Why more CEOs and HR leaders are putting training first
- Trainings
- Service
- 17.2.2026
- Reading Time: {{readingTime}} min
Contents
Strategic importance of upskilling
As numerous studies show, the effects of treating learning as a strategic investment are tangible. Employees feel valued and more motivated to grow. Leadership potential emerges earlier, while knowledge keeps pace with technological and market change. Teams work more agilely, and retention improves because people feel a clear, meaningful purpose.
Prof. Dr. Mario Jungwirth, Professor at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria (FH Upper Austria), Advisory Board Member of the Mechatronics Cluster Upper Austria, and Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Austrian Electrotechnical Association (ÖVE) sees this effect firsthand: “When training is seen as a real investment, not just a checkbox, great things happen: people learn faster, work smarter, and adapt better to change.”
Roland Peterseil, People, Culture, Structure at KEBA emphasizes that in fast changing environments, learning itself becomes a core capability: “Only organizations that remain in a state of constant learning can keep up. Training enables employees to adapt their knowledge continuously - and that’s essential today.”
And the data backs this up. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF) Future of Jobs Report, reskilling and upskilling are becoming critical as automation and digitalization accelerate. Between 2025 and 2030, 85% of employers plan to prioritize upskilling as a core workforce strategy. The report also estimates that nearly six out of ten employees will need significant training by 2030.
“When training is seen as a real investment, not just a checkbox, great things happen...”
Best-in-class organizations invest around 75 hours of training per employee each year.
From hidden potential to visible impact
Training does more than close skill gaps. It uncovers strengths that often remain invisible in day to day operations. “Training helps people discover talents they didn’t know they had,” says Jungwirth. “A quiet employee might become an empathetic leader, or someone in technical support might suddenly contribute strong product ideas.”
These transformations are rarely instant. As Roland Peterseil points out, learning effects often unfold over time: “At first, it’s not about mastering a skill immediately. It’s about going deeper into a topic, stimulating curiosity, and encouraging reflection. That’s when hidden competencies start to emerge.” A concrete example from KEBA shows this clearly: a colleague who started as a team assistant gradually developed expertise across several HR disciplines, including Compensation & Benefits - not through a single course, but through continuous, targeted learning.
Research supports this delayed but powerful effect. McKinsey’s human-capital research shows that best-in-class organizations invest around 75 hours of training per employee each year, promote more from within, and achieve higher retention. By contrast, companies that neglect learning risk losing talent - 41% of employees cite lack of career development as their main reason for leaving.
Need more reasons? The list of positive outcomes doesn’t stop there. According to the WEF Future of Jobs Report, 77 % of employers expect upskilling to enhance productivity - while also improving competitiveness and strengthening reputation and employer branding.
Expected outcome from investing in training, 2025-2030 (WEF Future of Jobs Report)
What makes training work - and what makes it fail
Not all training creates impact. In fact, poorly designed programs can waste time, money, and motivation.
According to the interview partners, effective training depends on a few decisive factors:
Personal relevance: Training must connect directly to real work challenges
On the job application: Learnings should be applied immediately
Learning transfer: There must be a clear bridge from theory to daily practice
“Training works best when it fits the person and their daily job,” Jungwirth explains. “If it’s too generic or forgotten after one session, it fades quickly.”
Michael Broder, People, Culture & Structure at KEBA, highlights learning transfer as the biggest challenge: “From our experience, two ingredients are vital for successful training: a strong connection to real work routines and challenges, rather than theory, and an effective transfer of learnings into daily work. I can personally confirm this - the transfer is the hardest part and one that is rarely done well.”
Educational research reinforces this view. Models such as 70 20 10 (as in a study by Bersin by Deloitte) show that most learning impact comes from real-world application and reflection - not from classroom input alone.
“Two ingredients are vital for successful training: a strong connection to real work routines and an effective transfer of learnings into daily work.”
“The only thing worse than training your employees and having them leave is not training them and having them stay.”
Closing the learning impact gap
At its core, training isn’t just about content or courses - it’s about culture. The way organizations approach learning sends a strong signal about what they value and how seriously they take long-term growth.
According to McKinsley, 78% of organizations say capability building is critical to their future success. Yet only around 30% believe their learning programs actually deliver measurable impact at the organizational level. The gap isn’t a lack of intention - it’s a lack of strategic focus.
As Henry Ford famously put it in Mr. Jungwirth´s favorite quote: “The only thing worse than training your employees and having them leave is not training them and having them stay.”
Learning culture is a competitive advantage.
How can we help?
We know that upskilling and reskilling are essential to staying well-positioned. That’s why we’ve designed a training portfolio tailored to your employees’ needs - and aligned with your business and market goals.
Our offer includes basic and advanced trainings across a wide range of topics, delivered in person or online, and available in multiple languages. For larger teams, we also create custom training programs, co-designed with you to address your specific challenges.
Get in touch with your sales manager directly to find the right fit for your needs.
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