More than nine in 10 (91.4 per cent) professionals in the Mena region deliberately look for companies with clear training and development programmes during their job search, said Bayt.com, a top job site, in a new report.

In fact, nearly seven in 10 respondents (69.3 per cent) agree that aside from salary, what matters most to them when considering job offers is the availability of “training and development opportunities” at work, according to the report titled ‘On-The-Job Training in the Middle East and North Africa’.

This was followed by 12.3 per cent who said they care most about “work/life balance”, 10 per cent who care most about “type of work and responsibilities” and 8.4 per cent who care most about “office environment and culture”.

Moreover, a whopping 85 per cent of respondents claim that they would leave their current job to find better training and career development opportunities in another role.

Current assessment

Perhaps influencing the overall perception of on-the-job training as a necessity in the workplace, the Bayt.com poll found that more than three quarters (77.3 per cent) of respondents’ workplaces provide training and development opportunities, and 83 per cent agree that most entry-level jobs have a strong programme for training and development in place for the employee.

What’s more positive to hear, when asked about the quality of training and development programmes at their workplace, nearly 8 in 10 respondents (77.1 per cent) said they are satisfied with the available opportunities at their workplace, with over two thirds (69.4 per cent) saying they are ‘very satisfied’ with this aspect.

Benefits of on-the-job training

Nearly two-thirds of respondents (63.3 per cent) cited increased productivity as the greatest advantage, while the remaining one-third (28.7 per cent) cited increased productivity in addition to increased employee satisfaction, improved employer brand and culture, and improved succession planning.

Seven in 10 Mena professionals (70.7 per cent) believe that fresh graduates and interns could benefit the most from on-the-job training, while 16.3 per cent said that all career levels (fresh graduates, mid-career professionals, and senior managers) could benefit from on-the-job training.

On-the-job training preferences

When asked about their expectations for on-the-job training, more than 8 in 10 respondents (82.1 per cent) said that they expect their employer to have a succession or promotion plan in place for them before starting a new job. With upward mobility in mind, 88.2 per cent of Mena professionals also said that it is essential that they have a mentor or coach during their first few months at a new job.

In regards to the topics or focus of training opportunities that professionals in the Mena region care about the most, the great majority (80 per cent) of respondents voted for job-related and technical training opportunities at work. This was followed by 12.2 per cent of respondents who voted for leadership development training, while 7.8 per cent voted for basic soft skills development.

When it came to the most effective training approaches, 80.7 per cent of respondents said that “online courses and learning resources” are the most effective, followed by 12.7 per cent who said that about “conferences, workshops, and industry events”, 3.8 per cent who voted for “traditional classroom-style learning”, and 2.8 per cent who voted for “shadowing and peer-to-peer” learning.

“The Bayt.com ‘On-The-Job Training in the Middle East and North Africa’ poll has allowed us to collate information on what Mena professionals believe is important when it comes to their learning and training options. The majority of respondents have made their professional improvement and career development a top priority, which also influences their job search behaviour and preferences,” said Suhail Masri, Vice President of Employer Solutions, Bayt.com.

“At Bayt.com we aim to nurture this drive to improve and we want to be there every step of the way for Mena professionals, as an organization we are proud to provide the necessary tools and technologies to nearly 30 million professionals who are registered on Bayt.com so that they can enhance their profiles and CVs on our portal and look for job opportunities that meet their expectations and career goals. It is inspiring to see that professionals all over the region are invested in their careers and purposefully search for jobs that will enable them to cultivate their skills and grow as employees over time.”

Bayt.com also asked who is responsible for providing training and learning options. Two thirds of respondents (66.6 per cent) agree that it is the responsibility of the direct manager to provide on-the-job training for employees, over a quarter (26.4 per cent) of respondents said it is the responsibility of the HR department, and 7 per cent said it is the responsibility of the employees themselves. – TradeArabia News Service