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RESEARCH
RESEARCH
R C H
ES E A
R
RESE
ARCH
10
THE LPI RESEARCH COMPANION
Guiding you through the maze of L&D research
The LPI Research Companion
Issue No. 10 - September 2018THE LPI RESEARCH
COMPANION
Research, research, research!
There are so many organisations issuing research into L&D trends and
topics that it can be hard to keep up.
Where do you start? Which reports have the data you’re looking for?
This is where the LPI Research Companion can help, by cutting through
the noise and giving you the most relevant highlights and action points
from the very best research the L&D industry has to offer.
In this issue we look at the following reports, published recently:
2018 Workplace Learning Report - LinkedIn
Trends in Learning Report 2018 - The Open University
The Communications Market 2018 - OFCOM
Understanding digital mastery - Capgemini
D2L Research Reveals Three Ways HR Directors Can Maximise Workplace Learning - D2L
As a learning professional, if something catches your eye we would
encourage you to explore these reports more fully.
So let’s delve in...
The LPI Research Companion
Issue No. 10 - September 20182018 WORKPLACE LEARNING REPORT
Linkedin
About the research
LinkedIn Learning’s 2018 Workplace Learning Report asked nearly 4,000 workplace
professionals from North America, Europe and Asia about ‘the rise and responsibility of
talent development in the new labour market’.
A large chunk of the survey respondents (1,200) are what the report authors call ‘talent
developers’, otherwise known as L&D professionals. The rest of the respondents are either
employees, executives or people managers.
Key findings
This is a big report which provides a range of insights into L&D and talent development
from a number of different perspectives. These different perspectives are useful for
comparing what L&D says versus what the business says.
Take for example the most important areas of focus for L&D. They are:
• Training for soft skills
• Delivering consistent global training
• Delivering insights on internal skill gaps
• Tracking skill development
• Accessing skill competencies
• Identifying industry trends to prevent future skills gaps
Interestingly, identifying industry trends to prevent future skills gaps was sixth on the
list of priorities for L&D but second on the list of priorities for executives. Preparing the
workforce for the future is top of mind for business leaders but not for L&D.
(contd.)
The LPI Research Companion
Issue No. 10 - September 2018When it comes to the types of learning resources used to train employees, face to face
still rules, with 85% using in-house instructor-led classes. That’s a seven percent increase
on the previous year. This is followed by in-house elearning (71%), external elearning
(67%), conferences (59%) and external instructor-led classes (59%). Despite the tech hype,
employers are continuing to stick with face to face learning. When it comes to online
learning, the three biggest trends are micro learning (49%), just in time learning (46%) and
employee experience with engaging content (46%).
Spend on online learning increases in line with the growth of a company. For companies
with between 200 and 1,000 employees, 37% of learning budget is spent on online
learning. That rises to 50% in companies with 10,000 or more employees.
Learning evaluation, like learning delivery, shows little change in approach. Two of the top
three evaluation methods have been in use for many years. The top method is qualitative
employee surveys (44%), followed by satisfaction of attendees at instructor-led classes
(43%) and online learning completed (33%). The number of attendees is still used by 28%
of organisations.
That said, L&D professionals have a clear view of how they would like to measure the
success of their programmes. Asked what would demonstrate the success of a learning
programme, 73% said an increase in performance metrics, 71% said retention and 65%
said qualitative behaviour change. The data suggest that L&D knows what it needs to do.
Now this aspiration has to turn into action.
The research also looks at the challenges facing L&D. The top challenge is getting
employees to make time for learning (44%), followed by getting managers involved (41%)
and limited budget (32%). Interestingly, 56% of employees say they would spend time
learning if their manager told them to complete a specific course to improve on or gain a
new skill. The top two challenges for L&D professionals are inextricably linked.
What to act on
It’s a familiar theme in corporate learning - that managers need to take more of an active
role in supporting and developing their teams. This research shows this clearly. What’s
more, 94% of employees would stay at a company longer if it invested in their career
development.
(contd.)
The LPI Research Companion
Issue No. 10 - September 2018This would seem to be an area where L&D needs to have more impact. Employees crave
development opportunities but managers aren’t delivering. This is a priority area for L&D.
The research also shows that in areas such as evaluation, L&D knows what it has to do.
The challenge is to make it happen.
One final point. Executives were asked what would help their L&D team earn a seat at the
table. The answers provide a priority list for L&D. First, tie learning to business outcomes,
second, help the company overcome business challenges and third, help employees
improve job performance.
