiosity and creativity to flourish, and ensuring they acquire training and skills that drive business success.

Where do you start? 

Foster an environment where experimentation and curiosity are valued. Encourage employees to take risks and explore new ideas without fear of failure. This can be done through innovation labs or dedicated time for personal projects. By supporting a culture of curiosity, you can drive continuous improvement and innovation within the organization.

Help employees see the connection between learning and their career progression. Offering clear pathways for advancement that are tied to specific learning milestones can motivate employees to engage with training programs. Seek feedback and nurture leadership development from within. 

Remember, everyone has the potential to be amazing. To unlock this potential, organizations must focus on overcoming the common barriers to learning and fostering an environment where employees are encouraged to explore, grow, and thrive. By addressing challenges such as lack of motivation, poor training quality, and irrelevant content, L&D professionals can create dynamic and engaging learning experiences that not only enrich employees’ lives, but also contribute to the company’s success.

Want more insights into the state of learning today? Lean into Learning with our annual report, and let us know how we can help.