Closing the Upskilling Belief Gap: Practical Steps for L&D Teams

Employees are hungry to grow, but without proper guidance, they don’t know where to focus their efforts or how to reach their goals. Our research shows that most employees say they’re motivated to upskill, confident in their ability to identify the right skills, and willing to put in the time.

But the reality doesn’t always match their belief. When we probed employees on the specifics of their upskilling direction, they began to report that they felt less confident and would prefer manager guidance. Many employees don’t know where to start, don’t have enough support to begin, or abandon courses before finishing them. This disconnect, which we call the upskilling belief gap, puts organizations at risk of deeper skills shortages, higher attrition, and lost productivity to the tune of millions of dollars.

The good news: Closing the gap doesn’t require reinventing your entire L&D strategy. Small, structured actions can help you guide employees toward meaningful growth, helping you retain your best performers while helping your business achieve its goals.

Here’s how.

1. Build the Business Case for Leadership  

No matter how strong your learning strategy is, it won’t go far without leadership buy-in. Executives want to see measurable outcomes, especially while skill gaps are costing more than you may realize.  

According to McKinsey, skills mismatches can cost a median-sized S&P 500 company $116 million in lost productivity each year. Factor in attrition and vacancies, and the figure climbs even higher.  

To get leadership on board:  

• Make the data easy to access by using a solution that shows how much has been spent and on what skills, like SkillsWave’s Insights feature. 
• Connect learning outcomes to measurable KPIs like retention, mobility, and productivity.
• Show how upskilling reduces costs by preventing attrition and accelerating employee readiness.
• Reinforce that upskilling is not just about growth, it’s also about future competitiveness.

When you position upskilling as a direct lever for financial health, leadership sees it as a must-have, not a nice-to-have.  

2. Guide Employees Toward the Right Skills 

Employees often believe they know which skills to pursue. But our survey found many don’t know where to start, or they rely heavily on manager feedback to identify gaps.  

In fact, 91.7% of employees said they’d be more likely to engage in learning if a manager recommended it and the company covered the cost. That’s a huge opportunity.  

To help employees focus on the right areas:

• Use performance reviews and manager feedback as a starting point.
• Offer skills that make your business stronger that are simultaneously relevant to your employees’ roles and goals, using tools like SkillsWave’s Curated Catalog.
• Layer on real-time labor market data to ensure upskilling aligns with both career aspirations and business demand.
• Make skill pathways transparent, showing employees how today’s learning connects to tomorrow’s advancement.

With clear guidance, employees can channel their motivation into progress that benefits both them and the organization.

3. Personalize the Learning Experience  

Not every employee learns the same way. A one-size-fits-all approach is a major reason self-directed learning fails. 

In our survey, almost 40% of employees said that they didn’t know where to start or what skills to focus on when it came to their upskilling efforts. Another 14% said there was no clear way of applying their new skills at work. 

To personalize learning at scale:  

• Curate a catalog that offers a mix of formats: microlearning, certificates, and stackable credentials.  
• Tailor recommendations to individual goals, roles, and skill gaps, like with SkillsWave’s Guide feature. 
• Encourage a “choose your path” model, giving employees autonomy while aligning their choices with organizational needs.

The more relevant and engaging the learning, the more likely employees are to complete and apply it.  

4. Remove the Barriers That Block Learning  

Even motivated employees can’t overcome structural barriers. Time and cost are the top reasons employees don’t start or finish learning. 

Nearly a quarter of employees in our survey said they abandoned a program because they didn’t have time. And a small but significant number—more than 12%—said they walked away because of interest. Often, this comes down to misalignment of expectations: maybe the wrong course length, delivery method, or level of challenge. 

Here’s how to make upskilling more accessible:  

• Protect time for learning during work hours, rather than expecting employees to fit it in after-hours. 
• Direct-bill education costs instead of relying on reimbursement, which can deter participation. 
• Offer shorter, stackable options alongside longer, more time-demanding programs so employees can choose to learn in ways that fit their schedules.

By removing these barriers, you give employees the freedom and support to follow through.  

Taking an Active Role  

Self-led learning has limits. Things like a tuition or professional reimbursement program, while nice to offer, could be much more effective with more intervention. But more intervention doesn’t need to mean more work. 

The reality is that employees may believe they’re making progress, but without organizational support, the upskilling belief gap persists, leaving your business exposed to costly skills gaps and retention challenges.

The solution isn’t sweeping transformation: It’s a series of small, intentional actions.

• Build the business case for leadership.
• Guide employees toward the right skills.
• Personalize learning experiences.
• Remove barriers to access.

Together, these steps create the conditions for upskilling that actually delivers.  

Ready to see where your organization stands? See how SkillsWave can help you turn your upskilling program from an employee benefit to a critical business driver.