What Are the Training Needs for Employees?
Your employees come to work every day. They do their jobs. But are they learning and growing?
Here’s a wake-up call: 74% of workers feel they aren’t achieving their full potential at work due to lack of development opportunities. That’s three out of four people feeling stuck!
Even worse, only 37% of US workers feel extremely satisfied or very satisfied about training opportunities at their jobs.
The good news? When you meet your employees’ training needs, amazing things happen. Let me show you what training employees actually need in 2026.
Why Training Needs Matter More Than Ever
The workplace is changing faster than ever before. In the last three years, 32% of the skills needed for the average job have changed. Almost a third of everything workers need to know is NEW!
And it gets bigger: Over a third of skills are expected to be outdated by 2030. Skills your team has today won’t work tomorrow.
But here’s the exciting part: Companies are 17% more productive and 21% more profitable if their employees receive the training they need!
Training isn’t just nice to have. It’s critical for survival!
The 7 Essential Training Needs Every Employee Has
1. Digital Skills and Technology Training
Nearly all (92%) jobs across all industries require digital skills. That means almost everyone needs tech training!
Employees need to learn:
- Basic computer and software skills
- How to use your company’s specific tools
- New technologies like AI and automation
- Cybersecurity basics
- Digital communication platforms
Looking ahead to 2026, expanded digital skills are once again top of the priority list.
If your team can’t use technology well, they can’t work well!
2. AI and Automation Skills
This is the biggest training need in 2026! 55% of organizations are already providing employees with AI technical upskilling in 2025, with 64% of organizations planning on increasing that budget in 2026.
Employees need training on:
- How to use AI tools like ChatGPT
- When AI helps and when humans should lead
- Ethical use of AI
- Combining AI with their job skills
Over 70% of employees believe generative AI tools can help them learn new skills, boost creativity, and improve work quality.
Don’t let your team fall behind in the AI revolution!
3. Soft Skills Development
Technology is important, but human skills matter too! Soft skills training is regaining its footing, jumping from 38% in 2024 to 47% in 2025.
Critical soft skills include:
- Communication (speaking, writing, listening)
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Problem-solving
- Time management
- Leadership abilities
- Emotional intelligence
These skills help people work together better and solve problems creatively!
4. Compliance and Safety Training
Compliance training remains the most common training type, delivered to 66% of employees in 2025.
Why? Because laws require it! Employees need to know:
- Industry regulations (HIPAA, OSHA, etc.)
- Workplace safety procedures
- Data protection rules
- Harassment prevention
- Ethics and conduct standards
One mistake can cost your company millions in fines!
5. Job-Specific Skills and Upskilling
Upskilling now reaches 57% of employees, up from 50% in 2022, showing more companies train for the future, not just the rules.
Employees need training to:
- Master current job requirements
- Learn advanced techniques in their field
- Prepare for promotions
- Keep up with industry changes
- Use new tools or equipment
By 2030, 59 out of 100 workers will need training: 29 in-role upskilling, 19 redeployment, 11 at risk.
6. Customer Service Excellence
With these improved skills, your employees can execute strategies more effectively, ultimately enhancing the overall customer experience.
Customer-facing employees need:
- How to handle difficult customers
- Communication best practices
- Product knowledge
- Problem-solving techniques
- Building customer loyalty
Happy customers mean successful businesses!
7. Continuous Learning and Adaptability
96% of professionals agreed that to remain employable, they must engage in lifelong learning.
Employees need to learn:
- How to learn new things quickly
- Staying curious and asking questions
- Adapting to change positively
- Finding and using learning resources
- Self-directed learning skills
The ability to KEEP learning is now more important than any single skill!
How Employees Want to Learn
Understanding training needs is one thing. Delivering training the RIGHT way is another!
Here’s what employees actually want:
They Want to Learn at Work
68% of employees prefer to learn at work. Not at home. Not on weekends. During work time!
They Want to Go at Their Own Pace
58% of employees want to learn at their own pace. Not rushed. Not slow. Their speed!
They Want Specific Recommendations
54% of employees would spend more time learning if they had specific course recommendations to help them reach their career goals.
They Learn Best On-the-Job
65% say on-the-job experience is the top way to build the skills they need.
They Want Flexible, Anytime Access
As of 2023, 65% of employees preferred training videos they could watch anytime.
Why EuctoVerse Meets All Training Needs
Understanding employee training needs is step one. Having the right employee training software to deliver that training is step two!
EuctoVerse stands out as the number one corporate LMS software that actually meets real training needs.
Comprehensive Course Library
EuctoVerse covers all seven essential training areas:
- Digital skills courses
- AI and automation training
- Soft skills development
- Compliance and safety modules
- Role-specific upskilling
- Customer service excellence
- Continuous learning programs
Everything employees need in one platform!
Smart AI-Powered Learning
The platform uses AI to:
- Recommend next courses based on job roles
- Personalize learning paths for each person
- Generate course content quickly
- Adapt difficulty to learner progress
This solves the #1 employee complaint: irrelevant training!
