Join us as we explore one of the most powerful and often underused levers for competitiveness: employee development.
In the latest episode of Great Talks, host Beth Taylor, Content Manager at Great Place To Work UK, is joined by Jon Rice, Consultant, and Abi Animwa, Senior Insights Manager.
In this episode, we continue our journey through the Great Place to Work Effect, the idea that when leaders build high trust cultures, employee experience improves, culture strengthens, and organisations see better performance as a result. For a closer look into what the Great Place To Work Effect is, download the report or listen to the first episode in the series here.
Across the UK right now, many businesses are grappling with low productivity, limited agility, and slowing innovation. In response, it's easy to focus on quick fixes, like new technologies.
But sustaining innovation, agility, and productivity needs more than new tools or processes. It requires a workplace culture where employees feel trusted, supported, and empowered to grow. Listen below to explore how building a culture of continuous development, grounded in trust, fuels agility and innovation, and helps organisations keep pace in a rapidly changing environment.
• 25 min
How Development Drives Performance | The Great Place To Work Effect
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Key Takeaways
Development doesn't just mean training programmes
Organisations that do development well view it as more than just a tick box exercise. Growth is ongoing, intentional, and embedded in the everyday.
As Jon shared, "continuous development means employees become more confident in taking on new challenges, which improves their responsiveness, their problem solving, and their day-to-day performance. That's how development becomes an operational lever, rather than just an HR-offering."
Development starts with trust
Trust is the foundation of the Great Place To Work Effect, and a vital enabler for meaningful development.
As Abi shared, our latest UK Workforce Study found that 82% of employees in high-trust workplaces access development opportunities compared with just 9% in low-trust environments.
"That means when trust is high, employees are far more willing to develop," she elaborates. And the benefits aren't just felt by employees: "by building transferable skills, encouraging experimentation, and increasing confidence, high-trust, high-development organisations create the breeding ground for innovation, agility, and productivity."
Trust is the precondition for transformation
Trust isn't just integral to developing your employees: it is the prerequisite for developing your organisation, too. Successful transformation depends not just on what is changing, but on how supported people feel as they adapt: leaders must focus as much on confidence and trust as on tools and processes.
In high‑trust environments, employees engage with change. They build new skills, ask questions, and develop confidence as their roles evolve. When it comes to AI, for example, "employees in high trust environments are five times more likely to feel confident and optimistic", shared Jon. "Because they're allowed to have that pace of change be a priority with the business, they're allowed to ask questions, and really have that
psychological safety to not just be told to blindly accept something, but to be there every step of the process."
Show Transcript
Beth
Hello, and welcome back to Great Talks, the series where we explore what great workplace culture really looks like, and how leaders can turn culture into a genuine business advantage. I'm Beth, Content Manager at Great Place To Work UK, and I'll be your host. In this episode, we're continuing our journey through the Great Place To Work Effect - the idea that when leaders build high-trust cultures, employee experience improves, culture strengthens, and organisations can see better performance as a result. For a closer look into what the Great Place To Work Effect is, I really recommend going back and listening to the first episode in this series, where we introduce the Effect and what it means for your organisation.
Across the UK right now, many businesses are grappling with low productivity, limited agility, and slowing innovation. In response, it's easy to focus on quick fixes like new technologies, but sustaining innovation, agility, and productivity needs more than new tools or processes. It requires a workplace culture where employees feel trusted, supported, and empowered to grow. What our research shows is that one of the most powerful and often underused levers for competitiveness is employee development. Today, I'm joined by Consultant Jon Rice and Senior Insights Manager Abi Animwa. Together, we'll explore how building a culture of continuous development, grounded in trust, fuels agility and innovation, and helps organisations keep pace in a rapidly changing environment. Hi, Abi, Jon. Thanks so much for joining me today. It's lovely to have you both back on the podcast.
Jon
Thank you for having me back again.
Abi
Thank you for having me as well.
Beth
So as we discussed in the last episode, the Great Place To Work Effect shows how much of an impact culture can have on outcomes that many UK businesses are struggling with right now. You know, things like productivity, agility, and innovation. So Abi, maybe you could just set the scene as to why so many organisations are struggling to keep up.
