Top 5 Learning & Development Trends You Must Know for 2023

The year 2022 was a remarkable one for technology, with numerous inventions advancing and finding applications throughout industries. We saw Chatbots powered by AI that were more advanced than before and capable of writing a whole piece of software in seconds! But keeping up with learning trends can be difficult, especially for businesses evaluating their technology stacks to determine their continued relevance in the coming years.

We develop a list of the top trends to watch out for each year in order to assist such businesses in staying abreast of learning trends. And as we go more into the trends for the upcoming year, it’s crucial to notice that many of them will continue into 2023, which means they have delivered exceptional results over the past year and are evolving with time to revolutionize learning at their core.

Top 5 Learning & Development trends to watch for in 2023

The Great Resignation, upskilling as a top trend, and increasing skills gap are some of the key factors that effectively drive the learning trends.

Immersive Learning

Immersive learning is one of 2023’s major trends, and L&D is no exception. With Metaverse making headlines last year, organizations are keeping an eye on its expansion and adoption in order to be among the first to capitalize on the new possibility of virtual learning. The manufacturing and healthcare industries are anticipated to prioritize immersive learning in the coming years. In fact, the North American Healthcare AR and VR industry is projected to dramatically increase from $477mn in 2018 to $4.64bn in 2025!

Suggested read: How AR/VR is Aiding Employees in the New Normal

Data-Driven Personalization 

In the wake of continuing digital transformation initiatives, the past couple of years has made it abundantly clear that “being data-driven” is a strategic objective for many businesses. This focus works hand in hand with data-driven personalization, and the L&D industry is projected to maintain this trend in 2023. In the past several months, the number of upskilling programs to retain top talent has increased dramatically. Personalization enables such businesses to provide learners with hyper-personalized content based on their interests and objectives. In addition, the use of AI-powered Chatbots can facilitate this process and maintain an open line of contact with the learners.

Social Learning

In a world where teamwork and collaboration have become synonymous with productivity, businesses are increasingly using social learning strategies in their L&D programs. Peer pressure can be an effective motivator for building competencies!

A second feature of social learning witnessed during the past year was encouraging learners to share their learning experiences via text-based posts or videos. As hybrid learning became mainstream, the demand for learners to share their learning experiences became common. Organizations view this trend as an opportunity to help learners in discovering more opportunities, learn from other learners, and form relationships with their peers.

Gamification

Gamification has been a major trend in the L&D industry for several years, and it will certainly remain a focus in the years to come. With learner experience remaining central to L&D programs, gamification combined with immersive technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) is anticipated to skyrocket in the coming years. In addition, gamification is anticipated to find new uses in recruitment and training programs, owing to the market shift toward an employee-first mindset.

In the wake of upskilling and The Great Resignation, microlearning or nano learning has become crucial for businesses to offer bite-sized learning nuggets to increase course completion rates. Many businesses are eager to engage in “gamified microlearning strategies” to boost their learning outcomes and make their learning content more engaging and effective.

Soft skills training

Talent retention has been a top priority for organizations looking to stay resilient in the pandemic years, and creating a future-ready workforce was the best way forward. But a future-ready workforce is one that is equally equipped with soft skills. The year 2023 will experience organizations making a radical change in their L&D content strategies to enable their workforce to develop key soft skills, including critical thinking, problem-solving, emotional intelligence, collaboration, and more.

Also read: Modernizing your eLearning Courses for the Digital Age

Conclusion

With the world becoming more technology-driven, organizations are increasingly doubling down on their tech investments to create a workforce that drives the success of their organization as a whole. Organizations must keep up with the changing demands and tech innovations to keep themselves updated and relevant in a hyper-competitive world.

If you’re looking to leverage technology solutions to transform your learning initiatives, see how Adeptus Tech can help you with your goals. Talk to our experts today to learn more.

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