Top 5 Trends Shaping Learning and Development 2023

TOP 5 TRENDS SHAPING LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

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TOP 5 TRENDS SHAPING LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT IN 2023

Human Leadership Is Most Needed Now Reports show that

90% of CEOs expect inflation to continue rising

48% of CFOs expect supply chain volatility to continue into 2023

Reports show that 90% of CEOs expect inflation to continue rising and 48% of CFOs expect supply chain volatility to continue into 2023. This outlook for the coming year indicates continued uncertainty and turbulence impacting the corporate environment in many ways. This outlook also underscores the conditions that perpetuate doubt, fear and uncertainty. HR leaders need to be prioritizing soft skills education in their L&D strategies if they are to have any chance at meaningfully shifting the tide within their organizations. Leaders who can create positive outcomes for their teams, even amidst uncertainty, are what’s needed now, more than ever.

At a macro-level, learning & development is now a business imperative. It is no longer an optional, nice-to-have that gets cut when budgets need to be trimmed. As the world of business continues its rapid evolution, creating a culture of continuous learning is an absolute must for business success to be realized.

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Specifically, all of the top research and data for 2022 points to Human Leadership as the most important way forward for corporate leadership in 2023 and beyond. But turning managers and team leads into Human Leaders is no small task. The data also shows why human leaders are hard to find and what’s stopping average managers and team leads from becoming Human Leaders. Hint: doubt, fear and uncertainty.

We’ve studied the very latest research from top firms including Gartner, Gallup and McKinsey to drill down into the key trends that are driving the leading edge of learning and development right now. Some of these trends may be new to you. Others, you may already be familiar with. Either way, it’s critical to ensure that your L&D strategy is proactively evolving to incorporate not just the latest, but the most effective innovations. The state of leadership in the corporate world today is in dire need of positive transformation. Your role in leading learning and talent development is fundamental to bringing this much needed transformation into reality.

These top five trends signal the way that leadership development policies and programs will need to work if they will have any shot at returning value for the company.

In other words, if any of these are missing from your L&D strategy, your results and impact will not be optimal.

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KEY TREND

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LEADING WITH HUMANITY Soft Skills education & practice that elevates average leaders to Human Leaders Soft skills training has surged in popularity in recent years. However, in 2023 we are set to see an explosion in companies incorporating soft skills training into their L&D programming. And there really is little choice. The latest research by Gartner indicates that leader & manager effectiveness is the #1 priority for HR in 2023. Soft skills training will play a crucial role in solving for the effectiveness that HR leaders need to develop in their executives, managers and team leads.

A recent global report by McKinsey & Company indicates that “uncaring and uninspiring leaders” is one of the top three reasons that employees are leaving their roles in the ongoing Great Attrition.

This unprecedented shift in the workforce has come with an exorbitant cost for employers - both in money and in time. Yet, Gartner’s 2022 research survey on Leadership Success in the New Environment shed further light on this finding. Their study revealed the urgent need for more Human Leadership - that is, leadership that exhibits high levels of authenticity, empathy and adaptability.

Over 90% of HR professionals believe that to succeed in the future, leaders need to operate in a more human way.

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Top reasons for quitting previous job, Apr 2021-Apr 2022, % 41

Lack of career development and advancement Inadequate total compensation

36

Uncaring and uninspiring leaders

34

Lack of meaningful work

31

Unsustainable work expectations

29

Unreliable and unsupportive people at work

26

Lack of workplace flexibility

26

Lack of support for health and well-being

26

Noninclusive and unwelcoming community

14

Geographic ties and travel demands

13

Unsafe workplace environment

13

Inadequate resource accessibility

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The question then, is: what prevents leaders from being Human Leaders? The data points to three overarching factors: doubt, fear and uncertainty. Most leaders today exhibit these in some form and to some degree. Without training on how to overcome these, their leadership skills and capacities will stagnate.

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Source: Subset of respondents from McKinsey’s 2022 Great Attrition, Great Attraction 2.0 global survey (n = 13,382), including those currently employed and planning to leave (n = 4,939), those currently employed and planning to stay (n = 7,439), and those who quit their previous primary jobs between Apr 2021 and Apr 2022 (n = 1,154)

This is where soft skills come into play. These key Human Leadership traits are all rooted in soft skills and can be developed by implementing targeted learning content that is intentionally created to improve these skills - and more.