Learning at Their Pace
EuctoVerse’s “Living Learning Ecosystem” lets people:
- Start and stop whenever they want
- Learn during work hours
- Take courses on phones or computers
- Review materials as many times as needed
No more forcing everyone into the same schedule!
Engaging Training Formats
Keep employees motivated with:
- Short 5-minute microlearning videos
- Interactive quizzes with instant feedback
- Gamification (points, badges, leaderboards)
- Real-world simulations
- Mix of video, text, and hands-on practice
In 2023, U.S. employees ranked simulations as the most engaging training format!
Mobile-First Access
EuctoVerse’s exclusive mobile apps mean:
- Learn anywhere, anytime
- Training during commutes
- Quick lessons between meetings
- Offline access when needed
Perfect for today’s busy workers!
Measurable Results
Track exactly what training needs are being met:
- Real-time completion dashboards
- Skill assessment scores
- Individual progress tracking
- Department-level analytics
- ROI calculations
Prove your training actually works!
Affordable for All Companies
Meeting training needs doesn’t require huge budgets!
EuctoVerse LMS consist:
- Unlimited courses across all training areas
- AI-powered personalization
- Mobile apps
- Complete analytics
- Integration with HRMS and tools
The Bottom Line: Training Isn’t Optional Anymore
Let’s be clear: 94% of employees say they would stay at a company longer if it invested in their learning and development.
And 70% of employees would be somewhat likely to leave their current job to work for an organization known for investing in employee development and learning.
Training directly affects whether people stay or leave!
Plus, 50% of organizations say managers lack proper support and 45% say employees lack support for career development.
The gap between what employees need and what they’re getting is HUGE!
Organizations that close this gap win:
- Better productivity (17% higher!)
- More profits (21% higher!)
- Happier employees (92% engagement impact!)
- Lower turnover (94% stay longer!)
- Competitive advantage (72% gain edge!)
With the right corporate LMS software, you can meet every training need:
- Digital skills ✓
- AI fluency ✓
- Soft skills ✓
- Compliance ✓
- Job-specific training ✓
- Customer service ✓
- Continuous learning ✓
EuctoVerse makes this simple, affordable, and effective!
Ready to meet your employees’ real training needs? Visit www.euctoverse.com or email support@euctoverse.com today. Discover how the #1 corporate LMS software transforms training from a checkbox into competitive advantage. Your team needs to grow. Give them the tools. Start now!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What are the most important training needs for employees in 2026?
The seven most critical employee training needs in 2026 are digital skills and technology training (92% of all jobs require digital skills), AI and automation capabilities (64% of organizations increasing AI training budgets), soft skills development (communication, teamwork, problem-solving), compliance and safety training (required by law for 66% of employees), job-specific upskilling (57% of employees receiving upskilling now), customer service excellence, and continuous learning mindset. Research shows 32% of skills needed for average jobs have changed in just three years, making ongoing training essential rather than optional.
2. How do you identify training needs for your employees?
Identify training needs through multiple methods: conduct skills gap analyses comparing current abilities to required competencies, review performance evaluations identifying areas needing improvement, survey employees about what skills they want to develop (54% would learn more with specific course recommendations), analyze business goals requiring new capabilities, monitor industry trends affecting your field, gather manager feedback on team development needs, and track common mistakes or inefficiencies indicating knowledge gaps. Best practice combines employee input with organizational strategy ensuring training aligns with both individual career goals and business objectives.
3. How often should employees receive training?
Training frequency should match employee preferences and business needs. Research shows 33% of workers prefer quarterly training, while only 25% want monthly sessions, yet most organizations (36%) offer monthly training creating a mismatch. The most effective approach combines regular structured training (quarterly or monthly for core skills) with continuous on-the-job learning (86% of employees pick up skills this way) and self-paced access to learning management systems allowing anytime learning. Remember: 96% of professionals say continuous lifelong learning is necessary to remain employable, so training should be ongoing not one-time events.
4. What type of training format do employees prefer?
Employees prefer flexible, accessible training formats. Top preferences include training videos they can watch anytime (65% preference), on-the-job experience (65% say it’s the best way to build skills), simulations for engagement (ranked #1 most engaging format), self-paced online courses (58% want to learn at their own pace), and learning during work hours (68% prefer learning at work). Modern workers also value mobile access for learning during commutes and breaks. The key is offering variety and flexibility rather than forcing everyone into classroom training or rigid schedules that don’t fit busy work lives.
5. How much should companies invest in employee training?
Training investment varies by company size and industry, but smart organizations see it as essential infrastructure not discretionary spending. Research shows 90% of L&D budgets stayed the same or increased in 2026 even during economic uncertainty. Companies with formalized training programs have 218% higher income per employee than those without, and properly trained workforces are 17% more productive and 21% more profitable. The question isn’t cost but ROI—training pays for itself through retention (94% stay longer with development opportunities), productivity gains, and competitive advantage (72% gain edge after adopting learning management systems). Start with affordable platforms like EuctoVerse at ₹150 per person monthly.