Nearly 40% of Employees Don’t Know Which Skills Their Companies Will Need Next, New Research from Perceptyx Finds

While 75% of executives say their organizations have a clear learning strategy, just 43% of individual contributors agree

TEMECULA, Calif., Sept. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Perceptyx, the people activation company and employee experience (EX) pioneer used by more than 23 million employees across the world’s biggest enterprises, today released new research showing that nearly 40% of employees don’t know which skills their companies will need next, even as 74% say they know which skills they personally need to develop.

The disconnect is particularly pronounced between executives and individual contributors. While 75% of executives say their organization has a clear learning strategy for the next one to two years, just 43% of individual contributors agree, a 32-point gap in how leaders and employees view the direction of learning and development.

The new State of Learning and Development research, based on a July 2026 Perceptyx Workforce Panel of 2,992 employed individuals across North America and Europe, found:

• Nearly 40% (39%) of employees don't know which skills their organization will need most in the future.
• 44% don't see a clear learning strategy for the next one to two years.
• 40% don't believe their organization is actively helping employees build skills for future roles.
• 41% don't see career opportunities for themselves, even though 70% say they have access to learning opportunities that could help them grow in their careers.
• 75% of executives say their organization has a clear learning strategy, compared with 43% of individual contributors.
  

“A substantial portion of the workforce is trying to prepare for the future without a clear view of what their organization will need from them. Companies need to stop thinking about development as a collection of learning opportunities and start with the capabilities the business will need to compete,” said Brad Wilson, Global Head, Workforce Insights and Innovation at Perceptyx. “That means translating business priorities into the skills employees need to build, showing people where those skills can take them, and giving them the time and support to apply them in their work. When employees can see that connection, development becomes much more than training. It becomes a way to prepare the workforce for what the business is becoming.”

The research also finds that the challenge is not simply a lack of learning. Employees generally report that learning is making a difference in their work: 73% say learning produces lasting behavior change, while 71% say it helps them perform their jobs more effectively. The weaker signals emerge around the strategy and conditions surrounding learning. Just 61% say learning programs are connected to broader business priorities, and 58% say employees have enough time during working hours for development.

The findings suggest that employees can see value in learning, but don’t see where that learning is taking them. That distinction becomes more important as organizations navigate changing skill requirements and the rapid adoption of AI.

According to recent research from Perceptyx, six in 10 employees already use generative AI at work at least occasionally, while 57% say their organization is not helping employees build the skills needed for an AI-enabled workplace.

The findings point to a growing responsibility for organizations to give employees a clearer view of where the business is headed and the capabilities it will need to get there. Employees need to understand which skills matter, why they matter and what those skills can make possible for their work and careers.

About Perceptyx

Perceptyx unites employee listening and people development in one AI-powered system — signal, action, and skill running on a single native data model — so organizations can discover what needs to change, activate the behaviors that drive it, develop the capabilities to sustain it, and prove the impact. Built on two decades of I/O psychology and behavioral science with the industry's richest enterprise-grade employee experience dataset, Perceptyx is trusted by the world's largest and most admired enterprises. Learn more at www.perceptyx.com.

Media Contact
Laura Lombardi
Global Head of Communications
Perceptyx
llombardi@perceptyx.com