Scottish workers are crying out for training and development to boost their efficiency and productivity, but employers are failing to provide the support. That’s according to the latest data from international recruitment expert, Robert Half.
Data from the firm’s latest Jobs Confidence Index (JCI) – an economic confidence tracker produced in partnership with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) – revealed that 68% of workers in the country feel skills-based training is more beneficial to their job performance than a formal degree. A further 73% indicated the job-specific training is crucial for their career advancement.
However, according to Robert Half’s 2025 Salary Guide, less than half (45%) of employees in Scotland have access to in-house training and just 31% are granted paid time off to participate in external learning and development programmes.
As Reggie McMahon, Branch Director, Scotland, at Robert Half explains, failing to provide the training needed could be detrimental to businesses longer-term:
“Businesses are facing a productivity crisis that they are trying to address, particularly as the costs of employment look set to grow. However, it seems that there’s one core element that employers are overlooking, namely training and development of the workforce. Our data suggests that workers are crying out for the chance to upskill and improve their performance at work, but some companies aren’t offering this or creating an environment that supports continued learning and development.”
“Aside for the productivity boost that this can give to the country, there’s also the added benefit of filling skills gaps longer-term which businesses have been battling with for far too long. If firms want to set themselves and their people up for the best success in the New Year, they need to have a robust training programme to support both attraction and retention.”
