Companies will need to invest in more personalised learning and support employees’ self-growth as well as professional progression, according to new research.
A report on 2024 trends in learning and development from software company TalentLMS and video animation specialist Vyond identifies a gap between the training employees want and what they are offered.
More than two-thirds (67%) of employees would like training on artificial intelligence, for example, and 71% would like to understand more about how it will impact their roles. Forty-two per cent of workers receive leadership and management training, yet only 36% want it.
Skills needs
The companies identify five trends that will dominate learning and development in 2024:
- Personalised rather than ‘cookie cutter’ training – four-fifths of respondents wanted training tailored to their individual needs.
- Learning to live better – 68% of employees would find non-work related training useful, particularly in areas such as financial wellbeing, mindfulness or career management.
- AI will feature more prominently in training, helping organisations with learning metrics, personalisation, content development, assessments and curation.
- Integrating learning better with business goals – metrics and analytics will help organisations understand the impact of training and better address business needs.
- A return to interpersonal skills development – after a lack of human contact during the pandemic, workplaces will look to build more effective face-to-face interaction, bringing back the human touch.
The survey also revealed that many employees feel that workplace training takes too much time and is not delivered in an engaging way. Consequently, 68% take up training on a personal basis to improve their skills, and 58% use social media.
Forty-one per cent said they would look for a new job in 2024 if not provided with training opportunities.
“There is a growing need among employees for training on topics and skills that transcend their job roles,” said Thanos Papangelis, co-founder of TalentLMS.
“Personal and professional growth are not separate roads to success. Companies should invest in nurturing well-rounded professionals, acknowledging continuous learning beyond job specifics is essential in the ever-changing business landscape.”
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