Future-Proof Your Workforce: Expert Insights from The Advocate Educator
CEOs know they need a better-educated workforce, yet most believe investing in learning & development programs is a "waste of time." So, whose responsibility is it?
Nearly all Fortune 500 CEOs met with President Biden last year. The President asked them, “What do you most need?” Their response was unequivocal. They said they needed “a better-educated workforce.” Despite expressing this desire, the group wasn’t entirely candid with the President.
While 84% of employees expect to receive employer-sponsored education opportunities, and 80% of employees are more likely to stay with their company long-term, most C-Suite executives (51%) say learning & development programs are a “waste of time.”
So, where’s the disconnect? If CEOs acknowledge they need a “better-educated workforce,” but believe investing in these learning & development programs is a waste of time, whose responsibility is it?
As with all things related to building work cultures of safety, trust, and belonging, there’s nuance to this answer. While C-Suite executives are responsible for educating and up-skilling the current workforce, our education system, including primary, secondary, vocational, and higher education institutions, also plays a critical role in equipping younger generations with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to inspire a majority-minority workforce.
The education system is challenged when it comes to building the necessary skills to lead across differences in the workplace. Currently, legislators in many states like Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, and South Dakota are banning U.S. classrooms from teaching critical race theory, LGBTQ+ inclusive curricula, and reading literature that includes these topics. Prohibiting these teachings harms the next generation of professionals from building the necessary skills to lead across differences.
These recent legislative attacks have already resulted in profound and avoidable violence.
Here’s what we already know…
Over the past five years, school bullying targeting children and young adults – both on-site and virtually – has dramatically increased from 26% in 2019 to 40% in 2023.
The social skills students use to regulate emotions, collaborate across differences, and resolve conflict “have regressed.”
Emergency rooms are unable to sustain the surge in students seeking emergency psychiatric care due to bullying and exclusion.
My recent Budget for Belonging workshop recognizes the C-Suite’s responsibility for educating the current workforce. On the newest episode of the Imagine Belonging Podcast, Rebecca Kling, author of the Advocates Educator’s Handbook, amplifies the U.S. education system’s role in also equipping future generations with the necessary leadership skills to inspire people who hold different identities and backgrounds.
Rebecca is an educator, organizer, storyteller, and advocate for social change. She has served as the community storyteller advocate and director of education programming at the National Center for Transgender Equality. She is also the co-founder of Better World Collaborative, a social impact consulting firm working to combat the recent flood of anti-trans legislation.
Together, our conversation supports inclusive leaders, visionaries, change makers, DEIB professionals, and social justice champions of all backgrounds and identities as we imagine and build a better-educated workforce.
Topics we explore include:
The surprising truth behind why CEOs might see learning programs as a "waste of time."
How recent legislative attacks on critical race theory (CRT) and LGBTQ+ inclusive education harm future leaders.
The alarming rise in school bullying and its impact on students' social-emotional skills.
Practical strategies for equipping younger generations with the leadership skills needed to thrive in a diverse workplace.
Savor this insightful talk, and if you’re looking for more ways to connect with inspiring leaders like Rebecca, be sure to join the Belonging Membership Community – a community of inclusive leaders committed to advancing their DEIB goals while practicing community care. Members have the unique opportunity to engage with our guests 1:1 after our live podcast recordings where they can participate in a private laser coaching session with our guests.
To learn more about the Belonging Membership Community, please visit: www.belongingmembershipcommunity.com.
To connect with Rebecca Kling please visit: www.rebeccakling.com.
Thanks for growing our #BelongingMovement!