Join us at ACE to see  keynote speaker Britt Andreatta live.

Think about how much the communication demands of tools like email and instant messaging have changed your workday in even just the last few years. In the business world, most of us have everything we need to work in our pockets, 24/7. Technology has likewise completely transformed all aspects of the talent industry, including learning. New tools have made learning faster, more effective, and affordable than ever. At the same time, new discoveries in neuroscience are changing how we see and measure success. But around the world organizations continue to deliver training using outdated models and methods—wasting significant time, energy, and money instead of developing talent. To close the gap it’s important to follow the latest trends in learning that will help your organization create strategic opportunities that develop your talent and anticipate challenges rather than responding late or not at all.

In these fast-moving times our understanding of learning could transform again at any moment but for now these three parallel evolutions are currently driving massive changes in talent development across industries:

1)      Learning Is No Longer Confined to a Classroom

Evolution has taught us that learning can happen anywhere, at any time. Organizations are discovering how learning can help them meet the needs of a diverse, mobile, and demanding workforce. Once, education just socialized people for work. It was the ticket to the middle class (not the crushing debt it represents today). Education then evolved into training, in which organizations taught professional skills, improved performance, and developed leaders. Now, with the influx of technology, learning is taking place through a variety of sources and devices. People are embracing digital tools to access content that helps them learn on the job and on the go, such as interactive video to demonstrate ideal customer interactions and realistic practice environments that give learners authentic assessment and coaching. Regular, ongoing, lifelong learning in any environment or time of life is the new norm.

2)       The Power Has Shifted to Employees

Today, organizations are thinking of employees as valuable talent rather than “human resources.” Originally, workers were just an asset that organizations could use as they wanted without much concern about replacing those that left. But the age of unions, workers’ rights, and employee satisfaction changed the conversation, laying the groundwork for the new workforce that demands engagement, inclusion, purpose, and wellness. Competition for workers has increased and sites like LinkedIn and Glassdoor have helped them become more informed and discerning. Organizations that design learning programs see an increase in employee engagement and retain their best people because they help ensure people feel they have what they need to thrive and grow.

3)      Neuroscience Changes Everything

In management we used to focus on management science, which was very transactional, relying on objectives (MBOs) or key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure effectiveness and success. Then we looked at management in terms of social science, such as emotional intelligence and transformational leadership. Now, medical technology has allowed researchers from a wide range of disciplines—neurology, biology, and psychology are just a few—to explore the inner workings of the human body in ways never seen before. It’s clear we are experiencing a renaissance of sorts, coming to know ourselves on an entirely new level. In neuroscience, research has shown how we are biologically wired to learn and adapt to change. It's the key to our survival and the path to fulfilling our capacity to become our best selves. The more we apply the principles of neuroscience when developing our learning programs, the more we work with our biology, rather than against it. And the more we understand how people think, feel, and act, the more we can help them reach their full potential in the workplace.

My work focuses on solving workplace challenges by synthesizing the latest neuroscience research into practical models and actionable takeaways that we can use today. My book Wired to Grow  looks at the simple, straightforward secrets of our own brain power to unlock our full potential. Wired to Resist is about how to harness the power of our brains to thrive through any change. And Wired to Connect  explores what creates and destroys peak-performing teams.

 

Join us at ACE to see  keynote speaker Britt Andreatta live.

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Britt Andreatta is a thought leader, author, and speaker on neuroscience and leadership. Learn more about her books and other work, including her new training solution the Change Quest Model™, at www.BrittAndreatta.com.