2018 WORKPLACE LEARNING REPORT
Linkedin
https://learning.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/learning/en-us/
pdfs/linkedin-learning-workplace-learning-report-2018.pdf
The LPI Research Companion
Issue No. 10 - September 2018TRENDS IN LEARNING REPORT 2018
The Open University
About the research
Each year the Open University’s Institute of Educational Technology investigates the latest
innovations in teaching, learning and assessment that are shaping education now and into
the future. The Trends in Learning report analyses the implications of those innovations
on workplace L&D. This year, the report looks at five trends: spaced learning, post-truth
learning, immersive learning, learner-led analytics and humanistic knowledge building
communities.
Key findings
This report includes trends that will sound familiar to most readers. L&D professionals
will be aware of spaced learning, immersive learning and learning analytics. There are
also a couple that will be far less familiar and they are post-truth learning and humanistic
knowledge building communities.
We’ll look at the less well-known trends. The report shines a light on learning in a
world of fake news and filter bubbles. In particular, it introduces the idea of epistemic
cognition which is knowledge about knowledge. Understanding objectivity, subjectivity,
rationality and truth is more important than ever in our fake news world. To counter this,
L&D can encourage learners to think about scenarios that involve conflicting acounts.
Questioning information and their decison making process can help build awareness of
the assumptions people make when making decisions.
Reflective practice is also an important technique for helping to cut through information.
This involves employees thinking about what they are doing, why and the implications
for them and other people. Reflective practice can help employees consider new ways of
thinking and doing things.
Linked to post-truth learning is the concept of humanistic knowledge building
communities. It’s a bit of a mouthful but unpick it and you begin to see the value.
Humanistic represents the person-centred approach to building communities and
knowledge represents the idea-centred approach. Combining both these elements can
enable learners to develop both their knowledge and themselves in transformational ways.
(contd.)
The LPI Research Companion
Issue No. 10 - September 2018Technology is the enabler here, helping to connect and engage employees and
organisations are using communities in a variety of different ways, from helping connect
remote workers to developing business ideas. The report urges L&D professionals to
explore communities as a way of sharing successes. Why? Because success breeds
success.
Finally, the report makes some useful points on learner-led analytics, the data generated
by learners that helps them learn. This is still in its infancy, which means it is an
opportunity for employers to really understand what type of data the organisation needs
to help identify knowledge and skills gaps and what type of data is required to help
learners develop themselves along their chosen career path/job role.
The report recommends exploring the tools that are available that will provide the data
and insights you need. And be prepared to put learning in the hands of your learners. This
is data that helps them as much as it does the organisation.
What to act on
For each of the trends in this report, The Open University has interviewed an L&D
practitioner to help provide some practical advice and thinking. There are aslo plenty of
tips peppered throughout the report.
What stands out in this report is the focus on post-truth learning. This is a topic that
is not discussed widely in L&D circles and yet it goes to the heart of knowledge and
understanding in a world where information is increasingly mediated by and through
algorithms.
The decisions we make at work are based on the information available to us and how
we use it. And yet, organisations spend little, if any, time helping employees with skills to
sift and challenge the information that they are consuming. This is an increasingly acute
problem as employees look outside of the corporate firewall for information that helps
them do their jobs. Clearly there is a role for L&D to help colleagues with gathering and
processing information so that they make better decisions. Reflective practice has an
important role to play here.
TRENDS IN LEARNING REPORT 2018
The Open University
http://www.open.ac.uk/business/apprenticeships/blog/
trends-learning-report-2018
The LPI Research Companion
Issue No. 10 - September 2018THE COMMUNICATIONS MARKET 2018
OFCOM
About the research
Ofcom, the UK’s media regulator, has produced its annual report into how adults use
communication technologies. This report draws on surevy data from thousands of Britons
via a number of Ofcom studies including the Ofcom’s Technology Tracker, Residential
Postal Tracker, SME Postal Tracker, Media Tracker, Adult Media literacy Tracker and Mobile
Research App.
Key findings
Data in this report provides L&D professionals with the evidence (if they didn’t already
need it) of what communication channels people use and how they use them. These are
the very same people who work for you so this data matters.
The standout finding is that Britons now spend a total of one day a week online (24
hours), which is twice as long as they did in 2011. Add to this the fact that 62% of that
time is spent on a smartphone, 13% on tablet and 25% on desktop and we see that mobile
devices are by far the most popular way of being online.
The report also shares some insights into how people are using their smartphones. For
example:
• Seven in ten commuters use their smartphone on their journey.
