Short on skills?

Rethink your Learning

Approach
“In the future the person
acquiring new skills will be at the
center of the learning process,
with a focus on personalized,
integrated, hybrid and life-long
learning.”
 Short on skills? | Rethink your Learning Approach

Introduction 05
Which trends are shaping the L&D landscape 06
What do learners expect from their
learning environment? 08
What do organizations need regarding L&D 12
Recommendations 16
Contact us 26

03
04
 Short on skills? | Rethink your Learning Approach

Introduction
A new way of learning for a rapidly
changing world

Several factors contribute to the fact that Thus, in order to cope with the market’s
the world we live in is changing rapidly, dynamics, adapting to learners’ needs, new
disrupting the way we live and work, but circumstances and conditions, is crucial for
also learn. Scarcity of resources, war, the enterprises to avoid becoming casualties
COVID-19 pandemic, demographic change, of transformation. There is more pressure
digitalization, globalization… You might call than ever on Learning & Development (L&D)
these factors mere buzzwords, but these to generate the strategic alignment at the
trends and events are the reason why manager and executive level needed to gain
individuals and organizations face rapidly a competitive advantage in today’s rapidly
evolving markets and framework conditions changing business environment.1
that create immanent pressure on individual
employability and business models. As a Within this point of view, we therefore
consequence, the skills needed to satisfy the assess three questions…
market’s demands are constantly changing,
creating short-term lifecycles for key skills. 1. Which trends are shaping the
Learning & Development landscape?
Take the COVID-19 pandemic as an example:
It has changed the way we collaborate, it has 2. W
 hat do learners expect from their
shattered established business structures learning environment?
and norms, forcing workers and corpora-
tions to swiftly adapt virtual collaboration 3. What do skills-based organizations2
models and significantly accelerate digital- need regarding Learning & Develop-
ization not only within organizations, but ment?
across industries. Looking back after more
than two years of COVID-19, it is certain that … in order to provide recommendations on
there won’t be a back to normal, but that how to successfully set up and take L&D to
individuals and businesses have to adapt to the next level.
the new normal.

05
Which trends are shaping
the L&D landscape?
New skill requirements and a shortage of talent force
businesses to adapt

Facing current trends, organizations have to

answer the following three questions:

The tasks of tomorrow

What impact do current trends have on indi-
viduals and organizations and how are they
shaping future tasks?

The workforce of tomorrow

Which demands must organizational capabili-
ties and the workforce meet in the future and
what should the corporate culture look like?

Realizing Potential
How can new skill sets be acquired, and
trends swiftly be adopted by the workforce
and by organizations?

06
 Short on skills? | Rethink your Learning Approach

Fig. 1 – Trends shaping the L&D landscape

Digitalization & Technologization Shortage of Skill-Lifecycles Run for talents

Businesses are facing fundamental The significant shift in necessary skills, The demand for future skills far
disruptions affecting the very basis of intensified by digitalization and fast exceeds the supply of the workforce,
their business models. These changes technological innovation, confront resulting in a fierce war for talent
urgently require new skills to adapt to businesses with dramatically short- across industries. Combined with the
the new market environment and ened skill-lifecycles (e.g. in IT with max. expected demographic development
realize associated potential. 6–12 months).3 of a declining workforce in many
developed countries, this problem will
likely intensify over the next years.

New Organizational structures Data based business Redesign of Work

Due to fast-changing market condi- With digitalization and technologizati- An unprecedented talent reshuffle is
tions and a shortage of future skills, on, analyzing data enables businesses happening globally. Employees are
organizations must show flexibility and to make fact-based and accurate rethinking not just how they work, but
adaptability to ensure their attractive- decisions. Thus, the ability to gather, why they work and what they want to
ness. Established hierarchical and systemize, combine and analyze data do with their careers and lives. We
management-centered linear structu- in order to create new insights is a must therefore redesign and reorgani-
res might lack the required flexibility. key-component of future business ze traditional work and adapt the
Thus, businesses have to rethink their success and empowers organizations workplace while unleashing the human
organizational structures and create to prevail over competitors. This trend potential and humanizing work.
efficient adaptable frameworks that does not stop at learning and develop-
allow a swift shift in scope and a ment.
flexible availability of skills across the
organization.

07
What do learners expect
from their learning
environment?
Modern skill building focuses on individual needs by
combining personalized digital and in-person formats that
are embedded in the daily flow of work

