Corporate Training

What's Happening with Corporate Training in 2024 and What's Next: LinkedIn / Skillbox Media Report

What's Happening with Corporate Training in 2024 and What's Next: LinkedIn / Skillbox Media Report

In February, LinkedIn, a social networking site designed for business networking, released a report called "The LinkedIn Learning 2024 Workplace Learning Report". Based on a survey of 1,636 learning and development (L&D) professionals and 1,063 learners, the report covers the views of respondents from 28 countries, including regions of North and South America, Asia, and Europe. This document provides valuable insights into current trends and needs in workplace learning, making it an essential resource for HR and L&D professionals.

LinkedIn analysts identified key trends that are having a significant impact on the labor market and professional development. First and foremost, we're seeing an increase in remote work, which is changing approaches to hiring and engaging with employees. The need for continuous training and professional development is also becoming more pressing, as technology evolves rapidly. A key trend is emphasizing diversity and inclusion in teams, which contributes to the creation of more innovative and efficient work processes. Furthermore, analysts note the importance of personal branding and an active presence in professional networks, which helps specialists stand out in a highly competitive environment. These trends are shaping new realities for job seekers and employers, determining the future of the labor market.

Linking training to business results has become a priority

Analysts are increasingly raising the issue of a key problem in corporate training and talent management: the misalignment of curricula with real business needs. According to a LinkedIn report, positive changes are being observed, and constructive discussions are beginning to yield results. Linking training to business results is once again a top priority for L&D professionals, confirming the importance of integrating educational initiatives with company goals. This area remains a key focus in 2024, reflecting a growing awareness of the need to tailor training to business needs.

  • Linking training programs to business results.
  • Upskilling.
  • Developing a learning culture.
  • Helping employees develop their careers.
  • Retaining employees.

The report's authors note that the development of artificial intelligence technologies has been one of the factors influencing the current results. On the one hand, this progress requires updating and mastering new skills, while on the other hand, the need for skill development has transformed from a privilege into a mandatory requirement for successful operation.

The connection between business and employee training and development continues to strengthen, as confirmed by the priorities of corporate training specialists. Data analytics tops these priorities, maintaining its importance for the second year running. This is due to the need to achieve business results that require research and working with large volumes of data. According to LinkedIn data, a noticeable trend is observed: compared to 2023, the number of corporate training specialists listing analytics skills in their profiles has increased by 54%. This growth underscores the importance of analytical skills in modern business and their role in improving the effectiveness of employee training and development.

Building metrics for assessing training effectiveness ranks second among development areas and confirms current trends. While many respondents currently use so-called "vanity metrics" such as NPS, about a third of them use multiple tools simultaneously to analyze their training products from a business perspective. This demonstrates a growing awareness of the importance of a holistic approach to evaluating educational programs, which contributes to a deeper understanding of their real value to the organization.

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How Artificial Intelligence Will Transform Jobs and Skills: Key Insights

Artificial intelligence (AI) is already actively transforming the labor market, and its impact continues to grow. It is important to understand how AI will change jobs and what skills will become necessary in the future.

First, AI will automate routine tasks, which will lead to a change in employee roles. Workers will need to adapt to new conditions, focusing on more complex and creative aspects of their work. This will require the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Second, the implementation of AI in various fields, such as finance, healthcare, and manufacturing, will create a need for new professions. Specialists capable of working with AI technologies will be in demand. This emphasizes the importance of training and retraining employees so they can successfully compete in the labor market.

Third, skills related to interpersonal interaction will become more significant. AI cannot replace human communication and emotional intelligence. Therefore, employees with strong communication skills will have a competitive advantage.

Thus, AI is already changing jobs and skills, and adapting to these changes will be key to career success in the future.

L&D Still Influence Decision Making

According to the report, more than 50% of surveyed professionals confirm that their departments are actively involved in senior-level management decision-making. This figure has demonstrated a steady increase over the past two years. Additionally, according to the LinkedIn Executive Confidence Index, nine out of ten top managers intend to increase or maintain funding for corporate training, including employee reskilling and new skill acquisition, in the next six months. This underscores the importance of investing in employee development and adapting to rapidly changing market demands. The more opportunities an organization provides for learning and development (L&D), the more balanced the learning process becomes, which ultimately has a positive impact on the business. All aspects of the "interest rating" are interconnected and influence each other. Data shows that a learning culture directly impacts business results. A high learning culture index, which is based on factors such as team size, assessment of new skill training, activity on learning platforms, and performance metrics, correlates with improved talent retention, internal mobility, and career growth. Thus, investments in personnel training and development are becoming key to achieving the company's success.