Abi
Yeah, I think one of the big reasons organisations are struggling right now is that we've all been working during so much change. Economic uncertainty, you know, rapid technology advancements like AI, changing customer expectations and behaviours, all are happening at once. And that's coming in a UK context where productivity has been a long standing challenge. Output per hour in the UK has grown very slowly since the financial crisis, COVID, Brexit, and now wars, and productivity remains lower right now in the UK, compared to our European counterparts. What that means in practice is that organisations are under real pressure to do more with the same or in some cases fewer resources, but too often the response is to push harder on output rather than investing in people properly. We see this really clearly in our data. Employees are being asked to adapt faster, innovate more and take on new ways of working, but without enough focus on development, building skills, confidence and capability as roles and expectations change. And in lower trust cultures, development becomes quite transactional or just gets deprioritised altogether. And people end up feeling stretched rather than supported. The organisations actually that are coping better, they recognise that productivity isn't just about working harder. It's about creating a culture where people are trusted to learn, encouraged to grow and supported to keep developing as the business evolves. That's what unlocks sustained productivity, agility and innovation, especially in a challenging UK economic environment.
Beth
Thank you, Abi. I think that paints a really clear picture of, you know, the challenges that organisations are facing right now, but also how culture and specifically that culture of development can help leaders who are, you know, focused on growth and competitiveness and performance. Clearly, when people are supported to grow, performance follows. And that's what we'll be exploring today. So let's zoom in on development itself, because it's often talked about in quite narrow terms, you know, often reduced to things like training programs. But from a Great Place To Work perspective, maybe Jon, you can answer this as a consultant. How do we define continuous development more broadly?
Jon
Of course, so continuous development is a structured process with a lot more intention behind it than just random ad hoc training here and there. It's about having a plan for each employee, whether it's just a loose one, like, where would you like to be in your career in the next five years? Or let's get you promoted to senior in the next two years, and making gradual and structured steps towards those goals. These plans are developed and adjusted routinely in one-to-one conversations with line managers, and work best when they're co-developed in tandem with the employee. I often hear them referred to as promotional pathways or development pathways, and it really is giving employees that clear journey in front of them, so they know exactly what they can expect in their career growth, and exactly the path they have to go down to get what they want out of their work. And now, of course, this does include training courses and more traditional development-y type things, but it's really important to acknowledge the growth an employee does by just simply doing their jobs and developing their skills. No training course can supplement on-the-job experience, and it's so vital that this is captured in development conversations. Often the employees themselves might not even be aware of how much they've progressed simply just by working, so often that can be a very valuable conversation to talk about where people are going, but also talk about where people have come from and how much they've developed already in their roles or within the organisation. So continuous development means employees become more confident in taking on new challenges, which improves their responsiveness, their problem solving, and their day-to-day performance in general there. And that's how development becomes an operational lever, rather than just HR-offering.
Abi
Yeah, and what I've found at the Best Workplaces is that when it comes to development, it happens in the flow of work. It really does start with leaders really understanding, you know, people's strengths and aspirations, but they have a very unique way of also connecting that to where the organisation is trying to go. So when I review Culture Audits, I see that the organisations who do really well, they're the ones who are very intentional about how development works in practice. So one example that really stood out from one of the 2026 UK's Best Workplaces is an organisation that created a clear development charter. And what it does is that it sets out in very simple terms how learning happens across the business and what employees can expect, so that learning doesn't just become about courses. And it includes on-the-job experiences like simple stretch assignments. So, for example, being able to own meeting minutes or, you know, having responsibility to create a draft version of a document. Then there's the near-the-job learning through mentoring communities or employee-led sessions. And then they also have, of course, the formal learning courses like, you know, learning and so on. But the point is that by offering multiple flexible pathways for development, development becomes practical, it becomes accessible and inclusive. And I think that's what keeps it relevant to both the individual and the organisation. That gives organisations a stronger internal pipeline of capability, which supports agility, innovation and retention.