The aforementioned trends have not only

transformed the way we live and work. Welcome to the future of learning.
They also affect how we learn today and
how we will want to learn in the future. Here, the person acquiring
The understanding of how we learn new skills is at the center of the
has fundamentally changed over the
past years – as a result of the trends learning process, with a focus on
listed above and of other develop-
ments. Following a growth-mindset, personalized, integrated, hybrid
opportunities for development have
become the second most important factor and life-long learning.
in workplace happiness for employees, and
learners today want to embed their lear-
ning experience in the flow of work.4
the “driver-seat” of their own development.5 project work in teams and many more. By
In a highly interdependent world, we need It’s a matter of fact that managers and HR combining social learning with profes­sional
to ask: How do people, processes, tech- still bear responsibility to upskill emplo- knowledge management (platforms), impli-
nology, data, culture and purpose shape yees, but their role is changing. More than cit knowledge gets converted into formal,
the future of learning that is expected by ever, learners expect their managers and explicit knowledge, allowing learners and
learners? And in turn, how will these factors HR to support them in planning their next supervisors to become co-creators who
be influenced by the future of learning? We career steps, creating space for joint reflec- help to shape their own learning. Collabo-
have identified the following trends: tion on the individual learning progress ration and teamwork, as well as opportuni-
and pointing out opportunities for further ties to exchange ideas on topics, opinions,
People development. But it’s the learners them- ideas and industry-related topics are highly
Learners are at the heart of the lear- selves who are mainly responsible for their sought-after. Learners expect organiza-
ning process personal development and employability.6 tions to create a work environment that
The process of learning and development reflects these experiences.7
needs to be learner-centered and embrace At present, social learning is in high
the diversity that learners bring with them. demand – a trend that is here to stay. Social
That means meeting the individual needs learning can include a variety of different
of learners, such as learning styles, current in-person as well as online-formats, such
life stages, level of knowledge and indivi- as job shadowing, communities of practice,
dual interests, allowing the learner to be in social interaction via online platforms,

08
 Short on skills? | Rethink your Learning Approach

Process consult Google, YouTube and other online

Learning takes place in the flow of resources to seek help with urgent matters
work in daily life. Software and digital learning
According to our findings based on a tools shape the world of learning and
global survey of 1,021 workers, 65 percent development, enabling learners to quickly
of workers agree the skills and capabili- and simply access and share knowledge at
ties required to perform their jobs have the right time and at the right place.
changed in the past two years.8 With rap-
idly changing environments, learners want Learners also have expectations the soft-
and need to solve complex challenges ware they use needs to meet: It must be
immediately. Especially people working in user-friendly, intuitive and fun to use, com-
fast-paced environments have to continu- bining gamification elements and social
ously update their skills. That is why a sep- learning with short learning nuggets that
aration of work and learning is no longer can be easily consumed when it is needed
appropriate and needs to be seamlessly despite the learner’s decreasing attention
embedded and integrated into the flow span. Being confronted with an overwhelm-
of work without interrupting daily work- ing amount of providers and resources for
streams. By changing learning processes new material, people value the benefits of
and ensuring that learning takes place personalized learning experiences enabled
all the time and everywhere productivity by Artificial Intelligence. They want to ben-
can be increased, and individual and team efit from personalized learning journeys
knowledge can be built.9 The era of tradi- that are tailored to specific skills, skill gaps,
tional course catalogues as the only way needs and individual preferences, all of
to learn is over. Instead, bite-sized learning which can be found in so called Learning
opportunities, so called microlearnings, Experience Platforms.12, 13
represent an easily digestible addition and/
or alternative that can be embedded for
relevant and current tasks in the daily work Learning Experience Plattform: Intelligence, combining (curated)
routine.10 In contrast to classic learning man- learning content from various
agement systems (LMS), so-called sources. Through the usage of an
It is more important than ever, that learn- learning experience platforms, also LXP-platform, learning becomes a
ers can easily and instantly find high quality called LXP, offer a learning soft- social, on-the job event, where learn-
content for their specific needs and learn ware solution that focusses on the ers can also create and share content
by experience, rather than in traditional employee and learner needs and a and learn on the go through hybrid
classroom settings.11 Why? Because people user-friendly and modern user expe- and mobile solutions. Besides social
learn more sustainably when they directly rience. interaction with like-minded people,
apply their newly acquired knowledge peers and experts, also gamification
to real-world situations and immediately It combines individualized and and nudging take the learning expe-
get feedback on what they did. Thanks to self-organized learning and puts the rience to the next level. The data
mobile devices, learning nowadays is pos- learner into the center by providing collected gives deep insights on the
sible almost anytime and everywhere – in individualized learning experiences user’s learning behaviour and can
public transport, while waiting for a client, and recommendations through the help plan further development and
etc. usage of data collected and Artificial following career steps.

Technology
Technology changes how learners
(want to) learn
Learning without technology is no longer
imaginable – new software and devices
shape how we learn and replace pen and
paper in traditional classroom environ-
ments. You might want to pause reading for
a second and think about how often you

