'More subtle approach' needed in developing employees' skills: report

Learning and development professionals will need a "more subtle approach" in developing employees' skills amid the emergence of automation, according to a recent report from SAP Insights.

The report stated that offering courses on collaboration or conflict resolution won't be enough in the current landscape.

"L&D professionals help employees maximise the skills they need to prepare for future evolutions of their jobs," the report read. "By putting learning cues into the right context, people will learn to maximise their unique abilities more quickly and retain the knowledge they need to do their jobs more effectively."

SAP Insights offered the recommendation as it pointed out that human skills remain the most important element of change even if machines replace employees or augment their roles.

According to SAP Insights, L&D professionals have the opportunity to make a change for the better amid a "once-in-generation change" in the ways people work.

Decentralisation of work

Meanwhile, another challenge facing L&D professionals is the growing decentralisation of work due to the rise of remote and gig economy.

"Many companies are struggling with how (and whether) to develop an increasingly dispersed and contract-based workforce," the report read.

According to SAP Insights, more organisations are leaving training and development to individuals as work-from-home arrangements and gig economies expand.

"Companies that integrate training for external workers with their in-house people will see better ROI and attract more and better employees," the report read.

These issues add to L&D professionals' current challenges such as scepticism from executives and shrinking L&D budgets.

"The challenges that L&D professionals have always faced are not going away," the report read.

But there are various drivers that can make the work of L&D professionals more essential.

"L&D leaders have an opportunity to change the negative perception of L&D that may exist in the executive suite while helping those on the front lines who are feeling disconnected and those in the community who are locked out entirely," the report read.

Learn more about the drivers of corporate learning in this free white paper from SAP Insights.