What is driving the future of corporate learning?

The future of corporate learning is tied to the future of work, according to a recent report by SAP.

“As easily quantifiable, repetitive work is becoming more automated, training and learning are shifting to cover more human-centered abilities that bots can’t easily duplicate,” ot said.

It went on to say that many learning and development (L&D) programs are too focused on skills that can wither under the weight of automation. And for human resources and L&D teams, this means being aware of the factors affecting the future of corporate training and learning, to ensure they can address potential skills shortages.

The future of corporate learning

SAP’s report Six drivers of the future of corporate learning, identifies two key ‘megadrivers’ affecting the future of corporate learning. The first is the massive growth of information procession and availability.

Sites such as Google can provide vast amounts of information while technology including computers and smartphones, can bring learning into a variety of situations and contexts. On top of that, AI and robots will have the ability to change the work people do.

“Our careers will no longer be defined or bound by what we know,” the report said. “Unlimited information bursts from every laptop and smartphone. L&D leaders will need to focus even more on teaching employees how to adapt to the constant expansion of specialised machine intelligence.”

The second ‘megadriver’ is around networks becoming a dominant organising principle.

Technology has created greater opportunities for employees to connect with their peers both inside and outside of an organisation, the report said. This in turn has increased learning opportunities because of the connections employees are able to develop.

“Improved remote working technologies such as the ubiquitous Zoom have accelerated the shift to virtual networks, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic,” the report said. “As remote work becomes normalised, employees will increasingly depend on digital learning content.”

For L&D teams, it’s about matching the learning resources available to the needs of their employees.

“The challenge will be keeping on top of everything out there, because good learning content can be anywhere now – LinkedIn seminars, DIY videos on YouTube, and online learning platforms such as Coursera,” the report said.

Find out the four more drivers of corporate learning in SAP’s report Six drivers of the future of corporate learning.