09
Data behavior and embed constant learning as
Show me your data and I will show you part of everyday life. Sometimes the way
what you need (to learn) to learn is also to unlearn mental models
Data is king – also in the field of learning and behavior that have grown outdated
and development. Data collection and anal- or obsolete, especially in rapidly changing
ysis enables learners to truly understand environments. Depending on the industry
which knowledge, skills and competencies and type of organization, fostering a fail-
they have, how they learn and what knowl- fast culture that encourages workers to
edge, skills and competencies they need experiment and test different solutions
to ensure their employability or to reach without the repercussions of failure could
the next step in their career. A first move be an aspirational target to enhance inter-
would be to identify skill gaps the individual nal innovation as well as individual learn-
learner needs to fill in order to be ideally ing. Fostering a company culture like this
qualified for their (desired) role. Collecting needs time, targeted interventions as well
data about a learner’s individual Learning & as management support, for example by
Development activities helps to track val- exhibiting open-mindedness to ideas and
uable information. This might include time suggestions presented by employees.15
spent on learning and trainings for specific
topics, insights on the interaction with Rewards
learning content, focus of learning topics Purpose and recognition are necessary
to derive other relevant learning content Employees want to understand the pur-
as well as indications on the progress that pose and bigger picture of where their
has been made to close skill gaps. In this employer is headed in the long term.
context of Learning & Development artifi- Ideally, company and learners share the
cial intelligence comes into play, as learners same values and learners can identify with
want to be provided with automated sug- meaningful goals of the company. Regard-
gestions for their individual training and less of whether employees will stay with
education based on their personal data, an organization or not, organizations must
including education, completed trainings, focus on developing employees and invest
fields of interest, future career plans, etc. in their careers in order to empower them
to achieve their individual long-term career
Culture ambitions, while contributing to organ-
Company culture is the backbone for izational goals.16 Only when employees
Learning & Development experience appreciation and recognize that
The numerous factors described above their learning activities can have an impact
and all the (new) possibilities that digitaliza- both on their own personal development
tion provides, inevitably influence the learn- and on the overall business, they will be
ing culture that learners want and need. As motivated to learn. Especially younger
they seek to acquire new skills, they look workers appreciate supervisors who value
for a learning culture that unifies attributes their learning accomplishment according to
such as openness, trust, flexibility – but the LinkedIn Learning Workplace Learning
also guidance. While more and more learn- Report 2020.17
ers embrace and demand such an open
learning culture, others might still struggle These needs and expectations of learners
to identify learning moments while work- and their preferences of how they (want
ing because they have been programmed to) learn inevitably influence how learning
to think that learning only happens in the takes place within organizations today and
classroom.14 how it will take place or should take place
in the future. Let us therefore take a look at
In order to create an open learning envi- the implications that these trends can have
ronment where informal learning is recog- for L&D in organizations by asking: What do
nized, interventions based on neuro- organizations need regarding Learning &
scientific and behavioral science might Development?
be necessary to change the learner’s

10
 Short on skills? | Rethink your Learning Approach

Fig. 2 – Main factors shaping the future of learning

Future of
Learning

People Process Technology

Learners must be at the heart of the learn- Learning must be seamlessly embedded Software and digital learning tools such
ing process, while providing the framework and integrated into the flow of work – as Learning Experience Platforms make
to live social learning everywhere and anytime learning a more individualized, social, data
driven and user-friendly experience

Data Culture Rewards

Data collection and analysis allows learners The future of learning requires a transition Individual and organizational goal-
to make fact-based decisions and system- towards an open, flexible, trust-based and alignment, contributing to a higher purpose
atically target identified skill gaps thus well-supported learning culture and recognition for learning accomplish-
ment are perceived as rewarding

11
What do organizations
need regarding L&D?
Leaders develop forward-looking strategies that rely
on learning technology infrastructures to facilitate a
continuous personalized learning experience

Clearly, the developments and demands

addressed in the previous chapters must
So how can companies equip
be taken up by organizations. Instead of
going back to normal after the events that
themselves to thrive in the short
are currently shaping our lives, busines-
ses will have to adapt to the new normal
and long term and what are the
in order to stay competitive. According to
Deloitte’s survey, 66 percent of the respon-
needs of organizations regarding
dents indicated that they are struggling
to keep up with constantly changing skill
L&D? Let us have a look at some
requirements.18 This strengthens the need
for organizations to anticipate and adapt to
of the potential roadblocks,
new and ever-changing environments and
adjust the respective business models and
solutions and mindsets to bring
skills. That will result in short-term lifecycles
for key skills.
L&D in organizations to the next
However, established L&D structures and
level.
processes within organizations are often
out of touch with the new realities and fail
to transform the workforce’s skills to meet
the organization’s demands. Over the
course of multiple High-Impact Learning
Organization studies, we´ve observed that
high-performing organizations shift their
focus from producing learning content to
enabling organic learning in the flow of
work.19 Our Human Capital Trends study
found that a majority of organizations
believe that learning should be a shared
responsibility between the business and
HR. The same study found that less than 10
percent of organizations are ready to rein-
vent learning.20

