One in ten public servants say a lack of clarity about what skills they need to develop to succeed in their jobs is a major barrier to them learning, according to new research into skills trends around the world.
An international survey of more than 2,000 public servants – based mostly in the UK and Canada – has revealed that while the biggest barriers to learning and development are often down to resource constraints, there is also a significant cohort of “lost learners” who do not know what they need to learn to get ahead.
One in three of those surveyed said they lack clarity about the knowledge and skills they need to develop to succeed in their careers, according to The state of learning in government 2024 – a report by Apolitical, a London-based company that describes itself as a “social learning network for government”. The report was supported by public service leaders including former cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill.
Investigating the data further, the researchers found this lack of clarity is a major barrier to participating in learning for around one in 10 survey participants.
These so-called “lost learners” spent around 20% less time engaged with learning activities on average than their peers, according to the report, and were less likely to agree that their recent training had improved their job performance or helped develop their career.
The vast majority – 90% – of these “lost learners” were non-managers, compared with 66% of respondents overall. “That raises questions about what support and direction they need to clarify their learning and professional development priorities,” the report says.
Promoting data-driven individualised learning plans could help to engage these lost learners and ensure they develop the skills they need, the report says.
“Line managers play a crucial role in facilitating employees’ engagement with learning and development, both in terms of enabling them to participate in opportunities as well as helping them identify which skills they most need to develop,” it adds. It notes that the UK civil service has plans to develop externally accredited standards for line management and ensure that 70% of those in priority roles are working toward the standard by 2025.
Barriers to learning
A lack of time was “by far” the greatest obstacle to learning for public servants, the survey found, with 42% citing it as their biggest barrier to participating in skills development opportunities. A further 17% of those surveyed said not knowing what they needed to learn was their biggest barrier, followed by departmental budget constraints (12%), lack of relevant opportunities (12%) and not being aware of available opportunities (10%).
The findings highlight the important role of managers and leaders in unlocking the resources (both in terms of time and money) to enable public servants to participate in learning, the report says.
It notes that training is “often deprioritised when resources are tight or there’s a lack of time”, with many governments making significant cuts to training investment after the 2008 financial crisis. “But that may be a false economy, given its long-term benefits,” it adds.
Of the 900 respondents who said a lack of time was the biggest factor stopping them from learning, nearly 75% said they were able to learn more when they could do it during work hours. Around two-thirds said blocking out dedicated time while at work was also helpful. Respondents “made it clear that putting the onus on them to learn in their private time is neither helpful nor effective”, the report said.
Despite these barriers, the report also showed the majority of public servants see a clear link between learning and better job performance. “Governments should take greater advantage of this positive attitude and leaders should make clear they support learning,” the report says.
Around 70% of those surveyed said they believe that their recent training has contributed to improved job performance and career advancement.
“Managers and leaders also emphatically agree that investment in training enhances the impact of their team. This goodwill towards learning should not be undervalued. It is a strategic lever governments can pull to accelerate action,” it says.
The report also stressed the importance of ensuring the quality of online learning, the most common form of formal development training. Just 2% of those surveyed said they primarily learn in person, with the rest doing most of their L&D online. Around 30% of managers participate in hybrid learning (blending virtual and in-person delivery), a significantly higher rate than non-managers.
Asked what they consider to be key features of a high quality learning experience, 49% of respondents said expert instructors, while 41% said real-life case studies, 38% said flexible scheduling and 34% said content variety.
Recognised credentials, content tailored to government and a personalised learning pathway were also important factors, each cited by around a quarter of survey participants.
The report urges governments to “embrace the unique potential of digital technologies to create rich, expansive learning experiences that offer flexibility, speed, customisation, connection and accessibility” – noting that “given its ubiquity, the perception of ‘online learning’ as a separate mode of learning delivery seems outdated”.
“While scale and efficiency are a core part of the value proposition for online learning, that’s not all it can offer. Particularly with the emergence of generative AI, governments can be more ambitious about pushing the frontiers of online pedagogy forward,” it adds.
Ways to enhance online learning put forward in the report include introducing more customised content, adapting learning content to specific policy, departmental or professional contexts; embedding social learning with cohorts and communities to increase completion rates and enable public servants can learn from their peers; and speeding up content development cycles, using “micro-courses” around new legislation or topical issues.
Commenting on the report, Robyn Scott, chief executive and co-founder of Apolitical, said: “Learning in government is not getting the attention and resources needed for the action we need from governments in the 21st century. There are 200 million public servants globally, with influence over trillions of dollars.
"The tidal wave of generative AI and the accelerating impacts of climate change have increased pressure on public servants to adapt more quickly to whole-of-government challenges. This won’t happen without a shift in the way government leaders prioritise and budget for building capable, agile workforces.”
A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: "We're building a culture of continuous learning at the heart of the civil service through the Government Campus, which offers targeted training to officials at all levels on the skills needed today and tomorrow, as well as expanding the curriculum in key priority policy areas".