• The most popular smartphone activities for commuters are sending and receiving
messages (43%) and using social media (32%).
• Young adults are more likely to multi-task on their smartphones while they commute:
27% of 18-34s engage in at least five online activities while commuting, but only 9% of
over-35s do so.
• Most adults acknowledged the value of being connected, with three-quarters
agreeing that being online helps them maintain personal relationships. But they also
acknowledge its drawbacks, such as interrupting face-to-face communications with
others.
(contd.)
The LPI Research Companion
Issue No. 10 - September 2018This is all useful data for L&D teams. Your employees are on mobiles to get online. And
that’s not all that’s worth noting. The way content is being consumed is also changing.
For example, video is hugely popular for under 35s, who watch an average of 2 hours 39
minutes of non-broadcast content a day, including 59 minutes of YouTube, on PCs, phones
and tablets.
And audio, especially podcasts and streaming music, continues to increase in popularity.
Almost a quarter of adults (23%) listened to online music services such as Spotify in 2017,
and the the number of UK adults who listen to a podcast each week increased from 3.2
million (7% of adults) in 2013 to 5.9 million in 2018 (11% of adults) indicating that the
reach of podcasts has accelerated.
What to act on
It seems like an obvious thing to ask in light of these findings, but can your employees
access learning related information on their phones? If the answer is no, then you need to
do something about that as a matter of urgency. Mobile is how your audience gets online
so you need to be there with them.
And when it comes to content, are you providing video and audio options? If not, then this
data would suggest that to do so would be a very good idea. Increasingly, adults are happy
to access non-broadcast content – the content that all L&D teams create.
This research would also suggest that it might be worth exploring podcasting as a way
of delivering learning materials. As a content format it is versatile – you can listen while
doing the commute, for example.
THE COMMUNICATIONS MARKET 2018
OFCOM
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/
multi-sector-research/cmr/cmr-2018
The LPI Research Companion
Issue No. 10 - September 2018UNDERSTANDING DIGITAL MASTERY
Capgemini
About the research
Six years ago Capgemini published research with the MIT Center for Digital Business
that showed that high performing organisations, what they called digital masters,
outperformed their peers across every industry sector. In this piece of research, Capgemini
sets out to see how organisations have progressed on their digital journey.
They surveyed more than 1,300 executives in more than 750 global organisations and
interviewed senior executives responsible for digital transformation programs.
Key findings
The fact that Capgemini carried out similar research six years ago means that this report
provides some useful comparative insights. The bad news is that little progress is being
made.
For example, only 39% of organisations say they have the digital capabilities they
require. That’s the same as 2012. It’s worse for leadership capabilities, with only 35% of
organisations saying they have the leadership capabilities required, compared to 45% in
2012.
The data suggests that as expectations have risen but organisations have failed to keep
up with the pace of digital transformation. Fewer organisations say they are modifying
operational processes to adapt quickly to external changes (29% in 2018 versus 34% in
2012) and fewer are providing the digital tools employees need, with only 38% saying their
employees can collaborate digitally with other employees, compared to 70% in 2012. And,
just 33% of employers agree that digital technologies improve communication between
senior executives and employees versus 62% in 2012.
There is also a huge shortfall in leadership capability. Only 35% of organisations say they
have the right leadership capabilities across IT- business relationships, and only 34% have
the right leadership capabilities around engagement. Only 35% of organisations say their
leadership is adopting new behaviours required for digital transformation.
(contd.)
The LPI Research Companion
Issue No. 10 - September 2018Engagement around digital is a challenge. It does not appear that many organisations
are bringing their employees along with them on their digital transformation journeys and
creating the necessary culture to make that possible.
For example, today, fewer employers agree that there are possibilities for everyone in
the organisation to take part in the conversation around digital initiatives (36% in 2018
compared to 49% in 2012). And only around one third (36%) of organisations say both
senior executives and middle managers share a common vision of digital transformation.
Organisations are also failing to help employees develop the required digital skills. Only
39% of organisations say they actively recruit and hire new talent with strong digital skills
and 38% say they have a formal program for digitally reskilling employees. Collaboration
using digital technologies remains elusive, with 38% of employees collaborating digitally
with colleagues as needed and 35% actively sharing their knowledge through collaborative
digital platforms.
What to act on
This research shows that companies are finding digital transformation a challenge. L&D
has a critical role to play in getting the digital skills agenda up the business priority list as
only 44% of organisations say upskilling/reskilling of digital skills is a top priority, 40% say
their leadership actively promotes digital skills learning and development for employees
and 38% have a formal programme for digitally reselling employees.
