Why Workplace Learning Will Save Companies in 2022

Times are changing. That’s about the only thing companies can seem to truly predict these days. Whether it's ‘The Great Resignation’, ‘The Great Reshuffle’, or ‘The New Normal’, it’s becoming harder than ever to truly define the concept of work in 2022. Look, we’re in a transition, there’s no denying that. We’re still grappling with evolving mandates and policies, changing social dynamics, and a technological revolution that is continuously forcing companies to throw out their HR playbooks.

It's not surprising then to see the growth of L&D departments in recent years. Demand for L&D specialists rose 94% in Q3 of 2021 alone. Learning is quickly evolving as the primary tool equipped to merge employee demands with company needs while protecting all the above from future disruption.

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Career Mobility

Career mobility is a great example of where employee demands meet company benefits. From 2015 to 2021, LinkedIn members required skills for the same position changed by 25%. This pace is only forecasted to increase. Employees also value growth opportunities and workplace flexibility more than ever. 81% of executives plan to change their policies to offer better flexibility for their workforce.

Companies are recognizing they need to groom their employees for their next job to meet the challenges of a tight labor force and evolving disruptions. Employees are recognizing that their jobs are evolving faster than ever. While upskilling may leave companies vulnerable to turnover, they must invest in the net positive that comes from empowering their employees’ career mobility. ?

Culture Transformation

According to Glint Data, employees who rate company culture highly are 25% more likely to be happy at work. They also list opportunities to learn as the number 1 factor in defining an exceptional work environment. The convergence of culture and learning mean employees are 31% more likely to recommend working at their organization.

Learning and culture converge more than you might think. Increased demand for better mentorship, diversity, and inclusion means employees will need to learn nuanced soft skills like interpersonal communication. Learning will play an integral part in helping professionals organically grow themselves in a way that also helps foster a more cohesive and innovative workplace.

Technological Adoption

In many ways, technology catalyzed the disruption that has laid the foundation for the ‘great reshuffle’. With that said, technology also served as an invaluable lifeboat for millions of professionals in the onset of C19. The pandemic accelerated the integration of technology further into every aspect of our daily lives. As the innovation of new technologies continues to keep pace with our increased reliance on technology, learning will play a vital role.

As new software emerges, technology and software adoption will become a vital component of L&D. Additionally, technology solutions will help L&D strategies achieve the mobility and scale they need. Technology and learning are almost synonymous practices. As they continue to embed into the fabric of workplaces, they will only become more important to perfect.

Parting Words

Employees expect to be afforded the opportunity to learn and grow. They expect companies to show investment in their growth and play an active role in their upward career mobility. Companies on the other hand need to retain their employees more than ever and recruit better when they can’t. Companies and employees must also replenish their war chests to protect themselves from the vulnerabilities of unforeseen disruption.

Learning is the convergence of all these needs. It is also the glue behind all the nuanced strategies and efforts that companies must undertake to be successful in 2022 and beyond. How will learning strategies evolve going forward? How will culture and learning build off of each other’s mutual growth? How will technology play an evolving role? All these questions will define how we shape our workplaces during this transitionary period over the next 5-10 years.

Let everyone know what you think in the comments below! Your insights and opinions are invaluable in our shared desires to build the workplaces of tomorrow!

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