E-learning and LMS blog articles

As many organisations have discovered already, workplace learning supported by a comprehensive L&D strategy and powerful e-learning technology can solve a number of challenges, along with driving a business towards success. In 2024, we’ll likely see more widespread adoption of workplace learning and a greater focus on L&D to help solve any challenges the new year brings. By unpacking the significant HR and L&D challenges of the past year and looking at the trend forecasts for 2024, we’ll explore five challenges that workplace learning can overcome in the coming year using e-learning tools and technology.

Insufficient in-house training opportunities

Today’s workforce is made up of people who understand the importance of L&D and training opportunities - that a strong skills and knowledge base supports career agility and flexibility. However, many organisations are still failing to recognise the importance of offering training opportunities to their staff outside of mandatory training or onboarding programmes. With limited chances for skills development, employees have fewer opportunities for progression in their field, leading to low satisfaction rates and high levels of employee turnover.

When company training programmes don’t offer the knowledge and skills development opportunities employees are looking for, they seek training programmes elsewhere. In fact, 57% of employees are already pursuing training outside of work, looking for training programmes that allow them to stay competitive in their careers.

In 2024, employers need to implement workplace learning programmes that go beyond mandatory staff training. Using an e-learning platform such as a learning management system (LMS), L&D teams can build a diverse library of content that covers a broad area of subject matter, role functions and skill sets. With an LMS, employees can easily and autonomously access training content, giving them the freedom to explore workplace learning opportunities at their own pace without being bound to training practices within their current field or position.

Building a library of training content: Create your own courses or acquire from a third party? Find out here.

Increasing tech competency for those in leadership roles

When Harvard Business Publishing shared their top five challenges requiring leadership development in 2024, they noted the importance of ‘building the tech-savviness of all leaders’ as 46% of survey respondents anticipated there will be ‘a greater need to adapt to the penetration of emerging technologies such as generative AI’.

To ensure that leaders are best positioned to support their teams in the use of the latest technologies, employers can use workplace learning opportunities to build competencies and increase technology proficiency levels.

Staying up to date with the latest technology ensures that a business remains competitive. However, to achieve this, businesses need to be agile enough to deploy new technologies quickly and efficiently. Training on new tech needs to be delivered sooner rather than later so that those in leadership roles can support their teams as soon as the latest tech is implemented. Employers can acquire third-party training content from an SME and distribute this content using an LMS. Or they may wish to hold a seminar with an external expert. Seminars can be easily managed using an LMS such as Totara Learn, allowing admins to track and monitor sign-up rates and attendance and share any important documentation that will support the training process.

What is Totara? Read our ultimate guide.

Reducing employee turnover with feedback and recognition

At the start of 2023, employee turnover rates had increased by 7.7% in the last four years, with rates expected to continue rising. In 2024, employers need to be proactive in preventing employee churn by working closely with employees and gaining insights into whether they are satisfied with their current roles. One way to achieve this is to create a feedback cycle using a performance management system.

A feedback cycle is a performance management process that requires both employees and managers to gather and share feedback, assess what this feedback means, and take appropriate action. With a performance management system, employees can submit feedback through feedback activities, surveys, or recorded one-to-one sessions. Using this data, managers gain powerful insights into employee satisfaction and what can be done to offer greater support. Additionally, employees have a better understanding of what is expected of them and how they are progressing in their roles. Working together, employees and managers can use feedback data to improve performance and create plans for development with workplace learning opportunities that will reduce employee turnover rates as a result.

What is a performance management system? Read our ultimate guide.

Closing the skills gap in a changing landscape

According to the 2023 LinkedIn Workplace learning report, skill sets for jobs have changed by around 25% since 2015 and by 2027 this number is expected to double. To ensure that a workforce possesses all the relevant skills, L&D teams need to stay up to date with revised skill sets and implement workplace learning processes that close any skills gaps.

To avoid a skills shortage and to prevent skills gaps from growing, L&D teams can use LMS assessments to regularly identify employees in need of upskilling. LMS assessments can be configured to identify specific skills and proficiency levels, gathering evidence and data which can then be used to create workplace learning opportunities further down the line. When a skills gap has been identified, L&D teams can create learning plans for an employee, incorporating a number of skill-specific training modules that employees can easily follow.

Find out more about closing skills gaps with an e-learning platform by reading our blog.

Work with employees to create a career path

To increase employee satisfaction rates and reduce staff turnover in 2024, employers need to provide plenty of opportunities for employee career growth and development. 75% of employees would prefer to advance at their current company, but only 48% currently see an available pathway to progression. Employers must create plenty of avenues that allow employees to explore career growth and succession opportunities within the company, rather than having to explore elsewhere.

Employers need to be transparent about career growth opportunities, clarifying what needs to be done in order to progress. It’s also important for employees to be given a voice, allowing them to be transparent about what career path they wish to follow. To achieve this, employers or managers can work with employees to create goals and objectives, outlining any key activities and processes that will help them achieve these. L&D teams can create these goals in an e-learning platform, making it easier for managers to monitor progress. For example, if an employee is hoping to progress into a leadership role, they may be enrolled on a leadership skills development programme which will form part of the goal in an LMS. Using e-learning tools provides clarity on what has or hasn’t been achieved and provides employees with clear guidance by outlining a path and plan for them to follow.

Find out how to create a personal development plan with a talent experience platform.

How will you support your workplace learning activities in 2024?

To overcome the challenges outlined above and help your organisation achieve success in 2024, now is the time to implement powerful workplace learning activities with the support of e-learning technology. Our wide range of e-learning solutions offer all the functionality and tools you need to achieve this in the coming year. Get to know our platforms by visiting our product pages or get in touch with one of our e-learning experts to find out more.