InStride’s newly released 2025 Talent Priorities Report reveals that employees are ready to grow into leadership roles, but employers may be overlooking what’s required to support that growth. In the national survey, 90% of employees expressed interest in leadership development. Among those who expressed strong interest, mid-career professionals (29–44) made up the largest group.
Two out of three HR leaders surveyed also indicated that leadership development is a top focus—suggesting alignment in principle, if not yet in practice.
A disconnect between talent gaps and access gaps
Despite this widespread enthusiasm for growth, the report uncovers a disconnect between HR priorities and employee needs. HR leaders are focused on solving talent gaps through retention, attraction, and upskilling, while employees point to access gaps, especially education, as the key to unlocking their growth. In fact, 78% of employees say they’d be more likely to pursue learning if tuition were paid upfront.
Lauren King, Vice President of Talent Strategy and Workforce Development at Novant Health, remarked on the report’s findings: “You can’t use the word gap unless you’re willing to build a bridge.”
Additional findings from the 2025 Talent Priorities Report
Beyond demand for leadership development and disconnect between access and talent priorities, the report surfaced three other key findings shaping talent strategy in 2025:
- Education drives loyalty
61% of employees say education benefits make them more likely to stay, and 65% say they influence where they apply. HR leaders, meanwhile, rank retention, attraction, and upskilling as their biggest talent challenges. - Appetite for AI is widespread
71% of employees are focused on growing AI skills through education, and 54% of HR leaders are looking for AI-powered education solutions. - Skills-first approaches matter
Both groups value job-aligned skills, whether gained through degrees or short-term credentials. Certification interest jumped from 28% to 34% year-over-year.
Report insights spark discussion on next steps for employers
The 2025 Talent Priorities Report draws from two national surveys conducted in early 2025: one of 1,000+ employees and another of 100+ HR and L&D leaders across industries.
InStride, a leading provider of strategic education and skilling solutions, gave an early look at the findings at the company’s annual IMPACT summit in a panel featuring speakers from Novant Health and the Aspen Institute’s UpSkill America initiative, moderated by Nick Greif, InStride Vice President of Corporate Partnerships and External Affairs.
“Talent gaps and access gaps are often two sides of the same coin,” said Greif. “When 78% of employees say they’d be more likely to pursue education if their employer paid tuition upfront, that’s a signal of interest and a call to action. However, most employers put up barriers like reimbursement schemes, clawbacks, and grade requirements that reduce the exact employee outcomes they are seeking. The good news is, solving for access is one of the clearest steps employers can take to unlock talent.”
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