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Six key elements for forming a self-learning company

Creation Creating a self-learning company is a crucial step toward improving efficiency and competitiveness in the marketplace. To achieve this goal, it's necessary to focus on several key elements. First, it's crucial to develop a culture of continuous learning within the organization. This involves encouraging employees to acquire new skills and knowledge, as well as creating a comfortable environment for sharing experiences. Second, implementing technologies that facilitate learning can significantly accelerate this process. Online learning platforms and collaboration tools help employees easily access the information and materials they need. Third, implementing a feedback system that allows employees to share their opinions on company processes and initiatives is crucial. Fourth, creating cross-functional teams that can share knowledge and experiences is crucial. This fosters a deeper understanding of various processes within the company and helps solve complex problems. The fifth element is regular monitoring and analysis of training results, which allows us to determine the effectiveness of the implemented methods and adjust them as necessary.

Finally, the sixth important aspect is engaging opinion leaders who can inspire and motivate employees to learn and develop. These elements together will help the company become self-learning, improve productivity, and adapt to rapidly changing market conditions.

Training has become an important part of career building

Analysts noted significant attention to the fourth item in the list of priorities for 2024 - supporting employees in career development. Last year, this aspect occupied only ninth position. This indicates a growing awareness of the importance of professional growth for employees and its impact on the overall productivity of the company. Organizations increasingly realize that investing in talent development helps increase their motivation and retain talent.

The sharp increase in the popularity of employee training is explained by the coincidence of the needs of both employees and the business. According to a LinkedIn survey, four out of five employees expressed a desire to learn how to apply artificial intelligence in their work. Eight out of ten respondents noted that training helps them find meaning in their tasks, and seven out of ten feel connected to the company through training. An important aspect is the context in which employees are willing to learn. According to the study, training becomes relevant when:

  • helps achieve career goals,
  • helps update knowledge in their field,
  • personalized to their interests and career goals.

People strive to achieve professional heights, and training is seen as a key factor in a successful career. Investments in education and continuous skill development not only improve your chances in the labor market but also provide confidence in the future. Modern technologies and changes in the industry require specialists to constantly update their knowledge, which makes training an important aspect of career growth.

The Russian labor market is seeing a trend in which corporate training is becoming a key element in employee retention strategies. According to estimates by the Smart Ranking agency, as reported by Kommersant, staff retention is defined as the main task in human resources management in 2024. This is due to a personnel shortage, which makes employee training even more relevant. In this regard, an increase in demand for products and services in the field of corporate training is expected.

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Every 5-7 years, students should have the opportunity to take academic leave. This is an important measure that allows people to take a break from the educational process to address personal or professional issues. An academic leave provides an opportunity to recharge, rethink life goals, or focus on career development. Establishing such a gap between study periods promotes better knowledge absorption and increases the effectiveness of future learning.

One-size-fits-all training no longer works

One-size-fits-all programs designed for a wide audience, particularly for large organizations with hundreds and thousands of employees, are losing their effectiveness. Expensive additional qualification projects launched over the past three years often do not reach the results evaluation stage. Most are still in the planning or implementation phase. Analysts argue that this indicates that such programs do not justify the investment.

LinkedIn analysts note that the most successful companies focus not on large-scale training programs, but on individualized approaches to learning. These companies prefer to tailor their educational programs to employee needs, which improves training effectiveness and performance. Personalized practices help create a more motivated and engaged team, which in turn leads to increased productivity and the achievement of business goals. The use of individualized learning methods is becoming a key factor in success in modern business. Mentoring and coaching. They are clearly making a comeback, with 47% of companies actively using them to reduce turnover. Analysts believe that AI will soon be able to entrust employees with coaching and advisory functions, adding personalization to training. Internal mobility programs. This has been deemed an effective, though not yet widely used, tool. Only 33% of companies currently have such programs, and only one in five employees surveyed is confident they will be able to change roles within their company. However, the report's authors are convinced that this is an important practice: it helps develop talent within the company (without the need to "collect" qualified personnel), provides the business with employees with a broad skill set and the ability to solve cross-functional problems. Incidentally, although responsibility for such programs most often falls on the shoulders of HR, in a third of companies, the head of the L&D department is responsible for this function.

