62% would consider leaving their current job due to insufficient learning opportunities.
Andy and Alice tackle what the world of learning will look like in 2024 as the landscape of workplace development continues to evolve far beyond traditional face-to-face instructor-led training.
Learning has changed forever
As we move into 2024, learning and development (L&D) departments will continue to take more flexible forms. Gone are the days where traditional face to-face instructor led learning was seen as the default. E-learning has well and truly established itself, and even more kinds of learning are being offered to employees. But there are more changes to come, as new challenges rear their heads.
73% of young people are anxious about their futures because of the cost-of-living crisis and feel like they’ve not had the same opportunities to develop in their careers as other colleagues, lowering their career expectations as a result. That’s a lot of untapped talent that isn’t being channelled.
And with more and more departments being asked to do more with less, how are L&D departments supposed to keep up with other more visible departments and ensure they get the funding they need?
Learning experience, the next generation of learning?
A learning experience platform (LXP) is a new way of looking at learning, that’s regarded as an offshoot or evolution from a Learning Management System (LMS).
An LMS is what you’re most likely familiar with. These help ensure everyone in your organisation gets a baseline level of knowledge that’s consistent from employee to employee. Their focus is on what the employer needs.
An LXP is used to help employee’s self-direct their own learning. It uses iterative development (including AI) to recommend content to users. This creates a more personalised learning journey for an employee, letting them take charge of their own development instead of waiting to be told to do things.
It’s a lot like how customer service has expanded to customer experience, LXP represents an evolution of what already exists. It’s an expanded perspective on what L&D can be.
“LXP is starting to become a more known term, as well as a new priority to the mainstream,” says Ian Mackinnon, Senior Learning Product Manager at MHR, “It will likely become a big thing going into next year.”
Development employees are empowered employees
The growing interest in LXPs points to another trend - truly effective learning empowers your employees. In 2024, we’ll see a further push towards employee autonomy in learning. It’s about giving people the tools they need to forge their own paths and create a culture that encourages learning for its own sake.
Industries like retail, hospitality and manufacturing with the highest levels of turnover will need to have a greater focus on training frontline workers to avoid losing employees. Mobile-ready, democratised learning, personalisation, microlearning and on-the-job learning are key areas to focus on for these companies.
“It doesn't always matter what employees are learning about; they don’t need to be work related either. Let them discover and experience the joy of learning again. As a next step, give people an opportunity to share what they have learned with others. This is best done in informal settings that are voluntary to take part in, with more of a suggestion for people to engage with what excites them,” says Katrin Shaw, Founder, Go!Fish Collective.
Learning budgets are the first to go, but...
With a lot of economic uncertainty in the air, one big trend we might see in 2024 is organisations cutting their learning budgets. Learning doesn’t directly translate into immediate profits, so it can be all too easy to let priorities shift.
This a very short-term view. Sure, it might save you some cash right now, but it can cause you a lot of problems in the future. Without investment in your people, you’ll see a dip in efficiency and an increased risk of compliance issues.
The worst part? This knock-on effect can take ages to become apparent, but when it does it can become incredibly costly to fix.
Samantha Murray, Director of Product Marketing at Docebo, observed, “L&D doesn't just improve employee performance; it helps attract top talent and retain the talent you already have. According to research commissioned by Docebo that looked at over 1500 employees across Europe, 62% would consider leaving their current job due to insufficient learning opportunities.”
Want to find out more? Read our 2024 road map guide here