Human Leadership Defined Authentic

Act with purpose and enable true self-expression, for both themselves and their teams.

Empathetic

Show genuine care, respect and concern for employees’ well-being.

Adaptive

Enable flexibility and support that fits team members’ unique needs.

Source: Gartner Inc. 2022 Survey of HR Priorities

“Our people are our most important asset. Verb provided us with the opportunity to offer leadership development as a benefit to all our team members. We believe that Verb will help us retain and develop our top talent as well as align and inspire everyone around our values and Conscious Capitalism.”

John Mackey Former CEO, Whole Foods

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KEY TREND

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RELEVANCE: FOR THE ROLE & THE TIMES Personalized learning that allows each individual to upskill through their growth edge Personalized learning is continuing to be a key trend in learning and development for 2023. The constantly changing landscape of the corporate workplace today means that individuals need access to training that is relevant to their unique and specific needs. The most recent study of HR leaders

by Gartner identified Leader and Manager Effectiveness as the number one priority for HR leaders going into 2023. Over 60% of HR leaders are prioritizing this and personalized learning is one key to creating this much-needed effectiveness. The urgency for transformation points to the need for programs that can be deployed quickly without heavy impact on the resources of HR teams, or needing to add extra headcount.

Over

60% of HR leaders are prioritizing Leader & Manager Effectiveness in 2023. Personalized learning is key here.

Of the HR leaders prioritizing leader and manager effectiveness, the #1 and #4 problems they cited were managers not receiving the development they need (28% and 24%). When learning is generic, generalized or too basic, managers cannot upskill in a way that leads to truly effective change in the workplace. What’s required is access to leading-edge, intentionally curated content that covers a depth and breadth of relevant topics that can be applied to situations managers and leaders actually face. Importantly, HR leaders should also be looking to develop programs and offerings that can be customized with company values as well as core organizational learning too.

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Further, Gartner found that the #2 problem cited was having a leadership bench that was not diverse (27%). When tackling important and sensitive topics like Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), it’s crucial to make sure that your learning and development content covers the relevant topics that managers need to be learning about today.

With the high organizational turnover of the past two years, new team members onboarding and off-boarding, it’s possible that some team members have had training that others have not. As more and more companies face constantly changing teams, what’s needed is the opportunity for team members to upskill in the areas most relevant to their role and their goals. This is sound L&D planning. A Pew research study released in 2022 showed 63% of employees cited “no opportunities for advancement” as a reason for leaving their role. Your L&D program has a vital role to play in increasing tenure and ensuring employees feel supported in a career path. Those programs that offer personalized learning will be most attractive to your brightest and best. Further, it

A Pew research study released in 2022 showed

63% of employees cited “no opportunities for advancement” as a reason for leaving their role.

will also significantly reduce the risk of those employees moving on to the competition.

Problem Today: Leadership Development Top Problems for HR Leaders Percentage of HR Leaders, Among Those Selecting “Leader and Manager Effectiveness” 28

Mid-level leaders do not receive development they need.

Our leadership bench is not diverse.

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Our leadership development approach does not prepare leaders for the future of work.

n= 515 HR leaders Source: 2023 Gartner HR Priorities Survey

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Line managers do not receive the development they need.

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Our succession management processes do not yield the right leaders at the right time.

22 0%

20%

40%

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“I don’t want to lose my team to burnout, and I don’t want to lose them to opportunities at other companies.

With Verb, I make sure that I’m engaging them and helping them build their own skills — in things like communication, conflict resolution, diversity and inclusion, and time management.”

Andy St. Onge Senior Manager, Support Operations, ABC Fitness Solutions

“I don’t have to go and search for stuff. It’s there for me already, and it’s awesome. I can just pull pieces from it and sound really smart! One of my favourite things is that I’m able to pair it with mentorship conversations within Slack posts and be able to do it asynchronously, across the globe.”

Ashley Austin Program Manager, TMP Onboarding at Salesforce 10

KEY TREND

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IMMERSIVE TECHNIQUES THAT EMPOWER REAL TRANSFORMATION Science-backed methodologies proven to take learning to the next level Employees today want upskilling opportunities. Gallup’s survey of over 15,000 American employees indicates that at least 56% of employees want upskilling opportunities and 48% would switch to a new job if it offered skills training opportunities. We know that upskilling is a highly valuable talent attraction and retention tool, but how can companies truly maximize upskilling opportunities? How can the learning and new knowledge translate into real benefits for the employee and the company?