  • Role transition programs within the company. According to the report, only 19% of employees have ever heard their employers encourage them to consider new career opportunities within the company and change their field of work. LinkedIn attributes this to the basic fear of managers losing promising team members. However, they believe that managers could take on a different role—that of talent creators, especially if they were compensated for it. This, in turn, will open the way to innovation and a host of new opportunities for both employees and business.
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    Contextualization of learning is the process of adapting the educational process to the specific learning environment. It involves using real-life situations and practical examples to enhance learning. Unlike personalization, which focuses on the individual needs and preferences of each student, contextualization focuses on connecting knowledge to the environment and cultural aspects.

    Contextualization helps students better understand information by making it more relevant and applicable to their lives. This approach integrates the learning process with real-world tasks and problems, which promotes deeper knowledge acquisition. Personalization, on the other hand, involves tailoring learning to the individual interests, pace, and style of each learner, which is also an important aspect of effective education.

    Thus, contextualization and personalization are two complementary approaches that can significantly improve the quality of learning by ensuring both the practical relevance of knowledge and attention to individual learners' needs.

    Focus on Developing Soft Skills for Learning

    Effective practices highlight where corporate learning should focus in the future. The top priority should be developing employees' skills to apply knowledge at the right time and for a specific task. This approach is called skills agility. In this regard, it makes sense to abandon large-scale training programs and embrace artificial intelligence, which will help focus on more promising opportunities and improve employee adaptation to rapidly changing market demands.

    To develop skills agility in business, L&D specialists need to free up time from resource-intensive tasks, such as creating custom content and conducting lengthy training sessions. Artificial intelligence opens up new opportunities for personalization, allowing more people to independently determine their professional trajectory. The use of AI in training facilitates more effective skill development, tailored to the individual needs of employees.

    In the coming years, a significant number of specialists, namely 47%, intend to focus on integrating training into work processes using micro- and nano-learning programs. According to analytics, this indicates a high desire for continuous development and professional development. In this context, artificial intelligence opens up new opportunities for effective training and growth of employee competencies.

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    Training Artificial Intelligence: Interest or Necessity?

    Every year, artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into our lives. This raises the question: are people willing to undergo AI-related training? With rapid technological advancement, the need for knowledge in the field of artificial intelligence is growing. AI training can help people adapt to new labor market demands, acquire new skills, and improve their competitiveness.

    Many professionals already realize that understanding the principles of AI and its application in various fields is an important aspect of career advancement. AI training can offer unique opportunities for professional development, making it an attractive option for many people. Interest in such training programs will only grow as AI continues to transform industries and everyday life.

    Thus, it can be argued that training from artificial intelligence will become not only interesting, but also necessary for many who want to stay at the forefront of their professional development.

    Focus in the development of L&D specialists - on "human" skills

    Artificial intelligence will soon be able to perform many routine tasks related to training and development. However, some skills will remain beyond its reach and are grouped under the concept of "human" skills. These skills include the ability to directly interact with other people, such as empathy, creativity, and social perception. Human qualities remain important in areas that require emotional intelligence and a deep understanding of human nature.

    The need for L&D specialists continues to grow: 91% of respondents consider them vital for successful work. Among the key skills needed for success in 2024, the authors of the report highlight communication, presentation, problem-solving, and people management. These areas generated significant interest among training professionals in 2022–2023. Developing these skills will allow L&D specialists to effectively adapt to changing market demands and improve the quality of educational programs.

    Read also:

    • Josh Bersin: Corporate training will become the largest market for AI
    • How to develop cross-disciplinarity in students and employees
    • Expert: "Training won't die, it'll just be a rare beast"
    • How to make corporate training systemic and link it to business metrics
    • What if the skills crisis is just a horror story, like the "Great Dung Crisis" of 1894?