New research shows employees turn to managers for support — yet most learning systems aren’t designed for real-time growth.

SAN FRANCISCO , Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Go1, a global leader in learning and employee development, launches Go1 Pay, a solution designed to help HR leaders enable manager-led employee development beyond traditional eLearning.

The launch coincides with Go1’s new research report, “The Weight of Development,” which highlights a growing disconnect in how development happens at work. Nearly half of employees (47%) say they needed advice or guidance multiple times in the past month just to succeed in their role. But when they needed help, only 7% turned to a learning platform first. Instead, most turned to a colleague or their manager.

The findings reveal a critical insight for HR leaders: Employees rely on managers for growth and support, yet most development systems are built for assignment, tracking and compliance, not real-time, manager-driven action.

Go1 Pay helps close this gap by giving HR teams a simple, trackable way to fund employee development beyond traditional courses — so teams can access books, coaching, certifications, conferences and other real-world learning, all within HR-defined budgets and guardrails.

“Employees are asking for development that feels more human and more connected to the work they’re doing every day,” said Chris Eigeland, CEO of Go1. “Go1 Pay helps HR leaders support that shift — making it easier to invest in growth that actually builds capability.”

Development needs to feel relevant in the moment

Go1’s research shows employees don’t just want more learning, they want immediately useful support. When asked what makes development coaching most valuable, employees prioritized relevance above all else: 56% said it’s most useful when it’s directly related to their work, and 55% said it needs to be relevant to their role.

For HR leaders, this signals a shift in how development should be designed and delivered. Development opportunities should be connected to real work and available in formats employees actually use, whether through digital learning content or other real-world experiences.

Unlocking managers as the engine of development

The research also reinforces that managers are central to employee growth. Even though managers and colleagues are employees’ most common sources of support, many employees feel they must navigate development on their own. 46% of employees say they primarily rely on their own judgment to identify growth opportunities.

For HR leaders, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Managers are among the biggest drivers of performance, engagement and retention — but most don’t have the time or practical tools to consistently coach and develop their teams.

Go1’s research shows managers are looking for practical support: 82% say they want development tools that fit into their workflow, connect learning to real work and use AI to support coaching and skill-building. But most systems are still built around performance cycles, making it hard for managers to act in the moments that matter.

Go1 Pay enables HR leaders to better support manager-led development by combining governance with flexibility, allowing organizations to fund a wider range of development experiences while keeping visibility and control centralized.

A broader evolution for Go1

Go1 Pay represents an important step in Go1’s evolution beyond traditional eLearning. As workforce capability becomes a strategic priority, HR leaders need systems that support continuous, human-centered development — blending digital learning with real-world experiences and stronger manager involvement.

For more insights and key findings, download “The Weight of Development” at Go1.com/reports/weight-of-development-report.

To learn more about Go1 Pay, visit Go1.com/go1pay.

This launch follows the recent announcement of Morgan, Go1’s intelligent agent, reflecting the growing demand for learning more closely aligned with day-to-day work, business priorities and compliance requirements.

About Go1
Go1 makes it easier for companies to deliver learning that matters. By combining high-quality learning content with AI tools to find, manage, and roll out learning, Go1 helps organizations support personalized development, meet compliance needs, and keep skills up to date. Millions of learners around the world use Go1 every day. Go1 works with more than 10,000 organizations globally and is backed by leading investors including AirTree Ventures, Blue Cloud Ventures, Five Sigma, Insight Partners, Madrona, Salesforce Ventures, SEEK Investments, SoftBank Vision Fund 2 and Y Combinator. Go1 is a Y Combinator 2023 Top Company. To learn more, visit Go1.com.

Media Contact
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Ryan Hecker
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