Gallup’s survey of over 15,000 American employees indicates that at least

56% of employees want upskilling opportunities

&

48% would switch to a new job if it offered skills training opportunities.

The answer lies in the specific techniques used in learning and development platforms. Without a doubt, quality content will always be important. Yet, developing the leaders of the future is going to take more than highly curated content libraries delivered through on-demand tools. Having access to the very latest information and research-led content will do little to motivate practical change at the individual level.

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The fact is, true learning only happens when the knowledge learned is actually applied, in real time. That is why we are seeing a positive trend towards practices and technologies that create the opportunity for learners to practice and reflect in a safe space. The goal is to move employees towards applying what they’ve learned in training and creating meaningful, lasting behavioral change.

Today, immersive applications for learning can include methods like simulators, augmented reality and virtual reality. However, corporate environments can take advantage of less tech-heavy options for getting learners into hands-on practice. New concepts, skills and leadership strategies need to be continuously applied over time for true mastery to occur.

We can achieve this through incorporating techniques based on cognitive science research like L.A.R.S: Learn, Apply, Reflect, Share. Techniques like this are proven to provide the best outcomes - particularly for adult learning and leadership development. One study demonstrated a 23% improvement in test scores when learners apply reflection techniques. Both qualitative and quantitative research indicates that practices like reflection and sharing, when carried out cyclically, provide a richer learning experience that’s more engaging. It allows for more practical application of the material where learners can dive in and create shifts incrementally yet more sustainably.

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“We wanted to make sure that our people were actually tying [L&D] to their quarterly goals and that Verb was going to support their goals. That way, everything was connected. Verb allowed us to do that and also allowed my team to apply the concepts that they learned in their job duties.”

John Rollack Senior Human Resources Director, Proximity Learning

KEY TREND

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OPTIMIZED LEARNING EXPERIENCES Microlearning content that boosts retention and leads to real behavior change A learning and development strategy that is not based on microlearning in 2023 will most likely struggle to see real results. Gone are the days of lengthy workshops, lectures and PDF workbooks that never get used. Research shows that micro-content delivers the most meaningful impact. What is microlearning exactly? Essentially, microlearning is distilling lessons into digestible core pieces of information that are necessary to achieve a specific outcome or goal. It’s an evidence-based learning strategy that has been proven to be highly effective for adult learners. In the corporate context, traditional training formats like in-person seminars, coaching sessions, or bootcamp-style courses, tend to fall short in similar ways. They create excitement and inspiration for a day or two, but the new mindsets and lessons quickly fade. Learners forget 90% of what they learn within 24 hours if the learning is not reinforced, in some way.

Learners forget

90% of what they learn within 24 hours if the learning is not reinforced

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In fact, the science behind memory and improved retention dates back to the early 1800s with the German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus. He developed what is called the Forgetting Curve. His theory is the original underpinning of the cognitive science work that continues today related to memory retention. Microlearning is one of the most valid methods of improving retention, thereby boosting results and transformational change from learning initiatives.

While the ideal length of a micro-learning video is pegged at approximately 6 minutes, training content that’s delivered in under 15 minutes helps learners to make the actual behavioural shifts that transformation is built on. This concise and focused timing also allows for training to be much more easily accessible during the flow of the workday. Learning can happen between meetings or during commute time for example.

The biggest benefits of micro-learning include: •

Improved retention - employees won’t have to deal with cognitive overload

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Faster delivery - lesson content can be consumed quickly, when needed

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More engagement & focus - shorter lessons keep attention and interest longer

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Increased course completion rates - engaged learners stay motivated to complete

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Better trackability - easy to see what and how much content learners have consumed

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Greater accessibility - video, podcast and messaging are ideal for modern tech platforms

•

Lower costs - compared with traditional workshops and course delivery methods

With more and more companies leveraging remote work and hybrid work models, L&D strategies need to be multifaceted and adaptable. Learning and development content must be multimodal including the full gamut of content types: video, text, infographics, audio and animation. Ensuring that your programs incorporate microlearning content is a savvy way to create a high-value ROI for your organization.

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“When you’re at work, you’re thinking I don’t have 30 minutes to do a training. But with Verb, they take maybe 5 to 10 minutes. I’ve started telling everyone about it. If I think someone was upset about something or stressed, I’ve told them to go on Verb because it can give you tools to handle situations — both work-related and in your personal life.”

