b'ENGAGE 2024 | PEOPLE DEVELOPMENTWhat Does This Mean?We have a development deficit.Only 37% of those surveyed report their company is extremely focused on employee development, which is down from 51% last year. Even worse, more than 14% believe their company isnt focused on employee development at all. Those most likely short-changed are our newest hires and our veterans. These factors will likely negatively affect a companys ability to attract, retain, and motivate its talent, as well as its overall performance and competitiveness in the market.When companies focus on culture, it pays off!Amidst all the disappointing data related to employee growth and development, we see a bright glimmer of sunlight for those working for companies committed to a formal culture initiative.Only 6% of people whose companies are engaged in such a program report a lack of employee development, which confirms that when organizations make culture a priority, growth happens!Employees feel like they are shooting at targets while blindfolded.Many surveyed reported they are struggling with the lack of clear guidance and expectations from their employers. In fact, only 62% of participants have the clarity they need to successfully aim for their targets, which suggests that a large proportion of employees are confused, frustrated, or demotivated by the ambiguity of their roles and their goals. How can you improve if you dont know how youre doing?Not even half of those surveyed (45%) receive regular feedback from their manager (daily or weekly), which is down 10 points from last year, and more than one in every three people (35%) report receiving feedback four times a year or less.Most shockingly, 12% never receive meaningful feedback at all. People feel undervalued and underappreciated.Now that more people are interacting with one another in a shared office space, we would expect recognition to be more abundant. Yet, it is declining and employees dont like it. The survey reveals a great hunger for more recognition at work, with 46% of front-line employees and 35% of managers reporting feeling undervalued and underappreciated for the work they do. New employees are especially at risk since they need daily feedback26during their onboarding, and only 36% are receiving it.'