12
 Short on skills? | Rethink your Learning Approach

A strong, long-term and forward- Skills-based Organization (dividing it into projects or tasks) as
looking L&D orientation – Make L&D a Challenges in today's work environ- well as broadening work (focusing
strategic priority ment such as the Great Resignation, work on solving problems or achiev-
Companies need a strong, long-term L&D i.e., a continuing economic trend ing results) can create added value
orientation in order to be well equipped with many employees voluntarily for employees and organizations.
to handle the short-term pressures and to leaving their jobs from early 2021 To achieve this, a new approach is
adapt quickly to new ways of working. Our in the course of the COVID-19 pan- needed in which the organization
experience shows that organizations that demic, require a change in organ- moves away from seeing people as
were already in the lead in terms of L&D izations’ structural orientation. job holders. People and their port-
before COVID-19 were better positioned for Deloitte’s research has shown that folio of skills and capabilities that
the post-crisis rebound. Investing in L&D 8 out of 10 workers, HR managers can be fluidly deployed to work are
is of high value in equipping businesses and business leaders believe that placed in the center. They form the
for the subsequent recovery. So, there is a jobs are no longer the best way to basis of HR decisions – from hiring, to
clear case for making investments in L&D organize work. Instead, organizations rewards and workforce planning.
now to build for the future. However, these recognized that fractionating work
investments have to yield results, build the
skills and capabilities needed and adjust
accordingly to changes in work (e.g. due to
automation).21 A delivery model in L&D that matches their own hands and fund development
business needs and expectations – and training from their own budgets. These
To advance today's most important orga- Bring the L&D team to the next level “shadow learning teams“ can foster lear-
nizational goals, such as inclusion, orga- To respond to the unpredictable nature of ning differently or at a greater speed than
nizational agility, growth, and innovation, work and to the decreasing half-life of skills, the L&D function. In doing so, they also
companies need to consider a new model organizations must reconstruct L&D to fos- challenge HR’s desire for consistency and
of work and employment that focuses on ter adaptability. continuity, calling into question the validity
skills rather than jobs. We call this model of a centralized model. Given these factors,
the "skills-based organization", where peo- We notice an increased demand for digital learning needs to embrace different appro-
ple are no longer defined by their job, but and analytical skills among L&D teams. aches as part of the learning operating
are seen as whole individuals with skills and That is particularly true for digital learning, model and often needs to be managed and
abilities that can be fluidly applied to work virtual facilitation and the curation of online organized differently than it is done today.26
that suits their interests and thereby also content as well as expectations towards
accelerate business performance.22 L&D professionals and their knowledge of
the business and strategy. This might result
Another crucial demand is to link organiz- in an L&D team that is smaller than in the
ations’ decisions about skills and develop- past but more skilled and delivering a hig-
ment to their purpose and vision – an her value for the business. In order to be
overarching objective that guides their way a credible partner to the business, to have
forward. Many organizations build L&D challenging conversations with leaders and
plans that overemphasize skills that were to ensure that delivery models match busi-
important in the past. ness needs and expectations.24

In contrast, leading organizations look Management’s relationship with L&D has

forward and assess their strategic priori- also significantly changed. A few years ago,
ties, the skills needed to execute on those L&D teams would have autonomously deci-
priorities, and the future impact on their ded what programs were needed. Today,
workforce. Our High-Impact HR Operating business leaders play an equal role in those
Model research found that high-performing decisions, helping L&D to determine what
organizations are effective at sensing how the business learning needs are.25 But
their organization is evolving and then because L&D and HR are often out of touch
acting accordingly. This means to create with the rest of the organization, business
conditions rather than content and align leaders who are keen to develop their
closely with the business.23 workforce frequently take matters into

13
14
 Short on skills? | Rethink your Learning Approach

A learning technology infrastructure • Automating the reporting process to inuous learning is so important.31 In this
that is the best fit for their business – improve productivity and compliance context, authenticity is a decisive factor for
Fuse processes, technology, and human tracking success. Creating and sustaining a culture
capabilities in which lifelong learning is lived not only
The use of technology plays an increasingly • Eliminating manual tasks, reducing the serves to help organizations achieve their
important role in enabling L&D to support risk of errors and reducing costs goals, but it also provides employees with
a company’s organizational strategy. To a sense of purpose, both in and out of their
make the use of technology in learning a • Providing an integrated technology infra- work environment.32
success, decision makers are faced with structure, with a primary point of access,
the challenge of selecting and adopting a ensuring clear data structures and a Education in organizations is not (any lon-
technology that is the best fit for their busi- focus on data security ger) a guarantee of knowledge or success in
ness and target groups, of supporting all the workplace. Instead, organizations need
phases of an individual’s learning process • Improving content quality and relevance to become pillars of learning, providing the
and of helping professionals to facilitate institutional education that their emplo-
the learning process of others. The new • Establishing talent marketplaces yees look for.
reality of work demands that organizations
adapt in order to keep up with the pace of However, L&D departments need to go This will not only help the existing work-
change in the organizational environment. beyond the deployment of technology. force progress, but it will also attract more
This includes the rapid turnover of capabi- They must not leave their employees alone talented and driven workers, while creating
lities needed as well as the evolving (digital) with learning technology, but enable, sup- a culture of self-improvement.33
workplace and the diverse and distributed port and accompany them in their use in
workforce. Work and learning are becoming the best possible way. That can be done Organizations are looking for approaches
increasingly interconnected, making lear- by helping employees understand which to meet these new business requirements
ning a critical business investment.27 skills they need and how to access relevant and challenges. Since expertise and dis-
content.29 cipline by themselves are not enough to
Organizations need to reinvent their lear- work out solutions to challenges, organiz-
ning technology infrastructure in a way A culture of learning, embracing ations need to establish a culture in which
that it delivers a continuous personalized ­continuous development – Establish it is possible to learn from mistakes and
learning experience. They do that by using a learning culture that embraces experiments, and thus to develop solu-
a learning technology ecosystem appro- contin­uous development and learning tions step by step. A culture of learning
ach instead of an LMS-centric approach, from experiences and mistakes flourishes when team members leverage
by providing a personalized, interactive The disruptions caused by the pandemic synergies, when they can openly talk about
learning experience to employees and have shown companies how rapidly the pri- their challenges, when setbacks are met
by making development learner-driven.28 orities and requirements of L&D functions with optimism, and when small success is
Employees look for more flexibility, more can change. Adapting to the future of work appreciated.34
benefits and more investment into their is one of the top concerns of businesses
careers. This is quite a challenge for lear- around the world today. However, for L&D
ning and development teams, but it can be initiatives to be successful, companies must
overcome by using technologies to make create a culture of learning across all levels
learning more flexible. of the organization.30

