Learning and Development

Key Trends Shaping the Future of Learning Services

Many factors, from evolving technologies to changing workforce needs, contribute to the emerging learning industry trends. From global workers needing to integrate with international teams, gamification, and learn-by-doing strategies to the use of extended reality technologies and data-driven personalised training solutions, here are nine key learning trends that have the potential to humanise and shape the future of learning services:

1. Focus on diversity, inclusion, and equality training

   Diversity and inclusion have been at the strategic forefront as companies want access to better talent, capabilities, and innovative ideas. As a result, corporations are embracing the global workforce and attempting to give equal opportunities to all. For this to succeed, companies need to build empathy among their employees and provide them with the necessary emotional context to understand and respect all. Corporate learning and development activities must reflect this focus on diversity, inclusion, and equality.

2. Focus on the learning experience

   Modern digital learning services are focused more on building an interactive learning experience instead of simply focusing on the course curriculum. As a result, employees can learn at their own pace, with individualised learning and assessment paths for more interactive, stimulating, and emotionally engaging learning experiences.

3. Adoption of augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR) technologies

   With the rise of remote and hybrid workplaces, extended reality (AR and VR) technologies have allowed companies to overcome the challenges of missing in-person training. And as these immersive technologies become more accessible, cheaper, and more effective, they can offer a powerful, emotionally engaging experience for better learning efficiency.

4. Adoption of learn-by-doing strategies

   Limitations of the traditional teach-by-telling approach are apparent, and current learning trends indicate a shift from this approach to learn-by-doing strategies. The extended reality technologies and simulation solutions have allowed the candidates to encounter realistic challenges and understand the consequences of their decisions. As a result, they can receive relevant, individualised training.

5. Inclusion of gamification and interactive content

   An extension of the previous point, gamification of the course or interactive content can allow the employees to immerse themselves in simulation scenarios and understand how different parameters may interact. Additionally, gamification and interactive content also make learning more interactive, engaging, and fun, making it more effective. You do not need an in-house instructional and content design to accomplish this, as repurposing and outsourcing content can help ensure your employees have access to quality interactive content at all times.

6. Inclusion of user-generated content (UGC)

   Peer-to-peer training is more effective regarding employee buy-in, participation rates, and trust. So, focusing on UGC allows you to give employees a more interactive learning experience while taking ownership of the training and development efforts.

7. Focus on training efficiency through microlearning strategies

   The last few years have seen a shift from longer to shorter content formats, which also holds true for learning industry trends. The focus is now on reducing the ‘seat time’ and making bite-sized content available through microlearning strategies. Such brevity can leverage higher engagement rates for increasing training efficiency.

8. Focus on flexible, responsive, and relevant training

   The business world is constantly evolving, and digital learning services need to evolve as well. As a result, many companies are focusing on learning solutions that are flexible – in terms of accessibility and skilling needs, responsive – to skill gaps and upskilling needs of the company, and relevant – to the evolving industry trends and customer expectations. The future of learning services is in being flexible, responsive, and relevant for the right skill sets that would allow the company and its employees to stay competitive in the job market today and tomorrow.

9. Focus on data-driven learning strategies

   The focus on data-driven learning strategies contributes to building a rich learning experience. Modern learning technologies can produce rich data that can offer insights into personalised learning paths for individual employees. Such a learner-centric approach to learning can leverage real-time feedback and various content to deliver the most suitable interventions and engaging learning experience for the individual employees.

   Although organisations have always been on the lookout for skilled employees, the traditional learning industry trends have been fraught with barriers to accessibility, engagement, and effectiveness. But as the global learning landscape is evolving, the emerging learning trends have the potential to overcome these barriers and humanise the learning and development process.

*For organisations on the digital transformation journey, agility is key in responding to a rapidly changing technology and business landscape. Now more than ever, it is crucial to deliver and exceed organisational expectations with a robust digital mindset backed by innovation. Enabling businesses to sense, learn, respond, and evolve like living organisms will be imperative for business excellence. A comprehensive yet modular suite of services is doing precisely that. Equipping organisations with intuitive decision-making automatically at scale, actionable insights based on real-time solutions, anytime/anywhere experience, and in-depth data visibility across functions leading to hyper-productivity, Live Enterprise is building connected organisations that are innovating collaboratively for the future.

How can Infosys BPM help?

Infosys BPM managed learning services are the digital learning services that cover the entire learning value chain, allowing you to build a cost-effective global training landscape with a measurable impact. Infosys BPM brings experience and expertise in managing the evolving learning industry trends and the future of learning services through interactive and innovative solutions.