Learning platform Skillsoft has released new research exploring organisations’ strategic priorities for 2025 and employees’ preparedness to achieve them.

Based on a survey of more than 2,100 full-time employees in the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany, the findings reveal that less than half (48%) of respondents have been informed of their organisations’ strategic goals and priorities for the coming year.

Of those that have been informed, only 40% say they are extremely clear about their role in achieving these goals, and just a third believe their skills strongly align with them.

Respondents said improving operational efficiency (48%), increasing revenue and profitability (46%), and enhancing the customer experience (39%) are their organisation’s top priorities for 2025.

The lowest priorities are strengthening data privacy and security practices (17%), closing skill gaps (19%), and improving leadership and management (19%). With this in mind, the top three challenges respondents expect their organisation to face next year are talent acquisition and retention (31%), meeting customer expectations and satisfaction (28%), and effective leadership and management (27%).

Nearly one-in-four (23%) also anticipate skill and competency gaps.

From rapid technological advancements to a new U.S. presidential administration on the horizon, the workplace will continue to shift in 2025, leading to just 23% of respondents saying they feel extremely prepared to handle future work-related challenges.

Contributing to this uncertainty, a fifth of respondents identified the lack of training and skill development opportunities as their primary work-related challenge in the past year. Less than a third (31%) said they had received new training and upskilling opportunities or access to new technologies (e.g. GenAI tools) to achieve their professional goals.

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To feel more prepared, respondents are primarily seeking personalised, role-based training options, more frequent and updated training, and access to mentoring and coaching. Beyond preparedness, respondents also saw stronger relationships with colleagues, increased confidence in tackling new challenges, and enhanced creativity and problem-solving skills after training and upskilling.

“Boosting operational efficiency, revenue, and customer satisfaction should undoubtedly be business priorities. However, it is nearly impossible to deliver on these goals without first breaking them down into measurable actions, clearly communicating these actions to their entire workforce early and often, and providing an environment where employees can develop new skills in service of this strategy,” said Ciara Harrington, chief people officer, Skillsoft.

“By creating a strong foundation of talent through training and a consistent strategy communications plan, employees will be better prepared to adapt, innovate, and contribute to their organisation’s long-term success.”