3 Reasons Your L&D Tools Aren’t Fit For Today’s Workforce

• 4 min read

How qualified do you think your employees are for their roles?

Learning and development tools aren’t keeping up with the needs of today’s digital workforce and it’s impacting how organizations function and how employees build their careers. 

That’s according to a Docebo survey that polled 2,400 employees across the U.S. and U.K. to understand how confident and qualified they feel in their current roles and how on-the-job training impacts the decisions they make at work.

The findings paint a vivid picture of why learning and development tools are failing to hit the mark and the consequences of this. 

1. Outdated Technology and Courses

Key Finding – One in three employees say their company’s training is out-of-date and doesn’t meet their expectations.

The interactions we have with technology in our personal lives are influencing what we now expect in our professional lives and learning tools are no different. To ensure employees thrive in the workplace, companies need to implement training tools that match the ease, personalization, and interactivity of platforms like Google and YouTube.

Mobile learning accessibility should be a given, as well as a smart and seamless user experience that engages learners. This not only helps the workforce to feel more empowered but will also create new opportunities for a business to evolve the types of roles and tasks its employees take on.

Today’s modern learning platforms should provide a holistic approach to enterprise learning which reflects how workers actually learn. The 70: 20: 10 methodology divides learning into three categories:

  • 70% – informal, on the job, experienced-based.
  • 20% – coaching, mentoring, developing through others (social learning).
  • 10% – formal learning interventions and structured courses.

With the help of a modern learning platform, companies can develop and deliver learning that is more aligned with what employees expect and fosters a culture of continuous learning. This will not only help them achieve their business goals but also help their employees achieve their personal goals. 

2. It’s Time-Consuming

Key Finding – Almost 40% of employees prefer to ask Google for help over a coworker.

One of the biggest barriers to learning adoption is the time it takes to complete a formal course. As noted above, the majority of learning actually takes place outside of the classroom environment and this reflects employee behavior. Half of all learners want to learn at their own pace and in the flow of work, but if that isn’t possible then, unfortunately, some of them are turning to Google for help. 

Learning in the flow of work is learning that is discoverable by employees at the point they need it and delivered in smaller, easily-digestible chunks – on demand. These learning snippets have proven to be more relevant and more applicable to solving issues directly related to day-to-day challenges, and more easily retained than larger chunks of formal learning. 

3. It Isn’t Even Offered

Key Finding – 15% of companies don’t offer any training.

While some companies still don’t offer any training, this isn’t stopping employees from recognizing the value of it and making it happen on their own dime. One in four in have paid for outside training to help them advance their career.  

And for those who do have access to learning opportunities, the return on investment is clear with 70% saying it has provided them with the skills needed to grow in their role. 

Why This Needs To Change

Key Finding – One in three employees admit they’ve felt unqualified for their job, and fear that a boss or colleague thinks the same of them.

Organizational learning programs help bridge the gap between what employees currently know and what companies need them to know to drive the organization forward. When it comes to experience needed and skill set, many employees question whether or not they’re up to par and this is bad news for organizations. 

Bad decisions happen when employees don’t know how to complete a task.

Roughly 30% of employees admit they’ve made a bad decision or submitted poor quality work because they were afraid to admit they didn’t know how to complete a task. 

Employees will stay quiet if they don’t understand an assignment.

One in three won’t admit to their boss that they don’t understand an assignment or concept but still try and complete it anyway. 

How qualified do you think your employees are for their roles, and what can you do to effectively upskill your workforce?Check out the full Fake It ‘Til You Make It Report for more insights.