Learning as a benefit

Recruiting talent is a competitive business. Skilled staff are in high demand and, even when you recruit them, you need to retain them.

Offering professional development as part of your employee benefit package can help you attract and retain staff, building their loyalty as well as their expertise.

It’s a relatively low-cost way to increase perceived value of your overall employee package and boost your employer brand with in-demand talent.

Uber success story

Through its pioneering partnership with The Open University, Uber offers its drivers the chance to study a fully funded programme with the OU.

All Uber drivers have accessed to courses on the OU's free learning platform OpenLearn. However, for eligible drivers Uber pay all tuition fees for paid courses, so the driver can study anything from a short course to an undergraduate degree, completely free of charge.

Not only that, but the driver can choose to transfer the reward to an eligible family member, unlocking opportunity for their partner or children. This is a significant benefit that could save a hard-working family significant tuition fees.

To qualify for the reward, drivers must meet certain criteria relating to their rating and length of service. By incentivising loyalty to their brand, Uber can retain the best drivers for a number of years in a competitive sector.

Following the success of the programme for their Uber Rides business, they are now expanding the programme to include their emerging Uber Eats business  – a clear vote of confidence in the concept of learning as a benefit. 

Discover the benefits to your organisation

Uber are just one of the success stories in our white paper: Closing the opportunity gap: The economic drivers for learning as a benefit

Download the white paper and discover:

• The economic advantages of offering learning as a benefit
• How to make the business case for this type of L&D offering
• Four key considerations for a successful framework for learning as a benefit
• How Uber and Novartis have made a success of learning as a benefit

Ready to increase employee loyalty through learning?

Discuss how The Open University can support your organisation’s learning strategy

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