Nearly half of American workers are concerned about the changing nature of work, as talk of automation, artificial intelligence and skills retraining dominate conversations about the future of jobs. Most workers report having the requisite skills to perform their current job well, but are less certain when considering their future employability. The need for continued growth and development are critical to employee success. As a recent survey by the American Psychological Association indicates, employers who fail to support employee career development do so at their peril. Indeed, the APA’s survey findings show that those employees without supervisor support for career development are more likely to distrust their employer and plan on leaving within the next year.

According to the “2017 Job Skills Training and Career Development Survey”, published by the APA’s Center for Organizational Excellence, there are multiple areas in which supervisors are not supporting and encouraging employee career development. Only 15 percent of surveyed workers say that their employer provides opportunities for them to develop the technical skills they will need in the future, only 20 percent say their employer provides training in necessary “soft skills,” such as teamwork and communication, and just 8 percent report having the opportunity to develop necessary leadership and management skills.

Lack of supervisor support for career development was also linked to organizational outcomes. For working Americans without supervisor support, less than half (48 percent) say they are motivated to do their best at work (vs. 88 percent who report having supervisor support), 39 percent are satisfied with their job (vs. 86 percent who report having supervisor support), 16 percent say their company or organization makes them feel valued (vs. 80 percent who report having supervisor support) and 22 percent would recommend their organization as a good place to work (vs. 79 percent who report having supervisor support).

“Employee growth and development is a key element of a psychologically healthy workplace, but it’s often overlooked in employers’ workplace well-being efforts,” said David Ballard, PsyD, MBA, head of APA’s Center for Organizational Excellence. “Our surveys of the U.S. workforce consistently find that training and development is one of the areas employees are least satisfied with. The lack of opportunity for growth and advancement is second only to low pay as a source of work stress. … While there are many uncertainties about the future of work, research is clear that employees and organizations benefit from an emphasis on growth and development. To achieve results, employers need to provide training and development opportunities that meet their workers’ needs. That requires carving out time for people to actually participate in these activities, ensuring that supervisors are actively supporting employees’ development and eliminating disparities, so that all employees have access to the resources they need to be successful in the future.”