Adopting the learning technology eco- One of the most prominent needs of orga-
system approach (over an LMS-centric nizations is to respond to their employees’
approach) can bring multiple benefits for desire for a learning culture that empha-
both employees and organization sizes continuous and lifelong learning.
Companies must up their game to provide
• Improving the employee experience the right culture and growth opportunities
(anywhere, anytime and accessible via to engage their employees in building an
any device) agile, customer-centric, innovative culture
that values diversity. There is more respon-
• Enabling informal learning and virtual sibility than ever on L&D teams to bring in
collaboration through user-generated solutions that help leaders and employees
content, networks, blogs, online commu- to achieve this. Moving forward is going to
nities, etc. be the new normal and that is why cont-

15
Recommendations
Organizations need a holistic mindset for learners, HR and
management that focuses on learners while aligning with business
strategy and skills that will be requirement in the future

Make continuous and individual re- &

upskilling in the flow of work the new
normal
Having asked ourselves three guiding
questions about the future of learning, the
essence of the answer is obvious: We have
to rethink learning, which is moving away
from trainings and singular events towards
an integrated experience where each inter-
action is a supplement for the individual
learner’s journey. To get fit for the future
of learning, a holistic mindset is key. With
such an approach, learners, HR as well as
management all work together. They put
the learner at the center of the process
while ensuring close alignment with busi-
ness strategy and future requirements. For
this reason, we will highlight what we con-
sider the most important aspects for the
different target groups, namely for learn-
ers, HR and L&D, C-Suite and leaders within
companies. The following recommenda-
tions result from our in-depth research as
well as our close cooperation with compa-
nies of different industries and sizes:

16
 Short on skills? | Rethink your Learning Approach

The new reality of work demands that indi- regularly calibrate workforce demand
viduals as well as organizations can adapt and supply with business planning and
quickly in order to keep up with the pace of current as well as future objectives of
change in the environment. This includes the organization. Taking the Great Resig­
the rapid turnover of necessary capabilities nation as an example, the massive talent
to anticipate and respond to a diverse set movement is another reminder for
of requirements. As a result, there is a need organizations how important workforce
for continuous re- and upskilling with tailo- issues have become. It is therefore essen-
red offerings to a diverse and distributed tial that corporate boards not only react,
workforce to ensure the right knowledge is but proactively address challenges of the
available at the right time. future of work by seeking greater visibility
into talent and development practices.35
• For Learners: An open and explorative
mindset guided by curiosity enables
learners to embed learning on the job Use Case at a major German By re- and up-skilling existing staff
into daily life and to take (at least par- information & communications into agile roles and adopting agile
tial) responsibility for personal (career) technology company methodologies, the company not only
development. Learning can take place A lack of highly demanded IT-skills significantly increased its business
anytime and anywhere, for example by in addition to a low turnover-rate, a performance, but also developed
using micro-learning opportunities that high average age of the workforce a thorough learning culture within
quickly qualify learners to tackle real-life and an insufficient business perfor- the organization that made learning
tasks and focus on problem solving. mance forced the management team in the flow of work a key-pillar of its
of an internal IT-supplier to kick-off a strategy.
• For HR: With this learner-centric appro- large-scale agile transformation that
ach, the role of HR changes towards a involved over 60 percent of its total
supportive role with a focus on empo- workforce.
wering workers to take personal and
career development into their own hands
while coaching and guiding them along
this journey. To capture and build up
knowledge, organizations must recognize
that knowledge management strategies
and their implementation play a crucial
role in creating, spreading and managing
the flow of knowledge across an organi-
zation.

• For C-Suite: To make sure that the right

skills are available at the right place and
time within the workforce, C-Suite must
define strategic workforce planning.
It should be one of the priorities to

17
Get future-proof by centering learning • For HR: Organizational learning is evolv­
around capabilities and skills that will ing from a best-guess-practise to an
be in high demand accurate workforce development ins-
Learning has become a strategic success trument. HR can base its decisions on
factor in organizations to remain agile and facts and utilize skills and capabilities
flexible. A key to realizing the full potential to create a sophisticated data structure
of employees is to accurately track their and enhance the efficiency of learning
current capabilities and skills and to match activities.
them with anticipated skills that are needed
to perform their job in the future. • For C-Suite: Enabling a skills-based
structure enhances learning as an
By establishing a standardized skills archi- accurate strategic instrument. Aligned
tecture within an organization, the capa- with the cooperate strategy, strategic
bilities, knowledge and skills of employees workforce planning and current skills-
become transparent, feasible and thus demands, it facilitates the organizational
manageable. With detailed insights into development internally and mitigates
skills structures, companies are enabled risks of skill gaps. Thereby, it becomes
to accurately plan the estimated demand an essential top management tool.
of certain skills within their strategic
workforce planning and easily identify
potential (future) skill gaps which can again Use Case at a Major German auto- LXP utilizes AI to create individual
be translated into specific learning goals. motive manufacturer learning journeys based on users’
Individual skills profiles form the basis of Having identified the need to re-think skills-profiles and automatically
this framework. They allow matching broad workforce management and devel- updates internal skills-taxonomies
organizational learning objectives as well as opment, our client decided to tackle by benchmarking external sources. It
skills demand of an organization on the one organizational learning differently in thus provides a state-of-the-art skills
hand with unique backgrounds, current cooperation with Deloitte. Skills are architecture. As a result, employees
skills, career aspirations and interests of utilized as a central element to shape of the client experience personalized
individual employees on the other hand. A a user-centric learning experience. learning activities that are centered
skills-based learning approach can facilitate To facilitate skills-based learning, a on their individual skills and back-
a highly personalized learning experience central part of the strategic realign- ground in line with the corporate
and targeted employee learning. ment was the integration of a learn- strategic ambitions. That significantly
ing experience platform (LXP). This increases overall learning efficiency.
• For Learners: All learning activities (e.g.
trainings, courses, certifications, etc.)
become part of a highly personalized and
adaptable learning journey. That expe-
rience is composed of relevant learning
content based on the organizational
needs and on the individual background
of each employee.

