DUBAI — On-the-job training has proven its importance for professionals across the world and certainly for those in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, who largely agree on its many advantages. According to a new poll by Bayt.com, the region’s leading job site, entitled ‘On-The-Job Training in the Middle East and North Africa,’ more than 9 in 10 (91.4%) respondents deliberately look for companies with clear training and development programs during their job search.

In fact, nearly seven in 10 respondents (69.3%) agree that aside from salary, what matters most to them when considering job offers is the availability of “training and development opportunities” at work. This was followed by 12.3% who said they care most about “work/life balance”, 10% who care most about “type of work and responsibilities”, and 8.4% who care most about “office environment and culture”.

Moreover, a whopping 85% of respondents claim that they would leave their current job to find better training and career development opportunities in another role.

Perhaps influencing the overall perception of on-the-job training as a necessity in the workplace, the Bayt.com poll found that more than three quarters (77.3%) of respondents’ workplaces provide training and development opportunities, and 83% agree that most entry-level jobs have a strong program for training and development in place for the employee. What’s more positive to hear, when asked about the quality of training and development programs at their workplace, nearly 8 in 10 respondents (77.1%) said they are satisfied with the available opportunities at their workplace, with over two thirds (69.4%) saying they are ‘very satisfied’ with this aspect.

Nearly two-thirds of respondents (63.3%) cited increased productivity as the greatest advantage, while the remaining one-third (28.7%) cited increased productivity in addition to increased employee satisfaction, improved employer brand and culture, and improved succession planning.

Seven in 10 MENA professionals (70.7%) believe that fresh graduates and interns could benefit the most from on-the-job training, while 16.3% said that all career levels (fresh graduates, mid-career professionals, and senior managers) could benefit from on-the-job training.

When asked about their expectations for on-the-job training, more than 8 in 10 respondents (82.1%) said that they expect their employer to have a succession or promotion plan in place for them before starting a new job. With upward mobility in mind, 88.2% of MENA professionals also said that it is essential that they have a mentor or coach during their first few months at a new job.

In regard to the topics or focus of training opportunities that professionals in the MENA region care about the most, the great majority (80%) of respondents voted for job-related and technical training opportunities at work. This was followed by 12.2% of respondents who voted for leadership development training, while 7.8% voted for basic soft skills development.

When it came to the most effective training approaches, 80.7% of respondents said that “online courses and learning resources” are the most effective, followed by 12.7% who said that about “conferences, workshops, and industry events”, 3.8% who voted for “traditional classroom-style learning”, and 2.8% who voted for “shadowing and peer-to-peer” learning.

“The Bayt.com ‘On-The-Job Training in the Middle East and North Africa’ poll has allowed us to collate information on what MENA professionals believe is important when it comes to their learning and training options. The majority of respondents have made their professional improvement and career development a top priority, which also influences their job search behavior and preferences,” said Suhail Masri, Vice President of Employer Solutions, Bayt.com. “At Bayt.com we aim to nurture this drive to improve and we want to be there every step of the way for MENA professionals, as an organization we are proud to provide the necessary tools and technologies to nearly 30 million professionals who are registered on Bayt.com so that they can enhance their profiles and CVs on our portal and look for job opportunities that meet their expectations and career goals. It is inspiring to see that professionals all over the region are invested in their careers and purposefully search for jobs that will enable them to cultivate their skills and grow as employees over time.”

Bayt.com also asked who is responsible for providing training and learning options. Two thirds of respondents (66.6%) agree that it is the responsibility of the direct manager to provide on-the-job training for employees, over a quarter (26.4%) of respondents said it is the responsibility of the HR department, and 7% said it is the responsibility of the employees themselves. — SG