Executive summary: At the edge of the cliff —
The overwhelming challenges of today’s workforce

Psychology research shows that when we face an overwhelming number of challenges, it’s easy to lose hope and feel helpless. In reality, today’s employees are faced with more challenges than ever before, and while some of the variables are outside employer control, that doesn’t make the situation any less difficult for the workforce.

For example, headlines abound focusing on the business risk of losing high-performing employees, and a recent PwC report indicates that the second wave of the Great Resignation could be just around the corner. Not only that, but for yet another year, Gallup and other reputable organizations indicate that employee engagement remains stagnant, costing employers upwards of nine trillion dollars annually in lost productivity.

It's an overwhelming series of challenges for employers as they attempt to support a productive and capable workforce. What options exist to help drive engagement and retention while giving each employee a sense of progress in their skills and work?

In a new research study of 2,000 global learners, the team at Lighthouse Research & Advisory partnered with Adobe to uncover some of the aspirations, needs, and priorities of workers, and one clear opportunity stands out as an option to combat this variety of challenges—a culture of learning based on autonomy and opportunity.