18
Short on skills? | Rethink your Learning Approach

19
Leverage your data • For C-Suite: The generated transparency
A key to successful organizational learning about organizational capabilities allows
is to create, gather and analyze data that data-driven decision making to be utilized
provides detailed insights about learning in strategic business decisions. To realize
behavior of employees. In combination that potential, the top management has
with a company’s skills-architecture and a to commit to skills-literacy and foster the
skills-based learning approach, this data can integration of a skills-based ecosystem to
be used to better adapt learning activities generate, gather and analyze workforce
to the company’s skills-demands. It can be a data.
powerful tool to enable intelligent learning.
In combination with an AI-­based learning
ecosystem, that data can be utilized to Use Case at an Austrian company own development and which skills
create personalized learning journeys. in the public service sector they are interested in. At the same
Adapting those learning journeys to market By implementing and establishing a time, they can also assign specific
dynamics and organizational demands, Learning Experience Platform, our cli- learning resources to their direct
the underlying AI can benchmark internal ent managed to make their company- reports. As a result, leaders can eas-
data against external skills-information (e.g. wide and complex onboarding pro- ily track progress of the onboarding
job-postings, market trend studies, etc.), cess more efficient, transparent and of new employees, where support
identifying potential skills-­demands and standardized. By using the available might still be needed, but also what
developments. As a result, AI guarantees manager dashboards within the skills employees have in addition to
state-of-the-art learning within an orga- software, leaders can now track pro- the standard onboarding. In short, it
nization. Embracing skills-data in line with gress concerning different measures. provides an optimal overview of the
skills-centered learning, organizations cre- Namely, they can monitor how much skills available in the workforce with
ate ecosystems that centralize skills-data time their direct reports have already only one click.
and provide numerous advantages. They dedicated to onboarding and their
enable organizations to sense potential
skills demands, track and assess organiza-
tional skills available within the company’s
workforce, identify skill gaps and adapt
learning portfolios to development needs.

• For Learners: Skills-data is created

through every learner interaction in the
learning process. It can be utilized to auto-
matically curate and adapt learning jour-
neys based on the individual employee’s
profile, skills, assignments and learning
behavior. Thereby, it creates a highly per-
sonalized learning experience tailored to
the individual background.

• For HR: Skills-data provides detailed

insights into the current skills-structure
within the company. That allows a trans-
parent assessment of potential skill gaps
and a kick-off of related countermea-
sures. HR can then design much more
targeted and effective activities for lear-
ning and training. As a result, workforce
development evolves from a best-guess-
practice to a powerful and precise HRD
instrument.

20
 Short on skills? | Rethink your Learning Approach

Level Up your Learning Culture • For Learners: In most professional Use Case at a major telecommuni-
A lot has changed within the last years of fields, learners will not escape from integ- cation IT company
exceptional circumstances, shaping how rating learning into the flow of work to be Facing a variety of significant chal-
we live, work, lead, collaborate and also prepared for volatile environments. This lenges, the company’s management
how we learn – and some of these changes does not only mean that in the future board decided to execute an agile
are here to stay. We have learnt that skills- explanatory videos and easily accessible transformation, significantly pushing
based learning in the flow of work, new learning nuggets might displace some internal re- & up-skilling to reshape
technologies and the use of data shape in-class trainings. It also comes with a the organization. Embracing a cul-
the future of learning. But are individuals, necessary change of behavior and mind- ture of learning, employees were
teams and organizations ready for it? Is the set – proactive behavior and individual encouraged to join academies and to
learning culture in organizations targeted initiative for one’s individual development prepare themselves for entirely new
on what the workforce actually needs, might still feel unfamiliar to some, but it job roles. Following the introduction
using the human power to adapt and will be impossible to avoid. of the agile concept, the transforma-
acquire new skills? Do the keywords agile, tion included bottom-up input, ena-
continuous, life-long, social and collabora- • For HR: To convey and accompany a bling employees to actively engage
tive accurately describe this culture? transformation towards new learning in shaping the new organizational
cultures, HR must take a leading role framework. By making employees
All transformation, including the shift in empowering employees to learn. HR an integral part of the agile trans-
towards a state-of-the-art learning cul- must act as a partner of the business formation and creating a culture of
ture, is ultimately about changing human and highlight the strategic importance of learning, the company was able to
behavior in order to close the gap between new ways of learning for the businesses’ increase employee satisfaction and
intention and action. A deep understanding success – costs of learning and develop- fill major skill gaps, which led to sig-
how learning takes place includes several ment must be seen as an investment, not nificantly better performance results.
facets, such as understanding how under- as an expense. Further, HR should act as
lying beliefs shape the way we learn, being a change agent who really understands Talking about future trends and
aware of what incentivizes learning behav- learning on an individual, team and orga- technology, one can’t miss the term
ior and how relationships, stories and tools nizational level to spread this learning cul- Metaverse. Being hyped as the new
can influence and drive learning. The estab- ture within a company, identifying drivers, game-changer along web 3.0, its
lished learning culture must be based on enablers as well as barriers that foster or blockchain-framework and NFTs
a set of shared values, goals and practices prevent the desired learning culture. (Non-fungible tokens), it seems to
and be in accordance with the environ- offer unlimited digital potential for
ment, industry and area of operation of an • For C-Suite: The top management customers, businesses and their
organization. Adapted to the specific envi- must set the tone and lead by example employees. But what exactly is it and
ronment and circumstances, a healthy learn- to visibly reinforce the (learning) culture what are the benefits for organiza-
ing environment should be characterized by of an organization. C-Suite shapes the tions?
openness, agility, as well as learner-centricity company culture with their (un)consci-
and should also incorporate a certain cul- ous actions and should therefore show
ture of failure, where employees can learn self-awareness to understand cultural
through experimentation and from unsuc- dynamics and how to actively influence
cessful endeavors. those. Make Learning & Development a
priority and align it with the company’s
strategy as well as the teams to foster
resilience and innovation.

