My Employees

The Mobility Cliff: When Upskilling Alone Isn’t Advancing Careers

PDF posted by Bright Horizons on August 21, 2026
An adult professional walking up the stairs in an office setting.

New research reveals a widening gap between employees’ readiness to grow and the internal pathways that turn learning into career advancement. 

Employees are ready to build new skills, but many aren’t seeing a clear path from learning to their next role.

The 2026 Bright Horizons Education Index, based on research conducted with The Harris Poll, examines how employees build skills, pursue advancement, and experience workforce education. The findings reveal an opportunity for employers to connect education benefits more intentionally to career pathways, manager guidance, and internal mobility.

Download the research to discover:

  • What employees expect from career development
  • Where employees are getting stuck
  • Why manager involvement matters
  • How education benefits influence attraction and retention

See what the latest research reveals about the connection between workforce education, career advancement, and internal mobility, and what it means for your talent and benefits strategy.

Bright Horizons
About the Author
Bright Horizons
Bright Horizons
In 1986, our founders saw that child care was an enormous obstacle for working parents. On-site centers became one way we responded to help employees – and organizations -- work better. Today we offer child care, elder care, and help for education and careers -- tools used by more than 1,000 of the world’s top employers and that power many of the world's best brands
An adult professional walking up the stairs in an office setting.

Download the Research