​The pandemic has caused millions of people to quit their jobs, leaving companies scrambling to find ways to hold on to their top employees and attract new ones.

“Employers are getting a hard wake-up call around how competitive their offerings are—pay, benefits, flexibility,” says Britt Andreatta, chief executive officer of workplace consultancy 7th Mind Inc., based in Santa Barbara, Calif.

But these standard, if shifting, incentives aren’t the only options companies have for setting themselves apart. “Another way to be competitive is to allow for learning,” Andreatta says.

Learning and development (L&D) programs can be an appealing benefit. In fact,