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Is Employee Development Key for Effective Democratic Elections?

High-quality civic engagement does not occur spontaneously, nor does the implementation of learning and development programs. If educational institutions like high schools and colleges are only partially successful in cultivating an informed electorate and skilled workforce, should employers step in to bridge the gap?

Many organizations prioritize employee development as it directly benefits business outcomes. From a human capital standpoint, offering talent development opportunities is a strategic move to attract and retain top talent while also ensuring effective leadership succession. However, not all talent development strategies are created equal. For instance, “upskilling” tends to be binary and linear — either you possess a skill or you do not, and acquiring it is necessary to maintain employment. In contrast, leadership programs are more abstract and demand a long-term commitment to whole human development . This makes quick quantification challenging because leadership involves complex competencies that require longer-term and more sophisticated methods to measure accurately. For example, while may be likable and motivate their team effectively, lacking essential leadership competencies can result in short-term productivity without long-term effectiveness.

Organizational success is deeply intertwined with individual success. But how does employee learning and development impact society at large? There is a strong case to be made that it does. The fundamental competencies required for civic engagement bear a striking resemblance to those needed for effective leadership. This similarity arises because transactional learning, which is the type of learning that happens when watching the news, allows us to gather information but falls short in helping us interpret, apply, or fully integrate that knowledge. High-quality learning requires a nuanced and individualized process that prioritizes developing people comprehensively, rather than through transactions. Continuous learning fosters the ability to not just possess a skill but to think with precision. Consequently, a well-educated voting public shares many of the competencies that characterize an effective workplace team.

So, how can we ensure that both our voting public and our work teams master the art of learning? Let’s explore several strategies.

Mechanic working on a vehicle

What if it became mandatory for organizations to provide all employees with talent development opportunities?

While this might seem like an impractical and costly idea, it could ultimately pay for itself. We already know that investing in meaningful employee development improves both retention and engagement. This approach also fosters profound innovation, which in turn leads to the creation of better products and services.

What if we transformed Talent Development from a “cost center” to a revenue generator?

Standard Human Resources thinking tends to categorize learning and development within the Total Rewards portfolio, hoping employees will be motivated to engage. This approach is flawed for two key reasons. Financially, it labels talent development as a “cost” without exploring alternative ways to measure or generate a return on investment. Culturally, it frames professional development stipends as part of a transactional relationship between employer and employee, missing the chance to build deeper connections. By positioning development as a “reward,” we create division — placing employees on one side, employers on the other, with compensation as the only significant link between the two.

One alternative is to shift talent development out of the Total Rewards framework and instead align it with revenue-generating activities such as continuous improvement, leadership succession, product, service, or program innovation, and strategic partnerships.

Hard hat worker with machine shooting sparks

What if employers partnered with bipartisan civic engagement organizations?

It might be easy for employers to dismiss this as simply organizing voter registration drives or offering paid time off for employees to vote. However, voting is a fleeting behavioral act, while developing the ability to think analytically is a leadership skill that helps us navigate policies and manage organizations more effectively.

A well-educated voting public shares many of the competencies that characterize an effective workplace team.

Civic engagement initiatives, which often target campuses or communities, could collaborate with employers to teach mutually valuable skills. For instance, a bipartisan foundation could sponsor leadership development for small businesses, or large employers could partner with a politically neutral think tank to enhance leadership capabilities across sectors.

What if employers moved away from top-down control and embraced democratic organizational models?

This approach can be particularly effective for organizations not tied to third-party demands, such as Wall Street’s quarterly reporting, short-term investor agreements, or micromanaging funders. Organizational democracy drives long-term success by aligning human and organizational success, far surpassing a singular focus on financial metrics. In general, inequities tend to breed further inequities — whether in who has a say in how a company is run or in who has a voice in government.

Employees around a conference table meeting

However, despite the various benefits of democratic organizational structures, they are only effective if senior executives are genuinely prepared to listen, incorporate feedback, and invite others into shared decision-making. This mirrors the way governmental structures function — we may call something democratic, but if real listening isn’t happening, both employees and voters begin to lose trust.

Democratic processes can also falter when employees (and voters) are not coached to participate. People — both Individuals and entire teams or communities — who are not usually asked for input may not be comfortable speaking up. Essentially, the same skills that foster healthy voting habits can also nurture strong organizational governance. Democracy within organizations and vibrant democratic societies may be mutually reinforcing.

What’s the verdict?

Should organizations allocate resources to employee learning and development in the interest of democracy? In general, more education leads to greater civic engagement. There are various factors contributing to this, but at its core, investing in people strengthens communities, institutions, and social systems. While access to news media and information should, in theory, be enough, without ongoing education, many individuals struggle to discern between quality analysis, sponsored content, and deep fakes.

While there is no single solution to guarantee an innovative team or a thriving society, the foundational elements for both overlap significantly.

Even with high-quality news sources, the format is often transactional and misaligned with the science of adult learning, which engagement and transformation. For example, asking “who do you endorse?” is transactional, focusing on following someone else’s opinion on who to vote for. In contrast, analysis requires active participation — an essential component of democracy. Questions like “Do the components of this candidate’s platform work cohesively?” or “Who stands to benefit from this platform?” foster deeper, more nuanced thinking.

While there is no single solution to guarantee an innovative team or a thriving society, the foundational elements for both overlap significantly. With the future of work and democracy at stake, investing in high-quality, professional-grade learning and development is a strategy worth piloting and scaling. Organizational and management research indicates that talent development is beneficial for business, but it might also be crucial for strengthening our democracies.

Dr. Sara Murdock, an Impact Entrepreneur Correspondent, is the Executive Director of Futures Index, a global R&D initiative focused on Visionary Skills and preparing for the future before it gets here. Covering the most poignant topics of the next 2 decades, Dr. Murdock frequently serves as a speaker, author, and ... Read more
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