Beth
Yeah, that's such a lovely client practice there, Abi. And I think it really proves what Jon was saying that, you know, organisations who do development well don't just see it as something to be ticked off a list. It's not just about the occasional training. It's, you know, we're talking about development as something very embedded and ongoing and intentional. And that's when it brings those benefits to the organisation of becoming more agile, more innovative, more resilient and ultimately driving performance. But as well as having those practices in place, organisations do also need to create the right culture and the right conditions for their employees to truly be able to grow. And as with everything that we talk about when we talk about the effect, trust is the critical foundation here. So, Jon, maybe you can start. How does trust come in here? And why is it so essential for learning, growth and development at work?
Jon
Of course. So, like any sort of thing, when we talk about trust, it's a two-way relationship of trust coming from both directions. So, from the perspective of the employee, it's vital that they have that trust in their line managers and their leaders, that when they are shaping what their continuous development journeys look like, it's for the best for that employee there. It is, after all, putting your short-term future within the business in someone else's care. Line managers may have to tell an eager employee to slow down and take it steady, and that their plan to sprint up the corporate ladder is unrealistic. Or they might have to say, oh, I'm not quite sure about that training course. It might not be in your best interest. You should do this one instead. That relationship of trust between the line manager and the employee is critical for the employees to put their faith in the fact that there is that level of care there and their development is being shaped in a way that's in their best interests. On the other side of the relationship, on the line manager side, they need to have that trust that the employee is actually doing that development work. Not every piece of development is a training course that takes attendance and gives a shiny certificate proving that it's been done. Development can also be watching webinars, attending conferences, reading books, having conversations, or even just listening to a podcast. Maybe that's why you're listening to this podcast right now. And these aren't always the things that are provable to have been done. So, it does take that trust from the line manager that their managers are actually putting in the effort and putting in the work in their development that might not always be visible and tangible, but is there. It's an important step in that development pathway that we spoke about earlier.
Abi
And Jon, our research from our latest UK Workforce Study found that 82% of employees in high-trust workplaces access development opportunities compared with just 9% in low-trust environments. So, it means that when trust is high, employees are far more willing to develop.
Jon
I believe that, definitely.
Abi
Yeah, and by building transferable skills, encouraging experimentation, and increasing confidence, high-trust, high-development organisations create the breeding ground for innovation, agility, and productivity. That's why development enabled by trust is not just a cultural advantage, but a key enabler for organisational performance. And this pattern sits at the heart of the Great Place To Work Effect. Trust enables development, development builds capability, and capability drives performance.
Beth
Yeah, thanks both. I think, Abi, that really brings to life what Jon was saying there. And Jon, I really like what you said about trust being two-sided there, because it's kind of like any relationship, right, for it to work well, there needs to be trust on both sides. Leaders need to build that trust, but they also need to trust that employees are invested in their own development as well.
Jon
Yeah, absolutely, Beth. I definitely agree there. I think with that sort of building that trust, it is really important because the trust needs to be there, not just for the development of the individual employees, it's foundational to the development of the whole business itself there. So, when any sort of change comes along, whether it's driven by new technologies like AI, or new systems, or new sort of business priorities there, success depends on not just the change that's happening, but how people feel supported during that change, and how they adapt and cope with the change as well, that change readiness piece that we so often talk about in our work. For example, employees in high-trust environments are five times more likely to feel confident and optimistic about AI there, because they're allowed to have that pace of change be a priority with the business, they're allowed to sort of ask questions, and really have that psychological safety to not just be told to blindly accept something, but to be there on every step of the process with the leaders. And that really is crucial for creating that feeling of trust, and that readiness for change.
Beth
And I think that's so important, you know, especially in the current climate, as Abi was talking about earlier, we've all been working through so much change and are continuing to do so. So, it's more vital than ever, really, to build trust, because it really is the foundation for everything else. And as we know, from the Great Place To Work Effect, when leaders build that trust, it shapes the culture and ultimately drives performance. So, we know that leadership behaviours are foundational to creating a high-trust culture. And there are nine leadership behaviours identified in the Great Place To Work Effect. One of them is developing. So, what does this actually look like day to day?
