The world of work is constantly evolving, so the way we learn and develop new skills must evolve too. Since 2020, workplaces have shifted towards remote work and digital platforms, and not every workplace was as prepared for that shift as others. Staying on top of Learning and Development (L&D) trends is the best way to ensure that your organization doesn’t lose to the competition.
A Look at 2023 Trends
With the spotlight on digital platforms and remote work, it’s no surprise that throughout 2023 L&D trends started to focus on digital skills. Organizations began placing greater emphasis on digital skills during the hiring process, prompting individuals to invest in their own learning and development. We also saw an emergence what is known as “quiet hiring,” where an organization looks at upskilling existing employees for new roles, rather than hiring externally.
Trends We’re Seeing and Expecting in 2024
As 2024 is well underway, we see that while the 2023 trends are still relevant, organizations are also investing in more advanced technologies for their learning and development. Some of the L&D trends that we will continue to see throughout 2024 are:
- Upskilling and Reskilling
- AI-Powered Learning
- Microlearning
- Data-Driven Decisions
- Personalized Learning
- Self-Directed Learning
- Integrated Learning within a workflow
Upskilling and Reskilling
“Upskilling” refers to training that expands on an employee’s existing skillset and aims to avoid skill gaps in their current role, and “reskilling” refers to training an employee in completely new skills to prepare them for a new position. Upskilling and reskilling efforts are crucial to your organization’s success, ensuring that your workforce stays ahead of the curve.
Many L&D programs utilized for upskilling and reskilling can be tailored to address specific skill gaps and ensure employees have the tools they need to succeed. According to LinkedIn’s 2023 Learning Report, 89% of L&D professionals agree that taking a proactive approach at building employee skills will be beneficial in navigating the evolving future of work.
Maverick’s digital training platform, ENGAGE Learn, is designed around practical application and interactive learning experiences, so your employees can easily transfer their newly learned skillset into real-world, everyday scenarios. This type of practical application is indispensable when upskilling and reskilling your workforce, because it offers users the opportunity to walk through an unfamiliar process in a safe practice environment, empowering them to feel confident when they are tasked with performing the new process within the live environment.
AI-Powered Learning
Artificial intelligence (AI) is making its way into L&D in a big way, reshaping the way employees work and learn. LinkedIn’s 2024 Learning Report shows that 4 in 5 people want to learn more about how AI can be used in their job.
Generative AI is appealing because it can be used to create personalized learning content and recommend courses to employees based on their individual needs. In upcoming years, it’s predicted that AI will become even more common as it can expand workplace coaching and mentoring efforts.
Microlearning
In today’s workforce, time is a valuable commodity. So, it’s no wonder how microlearning, which delivers training in bite-sized chunks of information, remains popular. Many companies are opting for microlearning over traditional training methods, due to its convenience, flexibility, and ability to cater to shorter attention spans and heightened learner fatigue.
According to a study by the Journal of Applied Psychology, microlearning resulted in a staggering 17% increase in job performance compared to traditional training methods.
While multiple microlearning solutions exist, Maverick’s digital adoption platform (DAP), ENGAGE Live, stands out. Its unique features, such as role-based recognition and seamless integration, deliver unparalleled value to users when inside your environment.
If users need assistance when performing a transaction, they can launch a short workflow to walk them through it. This seamless integration within your existing software eliminates the need for users to switch between applications and minimizes disruption to their workflow.
Data-Driven Decisions
Learning and development doesn’t have to be a guessing game. Organizations are turning to data-driven training methods to optimize their employees’ learning outcomes. Data analytics uses your own users’ data to see what areas and user groups need assistance, allowing you to proactively address their needs and optimize their user experience.
Think of your data as the “map” that helps your team navigate your software, identify roadblocks, customize training content, and ultimately drive higher adoption rates.
Maverick’s Digital Adoption Platform (DAP), ENGAGE Live, offers valuable data-driven insights into user behavior and learning patterns. This data empowers you to see where your users need the most support and refine your training accordingly.
Personalized Learning
Developments in data analytics and AI are helping to make personalized learning a reality for today’s employees. AI holds significant promise for personalized learning experiences, allowing each user or user group to have training catered exactly to their specific needs.
Personalized learning also results in higher employee engagement and retention rates and optimized professional growth. Personalized learning will soon become the norm for organizations of any size.
Maverick’s ENGAGE Learn offers customized training content that can help bridge your workforce’s training gaps that arise from out-of-the-box training. Maverick can work alongside your team to develop custom, step-by-step tutorials that walk users through your organization’s unique business processes using an interactive simulation of your enterprise cloud environment.
In addition to custom training tutorials, Maverick also offers customized learning paths, consisting of relevant topic documents and walk-through tutorials for one specific business process or catered to one specific job role. With custom learning paths, you can ensure that your learners are only being assigned training that is relevant to their job role.
Self-Directed Learning
Employees today are looking for more control over their own learning and development. Organizations are creating self-directed learning environments that provide employees with the resources and support they need to learn at their own pace and on their own terms.
With Maverick’s ENGAGE Learn, your users have on-demand access to hundreds of training resources that they can review at their own pace. They also can self-assign learning paths to keep up with their progress.
Integrated Learning within a Workflow
Busy employees don’t have time for long stretches of dedicated training. In 2024, we expect to see more learning integrated into the workflow, with short, targeted learning modules delivered just when employees need them. In-application instruction that appears in real time allows for flexible learning exactly when your employees need it most.
By layering Maverick’s DAP, ENGAGE Live, on top of your enterprise software, your users are provided with real-time guidance and support while they are inside your production environment. This leads to reduced support tickets, increased user satisfaction and proficiency, reduced errors and rework, and enhanced user adoption.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the L&D trends that are shaping organizations’ L&D departments in 2024. By staying up to date on these trends, organizations can create learning programs that are engaging, effective, and meet the needs of their employees.
If you want to explore how Maverick can help your organization keep up with Learning and Development trends, schedule a demo of our ENGAGE platforms.