As well as helping develop skills, L&D has a role to play in helping develop more of a digital
culture. Currently, only 35% of organisations promote the exploration of new ideas and
experimentation at all levels, 35% have leaders who adopt new behaviours required for
digital transformation and 34% encourage rapid and independent decision making.
UNDERSTANDING DIGITAL MASTERY
Capgemini
https://www.capgemini.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Digi-
tal-Mastery-DTI-report_20180704_web.pdf
The LPI Research Companion
Issue No. 10 - September 2018THREE WAYS HR DIRECTORS CAN MAXIMISE WORKPLACE
LEARNING TECHNOLOGY
D2L
About the research
Learning technology company D2L has produced research into the UK’s workplace
learning landscape, employees’ learning preferences, and the role of technology in the
learning experience. To do this, it carried out two surveys of 100 UK HR directors and
1,000 UK employees.
Key findings
This research is both heartening and disheratening for L&D professionals. First the
good news. And that is that 97% of organisations believe their employees’ learning and
development is important and 77% of employees believe workplace learning is important
to their continued professional development. In fact, learning is becoming a defining factor
for career development, with 37% of employees claiming a lack of training had negatively
impacted their career and 38% saying they consider the quality of employee training when
offered a job.
Now here are some of the worrying statistics. Despite the fact 78% of employees believe
it is important to use new technologies for learning, only 15% of HR directors agree. The
research shows that half of UK organisations are failing to use tools such as video for
employee coaching in their learning programmes, even though 68% of employees think
this is valuable.
And when it comes to mobile learning, 60% of employees believe their employer should
implement it but only 30% of organisations have done so. It is worth noting the previously
mentioned Ofcom report that shows adults spend 24 hours a week on their smartphones.
Overall, 55% of employees are satisfied with their company’s L&D programme.
Finally, there is stubborn minority of HR directors (20%) that say they do not measure the
success of their learning programme. No reasons are given as to why that might be...
(contd.)
The LPI Research Companion
Issue No. 10 - September 2018What to act on
Some of these insights will be familiar to L&D professionals. That employees and
employers view L&D as important is a good thing and probably not news. That L&D is seen
as increasingly important to personal development and makes prospective employers
more attractive is more eye-catching. Learning opportunities matter more and more to
employees.
And so does technology. Employees want to be able to acccess learning on mobile
devices and want to use other technologies to more easily access support. But employers
remain slow on the uptake. In 2018, it is shocking that only 30% of organisations offer
mobile learning.
This research shows that there is still much work to do to provide employees with the
means to access learning in ways that best suit them i.e. on mobiles.
Three Ways HR Directors Can Maximise
Workplace Learning Technology
https://www.d2l.com/en-eu/newsroom/releases/d2l-research-reveals-three-ways-
hr-directors-can-maximise-workplace-learning-technology/
The LPI Research Companion
Issue No. 10 - September 2018CONCLUSIONS
These reports cover a wide range of topics which makes it harder to
pull togther some common threads. However, there are some points
that are worth highlighting.
Firstly, learning and development opportunities are becoming
increasingly important to employees, both in terms of retention and
attracting new recruits. Within this, the technology needs to be able
to enable easy access to resources that can help people on their own
learning journey. Still we find managers getting in the way of this and
technologies that aren’t delivering.
Secondly, we know that mobile is a must-have for all learning teams.
When research shows that adults spend 24 hours a week online on
their smartphone, you know that’s what you have to be able to deliver.
And yet mobile learning as a topic seems to have slipped off the radar.
Why?
Thirdly, research shows that video is a popular medium and audio is
growing in popularity (through podcasts). These are useful pointers for
designing more engaging content and resources.
Build on what adults like to consume and use research reports such as
these to shape and challenge your thinking.
In a post-truth world it is incumbent on L&D as a profession to know
how to learn, to seek out and triangulate information so that what L&D
offers to the world is based on sound thinking and information.
The LPI Research Companion
Issue No. 10 - September 2018(C) The Learning & Performance Institute
Learning & Performance Institute
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Mercia Business Village, Torwood Close
Coventry CV4 8HX
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 2476 496210
http://www.thelpi.org
Produced in September 2018
This document is current as of the initial date of publication and
may be changed by Learning & Performance Institute (LPI) at any
time.
THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED “AS IS”
WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING
WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR
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NON-INFRINGEMENT.
The LPI Research Companion
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