Optimising Learning and Development with automation

A recent study by Knowledgepool found that 78% of businesses expect to use AI to facilitate the creation of customised learning programmes, and 75% of businesses intend to use AI to provide personalized learning recommendations within the next two years.

L&D is proving to be the main priority for a number of companies, with LinkedIn revealing that L&D teams across EMEA are using a multi-pronged approach to improve the right skills needed for their businesses to progress.

“The opening up of budgets has left the learning and development profession at a tipping point. This transformation comes at a critical time”, Jeff Matthews, Head of LinkedIn Learning EMEA said of their findings.

“As the war for talent rages harder than ever before and demand for certain skills is at an all-time high, businesses are recognising the crucial role L&D plays in identifying and bridging skills gaps and giving them that all-important competitive edge.”

But Knowledgepool’s research suggests that there is a long way to go in this department, as only 20% of L&D leaders report that the expected return on investment in technology is clearly evident in learner performance.

Businesses are also struggling to maintain a balance between human and digital distribution of these resources. 44% of L&D leaders think that there is a risk of an excessive amount of technology in learning, and 36% expressed concerned that digital learning could be distracting and reduce productivity.

“When deployed in a considered, strategic way, digital has the potential to deliver huge benefits, driving both engagement and the appetite for learning amongst employees, and instilling more proactive, positive learning cultures across the workforce,” Dan Ferrandino, Managing Director at Knowledgepool said of the findings.

“However, digital itself should never be mistaken as the sole answer to upskilling people; it should only ever be regarded as an enabler, a channel to optimise learning by providing a seamless, personalised and interactive experience to employees.”

With such a large number of companies focusing on digital transformation and L&D, upskilling staff with automation could be the key to advancing and adapting to a digital age.

91% of UK business leaders that responded to the survey stated that improving learning at all levels of an organisation is essential to get the most out of a hybrid human-AI workforce over the next five years, and 88% believed that digitisation could help drive high-quality learning experiences.

“Organisations that can deploy digital in a strategic and balanced way, and engage their employees with this optimal learning experience, will succeed in establishing genuine learning cultures and develop the agile, multi-skilled workforces they need to thrive in the future,” Ferrandino continued.

“L&D leaders need to ensure they have the skills, senior support and the right technology partners to get digital deployments right first time.”

‘Soft skills’ have proven to be imperative for businesses to succeed. LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends Report found that Creativity, Persuasion, Collaboration, Adaptability, and Time Management were the foremost skills required to transform a business.

“You always need the right hard skills to get the job done, but you need to right soft skills for outstanding performance”, Julia Zhu, VP of Global Recruiting, commented.

“While digital skills like cloud computing and artificial intelligence topped the list of hard skills companies need most,” Paul Petrone, editor of LinkedIn Learning, said of the findings, “the emergence of these three new skills suggests that employers recognize the importance of embracing modern technologies as well as recognizing those things technology can’t do: connect with other people, engage in out-of-the-box thinking and quickly adapt to new priorities or problems.”

Louron Pratt