Make Learning a Priority at Work and Improve Performance

Why Leaders Must Make Learning a Priority at Work
Talent development is no longer optional for organizations that want to compete and grow. Our organizational alignment research found that talent accounts for 29% of the performance gap between high- and low-performing organizations. Companies that consistently invest in developing people are better positioned to:

• Innovate.
• Adapt.
• Retain top performers.
• Execute strategy successfully.

But building capability requires more than offering training programs. Organizations must make learning a genuine priority at work.

That is often easier said than done.

While few leaders question the value of upskilling employees, most organizations also operate under constant pressure to deliver short-term results. Deadlines, customer demands, quarterly targets, and operational challenges can quickly push development activities aside. Even highly committed managers can find themselves postponing coaching, canceling training sessions, or deprioritizing development conversations in favor of more immediate business needs.

Too often, learning falls into the “important but not urgent” category. And when urgency dominates the workplace, important long-term investments like talent development are frequently delayed.

In many cases, that tradeoff feels rational in the moment.

Why Urgent Tasks Often Win
Our microlearning experts cite a recent study conducted at Johns Hopkins University that helps explain why organizations struggle to make learning a priority.

In one study, researchers asked 400 participants to choose between two nearly identical typing tasks lasting just three minutes each. 

• Task One had to be completed within a five-minute window and offered a chance at a $20 gift card.
  
  
• Task Two could be completed any time within a 50-minute window and offered a chance at a $25 gift card.

From a purely logical perspective, the better choice was obvious: Task Two. You made more money and had a more flexible time limit.  Yet, 59% of participants selected the lower-value option simply because it felt more urgent.

Researchers called this phenomenon the urgency effect — our tendency to prioritize urgent tasks over more important ones, even when the important task delivers greater long-term value.

The findings mirror what happens every day inside organizations. Employees often respond to emails, attend low-value meetings, or handle immediate requests instead of investing time in learning new skills that could improve long-term performance.

The challenge becomes even greater for busy employees and overloaded managers. Research found that people under pressure are especially vulnerable to prioritizing urgency over importance.

How High-Performing Organizations Make Learning a Priority at Work

Organizations that successfully build learning cultures intentionally counteract the urgency effect. They make development relevant, accessible, and visible in ways that reinforce business performance rather than compete with it.

1. Connect Learning to Meaningful Outcomes
   Employees are far more likely to engage in learning when they clearly understand its value.
   
   Rather than positioning training as another task to complete, high-performing cultures connect learning directly to outcomes that matter to employees, leaders, and the business. Those outcomes may include stronger performance, greater confidence, career advancement, increased compensation, improved collaboration, or better customer results.
   
   When learning is tied to tangible business and personal benefits, employees are more willing to invest the time and energy required to grow.
   
   
2. Make Learning Easy to Access and Apply
   Employee learning journeys do not need to be disruptive or time intensive to be effective.
   
   Organizations that sustain development momentum make learning practical, flexible, and easy to consume within the flow of work. They use targeted training strategies that fit the realities of the business instead of forcing employees into rigid one-size-fits-all programs.
   
   Effective learning organizations also pay close attention to timing. Sales training delivered at quarter-end or project reviews scheduled during major product launches are unlikely to gain traction. Thoughtful scheduling increases both engagement and retention.
   
   Many organizations also blend formats such as microlearning, videos, coaching, job aids, articles, peer learning, and on-the-job application to support different learning preferences while reinforcing performance improvement over time.
   
   
3. Reinforce and Celebrate Progress
   Learning cultures are built through consistent reinforcement.
   
   Employees are more likely to stay engaged when managers recognize incremental progress and acknowledge skill development along the way. Celebrating small wins reinforces desired behaviors, strengthens confidence, and creates momentum for continued growth.
   
   Recognition also signals that learning matters organizationally — not just rhetorically.

The Bottom Line
Organizations that consistently outperform competitors understand that learning is not separate from performance — it drives performance. To make learning a priority at work, leaders must intentionally overcome the urgency effect by connecting development to meaningful outcomes, making learning easier to access, and reinforcing progress consistently over time.

To learn more about how to make learning a priority at work, download The 7 Principles of Effective Training for Today’s Workforce

by Tristam Brown: CEO

Tristam Brown is an executive business consultant and organizational development expert with more than three decades of experience helping organizations accelerate performance, build high-impact teams, and turn strategy into execution. As CEO of LSA Global, he works with leaders to get and stay aligned™ through research-backed strategy, culture, and talent solutions that produce measurable, business-critical results. See full bio.