21
22
 Short on skills? | Rethink your Learning Approach

Deep Dive Metaverse Realizing the potential of this devel-

The Metaverse is a simulated net- opment, key-players like Microsoft,
work of 3D virtual environments Nvidia, Amazon and Facebook (which
based on Virtual and Augmented on 29th Oct 2021 rebranded itself
Reality technology. In its digital to Meta, becoming the company’s
worlds, multiple users are able to new strategic focus) are fighting
interact with each other, enabling for developing and dominating
a completely new level of virtual metaverse solutions, thus shaping
communication and collaboration. a very dynamic market. Being esti-
In academics, the Metaverse is mated with an actual market volume
described as “(…) an interconnected of $38.85 billion USD, the market is
web of social networked immersive expected to grow tremendously to
environments in persistent multiuser $678.8 billion USD worldwide in 2030,
platforms (…)” that enable “(…) seam- becoming a serious business oppor-
less embodied user communication tunity.37
in real-time and dynamic interactions
with digital artifacts.” 36 How could the Metaverse impact
organizational learning? Fostering
So, what exactly are potential use collaboration within the workplace,
cases? At first, the Metaverse enables the Metaverse is enabling a new
a completely new level of gaming level of digital learning by creating
experience on both, perceptual and an immersive surrounding. In the
social level. From a consumer’s per- Metaverse, learners can join simu-
spective, it is the next step of shop- lated virtual classrooms and interact
ping online. Customers are able to with peers, including all benefits of
walk into digital stores and interact digital learning and real-time-inter-
with virtual items (e.g. trying on a action. In those remote settings, the
digital pair of jeans). Next to private participants experience a high-level
use cases, it has also deep impacts of immersion that’s close to being
on the way we work and communi- in a physical classroom. With hybrid
cate within the workplace. Virtual and remote working on the advance,
collaboration is brought to a new the Metaverse could become a real
level, enabling new kinds of commu- alternative to physical classrooms
nication within an immersive digital within the next five to seven years.
environment.

23
Endnotes
01. L&D Programs critical to organizational transformation; Harvard Business Publishing, 2020
02. The skills-based organization: A new operating model for work and the workforce; Deloitte Insights, 2022
03. Deloitte Human Capital Trends 2021
04. Making Learning a Part of Everyday Work; Harvard Business Publishing, 2019
05. Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends, p. 50, 2020
06. Informal learning can focus on the methods, not the madness; Deloitte Insights2ActionTM, 2021
07. Accelerate learning by placing tools and info in the flow of work; Deloitte Insights2ActionTM, 2022
08. The skills-based organization: A new operating model for work and the workforce; Deloitte Insights, 2022
09. Informal learning can focus on the methods, not the madness; Deloitte Insights2ActionTM, 2021
10. Where Companies Go Wrong with Learning and Development; Harvard Business Publishing, 2019
11. Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends, p. 77, 2020
12. LinkedIn Learning Workplace Learning Report 2020
13. Top 6 Learning Technology Trends for 2022, edcast 2022
14. Informal learning can focus on the methods, not the madness; Deloitte Insights2ActionTM, 2022
15. Seek hidden potential by boosting play and creativity; Deloitte Insights2ActionTM, 2022
16. Elevating the Workforce Experience: The Growth Relationship; Deloitte, 2021
17. LinkedIn Learning Workplace Learning Report 2020
18. The skills-based organization: A new operating model for work and the workforce; Deloitte Insights, 2022
19. 2019 Global Human Capital Trends: leading the social enterprise – Reinvent with a human focus, Deloitte 2019
20. High-Impact HR Operating Model: in Brief, Deloitte consulting/Jeff Mike and Denise Moulton, 2019
21. Learning Organization Maturity Model: Progression of Capabilities, Deloitte consulting LLP, 2019
22. The skills-based organization: A new operating model for work and the workforce; Deloitte Insights, 2022
23. High Impact Learning Organization: An Introduction Deloitte Consulting, Dani Johnson, 2019
24. Learning in the Flow of Life, Deloitte, Erica Volini, et al., April 11, 2019
25. Three Steps to Building a Learning Culture That Delivers Innovation, MIT Sloan Management Review, October 2021
26. Augmenting worker Performance, Deloitte Consulting/Julie Hiipakka, 2019
27. The future of workplace – Redefine, Reimagine, Revolutionize, Deloitte digital Australia, (2019)
28. Learning Technology landscape, the Wild, Wild West, Rethread Research (2018)
29. Josh Bersin (2020), “Learning Technology Evolves: Integrated Platforms Are Arriving”
30. The Practices that set learning organizations apart; David G. Collings, John Mc Mackin; MIT Sloan Management Review,
Cambridge Vol.62, Iss.4 (07.04.2021)
31. Rahim Mogha, MIT SMR Connections, March 08 2021, MIT Sloan Management Review
32. 2019 future of learning & development: Upskilling, reskilling | Deloitte Insights
33. Learning and development trends for 2022 and beyond, Gyzel Pialot, StratX ExL
34. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/three-steps-to-building-a-learning-culture-that-delivers-innovation/
35. The Elevated Talent and Culture Agenda in the Boardroom; Deloitte Insights, 2022
36. Mystakidis, Stylianos. "Metaverse." Encyclopedia 2.1 (2022): 486–497.
37. Grand View Research. (March 1, 2022). Metaverse market revenue worldwide from 2021 to 2030

