5 Key Insights You Need to Know from LinkedIn's Learning and Development Report

As organizations prioritize growth and invest resources in securing the future of their enterprises, the spotlight on learning and development (L&D) is getting brighter. We see that being echoed in LinkedIn’s 2024 Workplace Learning Report.

LinkedIn's annual report dives into the perspectives of 1,636 L&D and HR professionals worldwide, giving you an inside look at the current state of learning and development. Find out what's topping the priority list, shifts from last year, and emerging tech trends (we're looking at you AI...).

We’ve pulled some key insights and takeaways from the report that offer a glimpse into where the industry stands today and where it's headed.

Top 5 Learning and Development Focus Areas for 2024

LinkedIn’s data shows the top 5 L&D focus areas for 2024. No surprises here, the top three focus areas remain unchanged from the 2023 report. Aligning learning programs to business goals took the number one spot followed by upskilling employees and creating a culture of learning.

Helping employees develop their careers, however, takes the 4th spot and is up from the number 9 last year.

And, of course, improving employee retention continues to be a key focus area that rounds out the top 5.

We've come across these focus areas in the top 5 before, so it's safe to say they're not going anywhere anytime soon.

Learning and Development and Business Impact

The spotlight is here, and it’s growing. Upper leadership is increasingly acknowledging the impact learning and development has on business results, and they're eager to bring L&D to the table. This puts L&D in a great position to lead discussions about how learning can truly impact success, especially in our current era of rapidly evolving technologies like AI.

LinkedIn Executive Confidence Index also noted that, in the next 6 months, 9 out of 10 global executives plan to either increase or keep steady their investment in L&D.?

This makes it increasingly important that L&D is ready and equipped with the?right tools?to clearly illustrate the narrative of how learning is impacting organizational success.

How is L&D tracking business impact? The top choice is performance reviews. Closely followed by employee productivity, employee retention, and more specific business impacts like customer satisfaction, deals closed, etc.?

Learning and development teams are still refining learning alignment with business goals. Like mastering any new skill, it takes time and effort. Remember to stay focused and avoid getting sidetracked by 'vanity metrics'—such as employee satisfaction or sheer training numbers—that might not accurately measure effectiveness.

Skills to Help Learning and Development Succeed

54% more L&D professionals list analytical skills on their LinkedIn profiles compared to a year ago. Talk about a huge increase!?

It's no longer just about crunching numbers; it's about interpreting and leveraging numbers that hold relevance and significance for your specific organization, and then painting a clear picture with them.

This was a key takeaway from the report: mastering data literacy, crafting a compelling narrative around L&D's business impact, and ensuring these insights land at the executive table. And we know – way easier said than done, but absolutely essential.

Amidst the buzz surrounding AI, it's crucial to recognize the indispensable role of human input. Learning and development experts understand the necessity of integrating human skills alongside AI to effectively respond to its challenges and opportunities.

We've only touched on a few highlights but there's plenty more to discover in LinkedIn's Workplace Learning Report and we encourage you to read the full report.

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