WASHINGTON, D.C. — One in four American employees report they lack opportunities for career advancement. While 63% say their organization does provide advancement opportunities, they are not evenly distributed across the workforce. These opportunities matter not only for employees’ career growth but also for organizations, which see stronger retention, productivity and innovation when workers are able to develop their skills. Despite these links, access remains uneven: Employees with higher levels of formal education and those working for larger organizations are more likely to report opportunities for advancement than other workers nationally.
Nearly six in 10 employees (57%) with a high school education or less say advancement opportunities exist at their organization, compared with 61% of those with some college but no degree, 63% with an associate degree, 68% with a bachelor’s degree and 67% with a graduate degree.
Similarly, employees at larger organizations are more likely to report having advancement opportunities. Only one in three employees at very small organizations (those with less than 10 employees) say these opportunities exist, compared with nearly three in four (74%) at organizations with 1,000 or more employees.
Across racial and ethnic groups, access to advancement opportunities is generally similar. The one exception is employees who identify as Middle Eastern/North African, 57% of whom report such opportunities exist, compared with 65% of Asian, 63% of Black, 64% of Hispanic and 62% of White employees.
These findings come from the American Job Quality Study, a multiyear collaboration between Jobs for the Future, The Families & Workers Fund, the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research and Gallup. The study is based on a nationally representative survey of more than 18,000 working U.S. adults, along with selected in-depth interviews, providing a deeper, data-driven look at the real story of work in America today. This article examines access to growth and development opportunities among the 15,968 workers surveyed who work for an employer in their primary job.
The study examines five key — but often overlooked — dimensions of job quality, using a uniquely large and detailed data set. These dimensions include:
- Financial Well-Being: Fair pay, stable employment and benefits that meet basic needs and reduce financial stress.
- Workplace Culture and Safety: A safe, respectful environment free from discrimination or harassment.
- Growth and Development Opportunities: A clear path to build skills, gain experience and advance in one’s career — the focus of this article.
- Agency and Voice: Influence over decisions that shape one’s job, such as pay, working conditions and implementation of technology.
- Work Structure and Autonomy: A stable, predictable schedule, a manageable workload, and meaningful control over when and how work gets done.
Read more about the project here.
Just over half of employees have recently participated in on-the-job training
In addition to advancement opportunities, the survey asked employees about formal training they have received at work. The most common type, reported by 57% of employees, is on-the-job training to complete job-related tasks. Slightly less, 45%, have received training to develop new skills, while 28% have participated in mentorship programs. Mirroring the patterns seen for advancement opportunities, employees with more formal education and those at larger organizations are more likely to have participated in training over the past 12 months.
Job satisfaction is linked with participation in training and education opportunities. About half (48%) of employees who participated in mentorship programs over the past 12 months (as either a mentor or mentee) report high levels of job satisfaction (eight to 10 on a 10-point scale), compared with 29% who did not participate. Similar relationships exist for employees who received employer-sponsored skills development or on-the-job training to complete specific tasks.
Participation in mentorship programs (as a mentor or mentee) is also associated with higher satisfaction across all age groups. Among employees who participated in mentorship programs focused on career advancement, 48% report being satisfied with their job, compared with 29% of those who did not participate.
Bottom Line
Jobs that provide growth and development opportunities benefit both workers and employers. In today’s rapidly changing labor market, opportunities to learn, build skills and gain experience help employees stay competitive. At the same time, other Gallup research shows organizations that invest in employee development report higher productivity, better retention and stronger innovation pipelines.
New findings from the American Job Quality Study indicate that not all American workers have access to these opportunities. Employees with more formal education and training are most likely to receive employer-provided development and advancement opportunities, and the same is true for those at larger organizations with greater resources. As a result, workers who could benefit most — including those without traditional degrees — are less likely to access these experiences.
Expanding access to growth and development opportunities across the workforce — including for employees gaining skills outside formal education and those at smaller organizations — represents one lever for increasing the number of U.S. workers in quality jobs.
Learn more about the American Job Quality Study.
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