The research report was intended to shed light on the perceptions of both employer and employee on the skill sets of the average worker — the so-called "skills gap," that indicates how well a workforce is prepared to acquire the skills needed to succeed in today's work environment.

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Spherion says that, alarmingly, the skills gap appears not to have narrowed in the past 12 months. Despite the ongoing recovery and expanded opportunities for workers to move up or out to improve their situations, many of those surveyed say they either don't have enough time to devote to acquiring new skills, or their companies don't offer opportunities to enhance their skill sets.

"Employees who believe their workplace does not provide relevant and practical skills development tools are more likely either to become unmotivated to seek growth opportunities or look elsewhere for positions more suitable to their abilities and training needs," says Sandy Mazur, Spherion division president. "Either outcome is detrimental to long-term business success, and as our Emerging Workforce Study found, both businesses and workers are taking a dangerous risk by ignoring these skills development disconnects."

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When human resources managers were asked whether their company had invested more in training and development in the past two years, 45 percent say they had. But feedback from employees suggests that money was not particularly well spent. Among the study's findings from employee surveys:

• 32 percent say their current skills don't warrant a promotion.

• 35 percent say they are falling behind in acquiring valuable new skills.

• 32 percent say their company doesn't offer adequate skills training.

• 45 percent say the training programs provided by their employer are outdated and don't match their job requirements.

• 34 percent think third-party trainers do a better job that company trainers.

• 23 percent say online training and certification courses were better than what the company offered.

• 14 percent give their company training programs an "A" when asked to grade them.

"Closing the skills gap is the responsibility of both employers and employees, and better communication can help eliminate some of the disconnects that have prevented progress," says Mazur. "Through more frequent and open dialogue, both parties can identify which types of training and development programs are the best match for individual needs and examine how workers can enjoy continuous growth at their company."