Six predictions for the next decade of workplace learning

LinkedIn Learning’s annual Workplace Learning Report is an in-depth look at priorities, challenges and trends among Learning & Development (L&D) professionals, people managers, and learners themselves. The 2020 report arrives at an inflection point for workplace learning. It captures how skills development is rising rapidly up the business agenda – and how the stakes have never been higher for getting it right. Economic uncertainty, Brexit and accelerating digital transformation are embedding L&D strategies within businesses’ wider growth plans. And in doing so they are refocusing and reshaping those strategies for the decade ahead. 

Drawn from the 2020 Workplace Learning Report for the UK, here are six predictions for how workplace learning will grow and evolve over the next 10 years: 

Online learning will drive growth in budgets  

Learning is already a priority investment area for businesses, with 34% of learning and development managers in the UK expecting their budgets to increase in 2020. Intensifying competition for narrowing talent pools in the aftermath of Brexit means this growth is likely to continue. Visibly investing in skills development doesn’t just help to address skills gaps. It’s also a vital element of a compelling employer brand and competing for talent within the UK and internationally. 

However, growth in L&D budgets won’t be evenly spread. The 2020 report shows a continued shift from instructor-led learning to online programmes, which can be scaled more rapidly. Over half (54%) of L&D professionals report that online learning budgets are increasing, whereas only 24% say the same for instructor-led training – and 38% report cutting back on in-person sessions. Mixed learning strategies are the future for most businesses – and the rebalancing of investment is still under way. 

 Progressive CEOs will style themselves as learning champions 

Growth in workplace learning budgets has been driven by executive buy-in, with 84% of L&D professionals believing that they have strong support at this level. However, there remains an opportunity for businesses to signal their commitment to a culture of learning at the very top. Only 28% of CEOs are currently seen as champions of learning. 

This is likely to change as learning rises up the corporate agenda, and the value of a well-expressed learning culture in attracting skills becomes apparent. Forward-thinking CEOs will recognise the role that they can play in shaping this element of their organisation’s brand. For their part, people managers will bid for the C-suite’s attention by linking learning ever-more closely with business strategy. 

Measurement will increasingly focus on business outcomes 

The 2020 report shows that measuring the impact of learning is now the most important focus area for L&D professionals. Measurement strategies are currently split between quantitative data such as course completions (measured by 29%) and more qualitative approaches such as learner satisfaction surveys (used by 26%). The growing importance of learning is likely to drive progress towards an industry standard for measuring the impact of learning programmes. It will also lead businesses to link that impact to well-defined business outcomes, like the availability of in-demand skills and increased employee retention. 

Managers will take on a greater coaching role 

Engaging managers is the key to embedding a culture of learning within an organisation. However, doing so remains a challenge. Only 46% of learners say that their managers encourage them to spend more time learning. 

What’s the solution? People strategies are likely to emphasise the importance of managers taking on a coaching role, and delivering the specific learning recommendations that 48% of employees say would encourage them to spend more time on development. As the measurement of learning outcomes evolves, it will become feasible to link team learning targets to a manager’s own career progression – something that 59% say would encourage them to recommend learning to their teams. 

The value of soft skills will continue to rise 

One of the most striking findings of the 2020 report is that the skills gaps businesses are most urgently seeking to close involve soft skills – not more technical ones. The highest priority skills identified by L&D professionals are Leadership and Management (named by 59%), Creative Problem Solving and Design Thinking (38%) and Communication (38%). By contrast, only 9% identified Mobile Computing and Development, 8% pointed to Engineering and Coding, and 7% nominated Cloud Computing. 

Digital transformation has driven difficult-to-automate interpersonal skills to the top of the development agenda. Businesses recognise how crucial these are to adapting to change, and directing how businesses use technology – and they know how difficult they can be to hire for and cultivate. The fact that technical skills gaps are less of a cause for concern suggests that a growing number of businesses have programmes in place to keep updating these capabilities as new technologies emerge. 

Upskilling and reskilling programmes will start slow – and scale fast 

Businesses are dipping their toes into upskilling programmes, which help employees to learn new skills that will enhance their current role. As the decade progresses, and the impact of digital transformation and automation grow, these programmes will scale up quickly. We’ll also see a growing emphasis on reskilling: employees learning the skills they need to move to different functions, as the needs of the business change. Over half (52%) of L&D professionals plan to launch upskilling programmes, while 40% envisage launching reskilling initiatives. 

Workplace learning is quickly moving closer to the heart of business strategy. The 2020 Workplace Learning Report shows how the need for learning is growing, and how learning programmes are already evolving to meet the increased demands that businesses make of them. It’s a process that will continue to accelerate over the decade to come. 

The full 2020 Workplace Learning Report is now available for free download, with in-depth analysis of these and other key trends in learning and business strategy. You’ll find it at: lnkd.in/learning-report