It’s now safe to
say that most organizations have adapted to the post-pandemic world in their
own way. Amidst challenges, L&D teams have led through the forefront implementing
innovative ways to handle remote onboarding and training programs, enhancing
workforce productivity in the virtual setting and finding newer ways to support
a hybrid workplace.
In fact, with the
way L&D teams have risen up to the challenges, maintaining
their seat at the C-Suite table, organizations want them to drive digital
transformation even in 2022. So, as investments in L&D programs continue to
flourish, it’s time to look at 6 key Learning & Development trends that
will make a mark in 2022.
1. Upskilling/Reskilling For the Hybrid Workforce
With hybrid likely
to be the norm even in 2022, there will be an increased need to upskill and
reskill the workforce towards constantly updated digital processes and tools.
This process may mean that some traditional jobs will have to be automated to avoid
them from becoming obsolete. That can lead to leveraging more opportunities and
technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML).
Apart from general
reskilling towards new skills, there will also be a need for renewed focus on
other types of upskilling including Leadership Training, Compliance Training,
Role-specific Training and Company Culture Training. All through this, robust
learning management platforms will play a seminal role in delivering learning
to scattered workforces spread across the globe.
2. Microlearning
Microlearning, a
form of learning focused on creating bite-sized, easy-to-consume learning
solutions that are typically about 60 to 90 seconds long, will continue to be
in the limelight in 2022 as well. A successful
Microlearning program is agile, accessible and on-demand which allows
employees to choose what they want to learn, where they want to learn and how
they want to learn. It can take the form of short videos, interactive modules,
and multiple other L&D modes.
Studies
has shown that Microlearning can enhance knowledge retention by as much as
80%, while also improving learner engagement by 50%. This type of content is
easier to repurpose and refresh, which can then be offered to employees to
reinforce what they have already learnt.
3. Social Learning
Employees have a
natural tendency to connect, interact and share knowledge in their workspace. However,
with remote working largely being the norm, many are missing the regular,
face-to-face interactions they previously had with their colleagues. In 2022, it
will be good to include Social Learning capabilities in your learning platform (if
you haven’t already) so that learners can adopt continuous learning into their
working.
Social Learning
features such as live chats, social streams, and private groups can play an
important role in keeping employees’ spirits high and helping them stay connected
to feel a sense of purpose within the organization. Tools such as instant
polls, screen capture, audio, and video sharing, discussion boards can create
flexible, easy-to-use forums for employees to post queries to their co-workers,
seek responses, share, and comment.
4. Gamification
Gamification
is hardly a new concept, but it started gaining more uptake during the pandemic
as L&D teams explored innovative ways to upskill the workforce. It’s a
known fact that Gamification takes employee engagement levels to a new high and
can transform dull and boring training content into engaging experiences by
encouraging friendly competition among colleagues.
Moving forward, Gamification
will continue to play a crucial role in helping develop skills such as leadership,
communication, stress management, teamwork, and negotiation. In the absence of a
regular office environment to interact with colleagues and pick new things from
them, gamification will continue to help employees apply lessons into real
world like situations to bring the subject matter to life and retain the
knowledge better.
5. Just in Time Learning
Another trend that
is likely to stick around in 2022 is Just in Time Learning which is much more
effective than traditional training, since it offers employees with learning support
in the flow of work. This kind of learning allows workforces to become more
productive as they invest their time in the learning they actually require
instead of spending time on “what-if” training and development.
During the
pandemic, there has been an accelerated shift to personalized training programs
that offer just in time learning, giving learners exactly what they need and
nothing more or nothing less. Just in Time learning allows learners to retain more
knowledge, since it is focused and interactive, allowing them to find a connect
between their problem and the solution they are being given.
6. Learner Analytics and Reporting
At a time when nearly
all operations and training are being done digitally, it’s important that L&D
teams should be able to collect data and learning analytics related to different
factors of their employee training. This will include tracking learner
activities like daily log-ins, curriculum completions, performances and so on.
As personalized
learning will continue to be a buzz word in the coming year, learning analytics
will gain even more traction. Given that each learner is different in the way
s/he learns, learning analytics enable L&D teams to tailor their approach
towards each learner’s academic aptitude. An LMS with an inbuilt reporting and
analytics feature is your best bet to track user progress status for all the
learners in the organization.
In Conclusion
As we move into 2022
on a more positive note, L&D teams will continue to be front runners in adapting to the constant changes in the corporate
landscape. They will maintain their focus on employee development through
upskilling and reskilling while finding newer ways to meet the challenges on
the way.
Loved what you read? Don’t forget to check out the other insightful resources on our website. https://www.upsidelms.com/free-lms-elearning-ebooks-toolkit
Amit Gautam