Continuing Education During the Work Day

Abstract

College graduates who enter the workforce today face an increasingly stressful work environment -- heavier work loads, fear of layoffs, and constant pressure to update skills. In addition, job security based on seniority has become largely an artifact of the past. The trend toward globalization and the advent of changing technologies have led employers to value flexible workers who have the requisite skills and education to master these new challenges. Many believe that minimizing these pressures and increasing job satisfaction induces higher productivity; hence, some employers, out of concern for their workers, have opted to institute on-site wellness programs. While experts debate the underlying soundness of this particular approach, the establishment of programs that set aside time during the work day for employees to update their knowledge and skills arguably represents a more viable strategy. The benefits to both employers and employees that result from such an arrangement highlight the need for employers to begin immediately instituting such initiatives.