24
 Short on skills? | Rethink your Learning Approach

Learn more
The skills-based organization: A new operating model for work and the workforce;
Deloitte Insights, 2022; Retrieved from Skills-based organizations | Deloitte Insights

The Elevated Talent and Culture Agenda in the Boardroom; Deloitte Insights, 2022;
Retrieved from gx-the-elevated-talent-and-culture-agenda-in-the-boadroom.pdf
(deloitte.com)

Deloitte Human Capital Trends 2021; Deloitte Insights, 2021;

Retrieved from 2021 Global Human Capital Trends | Deloitte Insights

Informal learning can focus on the methods, not the madness; Deloitte Insights2ActionTM,
2021; Retrieved from Informal learning can focus on the methods, not the madness
(deloitte.com)

Accelerate learning by placing tools and info in the flow of work; Deloitte Insights2ActionTM,
2022; Retrieved from Accelerate learning by placing tools and info in the flow of work
(deloitte.com)

Seek hidden potential by boosting play and creativity; Deloitte Insights2ActionTM, 2022;
Retrieved from Seek hidden potential by boosting play and creativity
(deloitte.com)

25
Contact us

Maren Hauptmann Julian Mauhart

Partner Partner
Portfolio Lead Human Capital Organization Transformation Lead
Tel: +49 89 29036 7919 Tel: +43 66 48053 72620
[email protected] [email protected]

Authors

Christoph Hieber Anna Hundstorfer

Director Director
Human Capital Learning Lead Senior Advisor Learning & Culture
Tel: +49 89 29036 6852 Tel: +43 66 48053 72614
[email protected] [email protected]

Co-authors
Belinda Spoerk Greta Liesenklas
Senior Consultant Consultant
Tel: +43 66 48053 72633 Tel: +49 40 32080 4613
[email protected] [email protected]

26
Short on skills? | Rethink your Learning Approach

27
Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (“DTTL”), its global network
of member firms, and their related entities (collectively, the “Deloitte organization”). DTTL (also
referred to as “Deloitte Global”) and each of its member firms and related entities are legally
separate and independent entities, which cannot obligate or bind each other in respect of third
parties. DTTL and each DTTL member firm and related entity is liable only for its own acts and
omissions, and not those of each other. DTTL does not provide services to clients. Please see
www.deloitte.com/de/UeberUns to learn more.

Deloitte provides industry-leading audit and assurance, tax and legal, consulting, financial advisory,
and risk advisory services to nearly 90% of the Fortune Global 500® and thousands of private
companies. Legal advisory services in Germany are provided by Deloitte Legal. Our professionals
deliver measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in capital markets, enable
clients to transform and thrive, and lead the way toward a stronger economy, a more equitable
society and a sustainable world. Building on its 175-plus year history, Deloitte spans more than 150
countries and territories. Learn how Deloitte’s approximately 415,000 people worldwide make an
impact that matters​at www.deloitte.com/de​.

This communication contains general information only, and none of Deloitte GmbH
Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft or Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (“DTTL”), its global network
of member firms or their related entities (collectively, the “Deloitte organization”) is, by means of
this communication, rendering professional advice or services. Before making any decision or
taking any action that may affect your finances or your business, you should consult a qualified
professional adviser.

No representations, warranties or undertakings (express or implied) are given as to the

accuracy or completeness of the information in this communication, and none of DTTL, its
member firms, related entities, employees or agents shall be liable or responsible for any loss or
damage whatsoever arising directly or indirectly in connection with any person relying on this
communication. DTTL and each of its member firms, and their related entities, are legally separate
and independent entities.

Issue 02/2023