Jon
There are various different behaviours that leaders can take to build those high-trust cultures that drive performance. And this can be ensuring that adequate time is put into resourcing or work allocation for development, so it can actually take place. One of the biggest complaints I see in employee surveying is that development is encouraged by organisations, but not actually budgeted for in terms of time. People are told that they should be doing all these learning and development opportunities, but they don't actually have the time in their weeks to sit down and do it. So, that's definitely a huge one there. There's also role model development as well. Talking about the development you've done as a leader, interesting insights you found in your work or your wider reading, show that development is a priority for you. So, then you're role modelling that for other people in your organisation as well. And also talk about others' development and platform them. In Great Place To Work Consulting, if we individually go to conferences, in the next team meeting, we are given five to ten minutes to talk about what we've learnt, what we found interesting, and any other insights that we might have seen there. In other words, this kind of shares the development amongst our team, but also gives us recognition for it as well, which is of course encouraging other people to do the same. It's also great to suggest development opportunities to your team or departments. Just something as simple as, oh I saw this course, this conference, this opportunity, and thought it would be brilliant for you as well. It shows other people that development is on your mind, and also suggests things that they might not have picked up on themselves. And the final one is just get fun with it. Development doesn't have to be boring. Gamified development is taking off for good reason, and there's quizzes and games that can be small but fun development opportunities for your teams. Or you could make it into more of a social activity as well. Why not expend some development related books for your team, and start having monthly or quarterly book club meetings as well. Have a cup of tea, some cake, and chat about what you found most interesting, inspiring, or useful from the books you've read. If development is only treated as formal training, it becomes occasional and very disconnected from work. When it actually happens in the flow of work instead, that capability builds faster and more consistently for employees.
Abi
And just to throw another best practice from a Culture Audit I've read. So this company has an internal talent community, which is open to all employees. And what they do is they push out regular updates on internal vacancies, access to development programmes, career advice, and short-term project opportunities, which they call gigs, to broaden experience. So if someone is actively seeking a new role or simply exploring future possibilities, the community ensures visibility of opportunities and empowers individuals to take ownership of their career journey. And I think ensuring fair access to opportunities is also another really important one when it comes to growing a learning and developing organisation.
Beth
Thanks both. Those are some really interesting practices. And I think it's nice that we've got the kind of bigger, more organisation-wide ones, and then also smaller things that can just happen in one-to-ones or in team meetings. You know, those daily actions that really make development visible and fair and usable. And when those behaviours are consistent, they don't just improve how people feel at work. You know, they build that capability and confidence that organisations need for stronger performance. So, Abi, how does a strong development culture show up in the performance outcomes we've talked about throughout this episode, like agility, productivity, and innovation?
Abi
Yeah, I mean, I think it only makes sense for it to show up in a strong development culture. So starting with agility, I think development really equips people with the transferable skills and the confidence to stretch beyond the confines of their role when needed. In our data, employees with better access to development are more than twice as likely to say their organisation adapts quickly to change. And that's because when learning is part of everyday work, people respond to change with curiosity rather than just resistance. When it comes to innovation in high development environments, employees are around two and a half times more likely to innovate. And that's because, you know, the confidence in skills and development allows people to be willing to take risks and contribute ideas instead of holding back. And that links nicely and directly to productivity through the extra effort people are willing to give to get a job done. Our research shows that employees with access to development opportunities are twice as likely to say they're willing to go above and beyond to get the job done. When people feel trusted, invested in, and able to grow, they bring more energy, focus, and commitment to their work. So what we see time and time again is that development fuels the capability and, you know, the extra effort people are willing to give, that fuels productivity, and together they create the conditions, you know, necessary for agility, innovation, and I think that's a really significant part of the Great Place To Work Effect.
