Eighty-five per cent of organisations believe training is now more geared to meeting strategic business needs, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) reveals.

This is probably due to the changing skill requirements of UK business, which is placing a greater focus upon training.

The CIPD 2006 learning and development survey quizzed UK organisations about attitudes to workplace training.

Eighty-one per cent of respondents believed that their firm was committed to developing a culture that encouraged learning and development.

This seemed to focus largely upon individual learning, as 84% believed that employees were now encouraged to take more responsibility for their own personal development.

According to Martyn Sloman, CIPD Learning and Development Advisor, this can only be effective if organisations actively encourage a learning culture through new initiatives.

“Organisations need to introduce steps to support, accelerate and direct learning interventions which meet organisational needs and are appropriate to the learner and the context.

“Only then can organisations reap the full benefits of self-directed learning and development, such as increased motivation, better retention and improved skills,” he said.