Lisa Kirk Whole Foods Market

“Verb has thought very deeply about what professionals need and they’ve got great content that is making a difference.”

Kara Heinrichs, Training Manager, Auth0

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KEY TREND

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ON-DEMAND LEARNING Tech resources & tools that democratize access to training in a few quick clicks For 2023 and beyond, access to on-demand learning technologies is a must. Employees today need to be able to access the training they need, when they need it most. HR leaders will be looking to create a culture of flexibility and inclusion in order to keep and attract the team players they need.

This will look like: • policies that don’t mandate training but reward it • allowing employees time on the job to complete training • democratizing access to training so that it’s readily available to those who want it • offering stipends for learning and development at all levels in the organization Outdated modalities for delivering L&D programs will only slow or reduce participation. To optimize buy-in and employee engagement, on-demand platforms must be leveraged. A 2022 report released by The Josh Bersin Company indicates that in the corporate learning environment, success is powered by L&D technologies that keep pace with innovations.

Another key finding of that report shows that companies offering self-directed learning and tailored development yield much higher success outcomes than companies offering general programmatic training only. Employees who have the option to curate their learning path based on self-assessed needs, are much more likely to be fully engaged. However, the flip-side of this individualistic approach is the potential for business needs to become deprioritized. At a macro-level, it is crucial for organizations to ensure a balance of both learner-led and company-focused learnings based on strategic priorities of the business.

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All of this points to why on-demand platforms are necessary for an effective learning and development strategy.

Some employees will want to curate a deep learning experience on a particular topic of importance. Others are committed to developing a career path and need access to continuing education on an on-going basis. Both learners and businesses need learning to be readily accessible within the context of the work and the flow of the workday.

“Some people love to read other people love to watch videos and so what’s cool about Verb is that there’s optionality with all of those. They’re able to look at bitesize chunks of content. They’re able to do it during a coffee break or do it during lunch. That’s one of the reasons why Verb has been so successful.”

Kate Walker Principal, L&D at Outreach.io

Companies may have once found it challenging to meet the diverse needs of its people. However, on-demand learning platforms make it easy to cater to the unique needs of team members at a range of different levels. And it’s this type of customization that can attract top talent to join you and incentivize current employees to stay on-board.

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Evolve Your L&D Strategy The predictions by many business leaders for the coming year are not optimistic. Continued uncertainty and instability around the world will have a major impact on the economy and the corporate world. What is clear is that L&D leaders need to be focused on creating leader and manager effectiveness as their number one priority. Soft skills training that supports Human Leadership will become even more urgent and necessary as we seek to navigate these challenging times.

Wondering where to start?

Whether you are a developing leaders, upskilling managers, or your whole company, Verb’s L&D platform tackles your workplace challenges to transform productivity and collaboration, at scale.

Build L&D programs quickly for managers, leaders or your whole team Ready-to-go library of content with a configurable and flexible platform to stand up your L&D program quickly and affordably, with no effort at all

“Verb is content with process, really thoughtful process, which is what I like about it.”

Kate Berardo, VP, Executive Development, Meta 18

Verb is a configurable online learning & development platform that enables companies to stand-up employee training programs quickly and affordably.

L&D leaders trust our ready-to-go library of bite-sized content. They have full flexibility to use the proven content pathways as designed or mix-and-match content to design programs specifically for their use cases and even combine it with live training for a blended learning format. Verb’s learning technology drives high learner engagement, action and real behavior change.

Learn how Whiskey Cake achieved a

96% engagement and return rate with their L&D program for 500+ employees.

Verb’s content library contains over 100 hours of expertly curated content, that is science-backed to optimize learning and retention.

Browse the full library of topics and activities here.

Hear why companies love Verb To see how Verb can act as an extension to your L&D team, book a demo today. Our seasoned implementation experts will get to know your unique challenges and help design a solution that truly moves the needle to achieve your learning and development goals.

Companies that need to set up an L&D program from scratch quickly and cost effectively rely on Verb for fast results that last.

“We wanted a leadership development platform that could help us scale. We’re a small team and we needed something that was going to provide content. One of the awesome things about Verb is the engagement. We have 90% of our employees who are actually engaging with the platform.”

Kate Walker, L&D Leader, Outreach

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