Jon
Absolutely, Abi, and I think there's also a very strong link to our retention piece in there as well. In the work we do in consulting, we often see that it's that really critical period when an employee's been with an organisation for between two and five years where people tend to start to dip in their employee engagement. And the average tenure for a lot of sectors in the UK is three and a half years, so it's very much around that point where if people aren't growing within their business, they'll start looking elsewhere and potentially thinking about moving on as well. So having those strong development cultures not only does get the best out of your employees, but you're far more likely to keep them for longer as well as they kind of continue to feel like it's worthwhile staying within the organisation and their developing in their careers rather than jumping ship and looking for that development elsewhere instead.
Beth
Thanks, Jon. Yeah, and I think that retention piece is so important because when organisations keep people growing and therefore keep them in the organisation, they keep that capability that they've built, you know, the skills, the relationships, the institutional knowledge, and actually we know from our latest research into development that employees with access to development opportunities are twice as likely to say they want to stay at their organisation for a long time. So that means, you know, more consistency, less disruption and less cost in terms of replacing people as well. So retention and that internal mobility piece, I think, is a really vital part of the performance story because you're not only building capability, you're protecting it and keeping it around more long term. And as you say, Abi, I think it just makes sense that when you are kind of putting the effort in and investing in developing your people that you're going to get the best out of them. And when you are seeing stronger performance in terms of retention and agility and innovation and all these things, of course, that is also going to lead to the better business performance and financial performance that we do see in organisations with high-trust cultures. So I think we've made a really compelling case for development as a strategic driver, not just a people initiative. You know, of course, it's good for people, but it's good for the business as well. But for leaders listening, I think the big question is often kind of where do I realistically start with this? So if we can kind of end by moving away from the big picture for a moment and zooming in to those sort of tangible actions again, if a leader listening wanted to take one practical action this week to strengthen that culture of continuous development, what do you think it should be?
Abi
If I had to pick one practical action a leader could take this week, it would be to model development visibly. I remember when my manager blocked out a couple of days specifically to focus on her own development and she told the team she was doing it. That made me feel like, oh, I also have the permission to develop. It made me feel far more confident asking for time to develop because I'd seen it modelled from the top. So for leaders listening, that could be as simple as blocking time in your calendars for learning, coaching or reflection, and then just being open about it, telling people about it. When leaders model development as a normal part of their job, it shows that growth is expected, supported and valued. And that's how a culture of continuous development can really take shape.
Jon
Absolutely, I definitely think that's the best practice to be as visible as possible, role modelling your own development as well. And along similar lines, I would say as a leader as well, think about the people you manage in your organisation or employees that have been earmarked for development a bit more widely as well. What is one smaller thing you can suggest to them this week that they can complete in the next fortnight that would be an impactful step in their developmental journeys? It could be as simple as read this article, listen to this podcast, talk to this individual, but whatever it may be, ask them to do it. Start thinking about those micro development opportunities and embed those into your weekly working life as well. It often takes so long to do big traditional development, but if you do small things each week, it really does start to build over time, and it shifts your mindset into one of continuous development as well. And at the risk of plugging too hard, if you are a people leader in this podcast episode has shifted your mindset in what development could look like within your organisation, why not make your micro development activity be sharing this episode with your wider team?
Beth
Some really great kind of small practices that I think would be hopefully quite easy for leaders listening to embed into their week. So yeah, thank you so much. It's been such an interesting discussion. And thanks for joining me again today.
Abi
Thank you.
Jon
Oh, it's always a pleasure.
Beth
So what today's conversation makes clear is that continuous development isn't about doing more. It's about doing things differently. When development is built on trust, embedded into everyday leadership behaviour and experienced consistently across the organisation, it becomes a powerful engine for agility, innovation and long term performance. If you'd like to explore the data and research behind what we've discussed, including how high-trust cultures outperform when it comes to productivity, innovation, agility and revenue, you can dive deeper in the Great Place To Work Effect Report, where we bring the full model to life with evidence and real world examples. You can get your copy at greatplacetowork.co.uk. Thanks for listening to Great Talks. Make sure you're subscribed wherever you get your podcasts, and we'll be back soon as we continue exploring how great workplaces create great results for people and for business.
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