Learning and Development Technology Predictions for 2023

It’s an understatement to say that the way we train has changed over the last five years. The adoption of remote and hybrid work has made training more of a priority both as part of employee retention plans and as part of an organization’s overall development strategy. Learning technology, as a result, has evolved considerably in the last few years. Though many companies are still using legacy LMS platforms, enterprise LMS technology has evolved to provide more tailored, unique experiences for each learner.

As we begin 2023, we must recognize that there is a negative work environment in the corporate space due to fears of recession. While these fears are legitimate and understandable, there is one truth companies must focus on: organizations still need to thrive and grow, even in a time of economic turmoil. No matter how the recession affects your business, companies will need to keep the core of their businesses—those foundational elements that make a business thrive like core team members, core skills, and core products and services—alive and well. These are the factors that keep businesses functioning despite economic changes.

Below are our trend predictions for 2023. The theme that runs through them all is that learners will be at the center of training and technology investments. While this may sound obvious, it is actually a significant move. Research from PwC has shown that, while company leaders think they are investing in tech with their employees in mind, those employees don’t agree. This is the disconnect that will be addressed, especially in the learn-tech field, in 2023.

Top Learning and Development Technology Predictions for 2023

1. Companies will be held to higher standards, and training must be positive and valuable for every stakeholder.

Generalized, company-wide training that is broadly applicable (but not specific to an individual team member’s role) is already losing its impact. Learners presently have value for training, but they aren’t seeing this reflected in the courses that are assigned to them. Learners’ high expectations and high values for learning mean that they will hold their companies to higher standards. They will, and some already do, expect their companies to provide training that is meaningful, impactful, and actionable.

Companies must distribute training that is valuable for every stakeholder—from employees to partners to customers and to sales teams—and in a format that creates a positive experience. In order for training to be valuable, it must be personalized, highly specific, interactive, and tied to clear, actionable goals. Companies will need learning technology in order to create this type of training program. Features like AI personalization and interactive learning elements (polls, quizzes, videos, and audio content) will connect learners to training content and improve knowledge retention. Even further, companies must create systems to identify, manage, and track learning goals. Learner self-assessments or manager-led assessments will need to be recorded, referenced, and managed from the digital learning platform. Compliance training initiatives must also be managed from within the learning platform so that learners gain insights into their training plans and can keep up with the required certifications.

2. Digital experiences will be the top priority for employers and employees.

We are more than two decades past the dot-com digital boom and digital experiences have become the standard. There is no longer any excuse for companies to provide negative or outdated digital experiences. Think about it: When you see an outdated, old-fashioned website, do you trust that brand? Likely not. Consumers, employees, and other stakeholders expect a certain level of digital experience.

We will see this play out in the learning technology sector as engagement either surges or drops, depending on the tech used for training. Companies that stick with outdated, legacy LMS platforms (or other training technology) will lose out on engagement because those systems simply were not designed for interactive, employee-led learning. To remedy this issue, employers should provide their teams with digital training technology (like next-generation LMS software) that enables engagement through personalized learning experiences and multiple learning opportunity types.

3. Personalization will be expected in training contexts.

Expect to see personalization appear as a theme throughout the next year. Digital consumers have already settled into personalized experiences—like when online shopping or while searching the web—and they have come to expect them everywhere else. In order to embrace this without adding a heavy administrative burden onto a training strategy, companies will need to invest in technology that automates personalized learning experiences through AI and machine learning.

4. Companies will need to retain and develop the best employees on their teams.

Employees have held incredible power in the work world over the last three years due to factors like the Great Attrition and growing skills gaps, but there is a change coming. Expect to see the power balance out between employees and their employers. In the next year, companies will focus on maintaining and retaining the best of their team members—the ones that they cannot function without. Employee training and development will be a key part of this process because the best employees will be the ones who desire to grow in their skills.

5. It will be a greater responsibility for companies to train and equip their teams than ever before.

The growing skills gap that is evident across industries puts the burden of training on companies themselves, not on employees. This will require a shift in how companies understand hiring, onboarding training, skills development, and even retention. Companies can and should carry the responsibility of skills development through every part of the employee experience. Ultimately, this responsibility will look like companies making an investment in technology that serves their learners and creates opportunities for growth and engagement. The responsibility that employers carry is less about forcing employees to complete training (in fact, this may have a negative effect) and more about creating environments where employees can enjoy and embrace training in the workplace. For every company, this will require that flexibility be built into the learning experience. Employees need to be able to train anytime, anywhere, and on a variety of subjects.

6. Digital strategies are a key factor in talent retention.

Your company’s digital training strategy weighs heavily on the talent retention equation. After all, many companies have embraced remote and hybrid work environments—meaning that employees engage primarily with their companies through digital tools like messaging systems, virtual meetings, and digital project management software. Training technology should be included in this equation. Every company must build a tech stack that caters to the modern employee’s needs, especially as it pertains to learning and development.

7. Companies need to demonstrate that they are digitally advanced and innovative to keep employees around.

At the end of the day, employees want to find purpose and meaning in their work. They also want to work for companies that are innovative and advanced in the field and create products or services that are impactful. Digital transformation is part of this. Companies must demonstrate to their employees that they are relevant, digitally advanced, and innovative. This is why companies can no longer afford to use outdated systems—from learning systems to project management systems—when organizing employee experiences. The digital world is as much a component of an employee’s workplace experience as their benefits package, the overall workplace culture, or even how they interact with their team members.

In 2023, learners will be at the center of the workplace experience. Training must adjust accordingly. The best decision leaders can make in 2023 is to invest heavily in the world of corporate training because it will serve both the company’s employees and the company’s bottom line. There is a wealth of opportunity for growth hidden in the employee training experience.

Looking to equip your team with a positive training experience? Contact us for a free demo of our digital LMS.