Learning and Development Trends to Watch in 2024

For a constantly evolving workforce, the start of a new year means new opportunities for learning and development. A new year can also bring new trends to the forefront as businesses across industries explore ways to grow their teams’ potential.

Here are some learning and development trends to stay aware of throughout 2024.

Continuous learning

For the past few years, organizations have recognized that learning and development isn’t a seasonal priority, but one that lasts all year long. Instead of focusing on opportunities each fall (the traditional time for learners to head back to school), the current movement includes an expectation that learners should have access to opportunities all year round. In 2024, this trend is likely to become even more prevalent.

More immersive experiences

In the coming year, learning methods will continue to embrace new technology, including virtual reality, augmented reality, and video-based microlearning. These formats deliver concise, targeted content that can be more engaging and digestible than traditional methods such as lectures or reading materials. As the year proceeds, expect to see technology play a bigger role across academic disciplines.

The importance of data

Data drives many decisions in various industries. This is also true of learning and development initiatives. In the coming year, organizations are expected to increasingly rely on data to customize learning experiences for their teams. From analytics to AI-driven insights, employers will collect and use data to identify and address strengths and opportunities within their workforce. This in turn will lead to learning and development game plans that are personalized for maximum effectiveness.

Developing and maintaining partnerships

To optimize their learning and development efforts, organizations are expected to continue to seek partners who can provide effective, customized education experiences. Customization can include collaborating with online learning providers, reaching out to consulting firms or working directly with schools. The goal of each of these partnerships is to craft programming that fits a company’s training goals as partnerships allow companies to take advantage of other groups’ education expertise for the benefit of their internal teams.

 Supporting employees’ well-being stems from the relatively volatile job market of the past few years and employers’ growing understanding that the needs of their team members don’t start and stop with their job descriptions.

A holistic approach

In 2024 predictions say, companies will look for more ways to support their employees’ professional and personal well-being. This stems from the relatively volatile job market of the past few years and employers’ growing understanding that the needs of their team members don’t start and stop with their job descriptions. Over the next year, more companies are expected to look for ways to support their employees with programs and initiatives designed to make their daily lives easier. In doing so, they’ll help create an environment in which their workers can thrive.

Cross-team collaborative learning

Learning and development across departments can be an effective way to build skills and increase institutional knowledge. As more companies explore this approach, workers can be more proactive in their own development – sharing skills while encouraging learning and innovation in others. Cross-team collaboration can also help prepare employees to take on expanded roles at their company, making this a doubly effective path to learning and development.

Learning and development as core value

In 2024, companies are expected to be more vocal about the premium they put on learning and development. It’s a way of reframing the idea of fostering a learning culture by truly encouraging a growth mindset. This culture can start with leadership and extend to all of an organization’s employees. When a company embraces learning and development, it’s not just exploring ways to maximize its team’s potential; it’s also showing its employees that their contributions are valued.

To learn more about learning and development options for your team, contact a Workforce Edge specialist today.