Today, the media compares the 2020s to the 1970s. Some say the only difference is that the music was better in the past while technology is much better in 2022. Some people will tell you they loved the 80s and 90s but didn’t like the 70s as much. That should come as no surprise, since the 70s had the worst press of all the post-war decades.
Although each decade is unique — and we can’t say that life today is the same as it was 50 years ago — it’s impossible to deny that the world encountered multiple new challenges for our generations after 2020 started. Many of those difficulties have made our daily lives heavier and have made us more cautious about the future.
Though we were hopeful at the start of 2022 with the appearance the pandemic was slowly lifting, this year was just as pivotal as the previous two, bringing more disruption and life-changing events. February ended with Russia invading Ukraine, May started with the monkeypox outbreak and September shocked us with the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Some events cause more lasting troubles than others, with the Russia-Ukraine war sliding many countries into recession. The cost of living has sharply increased, the mortgage industry has taken a nose-dive and companies have become more uncertain about their investments and recruitment.
Besides impacting people, businesses and trends, these disruptive events also serve as evidence that changes are inevitable. Change seems to be the one constant we can always depend on. And the only thing we can do is prepare and use our experience through change to learn, grow and future-prepare.
Here are the lessons we can draw from the year we’re about to leave behind.
Top 4 future-forward lessons from 2022
1. The world changes rapidly — prepare for it
Things are constantly evolving, and everything around us changes quickly, including the workforce, business world and technologies. For most people, that amount of change is terrifying. But the world won’t stop transforming just because we’re not ready to embrace it. The only alternative is to nurture our resilience and help people around us do the same.
We must keep our minds open and prepare for what’s coming. Although that’s easier said than done, it’s essential to respond to disruption proactively and be capable of diving into the chaos.
Help your employees embrace that attitude and be more agile. Foster a company culture that celebrates transformations and never stays behind. Encourage programs like Future Literacy to help talent be future-ready and future-prepared.
2. Anticipate trends, events and the skills you’ll need in the future
No one has a crystal ball, and it’s impossible to make certain projections. But we must maintain a future-oriented approach and focus on the skills and knowledge we’ll need in the years to come.
According to PWC, most leaders highlight these three most significant workforce challenges:
- Identifying the risks of replacing human work with tech.
- Identifying the skills workers will need in the future due to technology.
- Communicating clearly about the effect of automation and AI on future skills needs.
Because of that, they use dynamic planning and intertwine it with responsiveness, allowing companies to revisit strategies and reallocate their efforts and investments. However, PWC’s survey found that only 26 percent of respondents can identify the skills the company will need in the future due to technological change.
3. Continuously adopt new capabilities and expand your knowledge
Business and HR leaders must nurture life-long learning and lead by example. Adopt new skills and expand your existing capabilities and knowledge whenever an opportunity arises.
Actively seek new chances to learn and grow. Keep in touch with current trends and technologies and assess what abilities could help you navigate the future better. Encourage your employees to do the same and inspire them to be endlessly curious and passionate about learning.
4. Use tech to your advantage
Technology can be your best support if you use it to your advantage. Analyze how to use it to better your business operations, L&D programs, and employee experience. Leverage its rich features and possibilities to enable better training and make the learning content more accessible and relevant. Be curious about the latest innovation and seek ways to implement it and make the most of it.
How to use 2022 future-forward lessons to enhance L&D?
The following lessons will help you improve your L&D and establish a future-ready workforce.
Assess current events and trends to predict what skills and knowledge people will need in the coming years
We must use our existing knowledge and experiences and assess current events and technologies to anticipate future trends and skills.
The best way to create a sustainable and effective L&D program and training is to evaluate how technology and today’s glaring global problems are reshaping the labor market and the abilities we’ll need in the coming years.
Employees will need the skills that will help them solve today’s issues and work efficiently in the world we’re building now. Stay on top of the Future of Work trends and innovation by leveraging data published by accredited research institutions such as the World Economic Forum, McKinsey Global Institute and Forrester.
It is our responsibility as L&D practitioners to be consuming research data and trend analysis to help our organizations prepare for tomorrow. Share that knowledge with your staff to raise their awareness of what they need to succeed.
Implement mechanisms that allow you to respond to changes and challenges quickly
Although you should assess the skills your workforce will need in the future, it’s impossible to have a clear answer. Therefore, you can’t have strict and inflexible strategies and programs.
Instead, you need mechanisms which will allow you to respond to last-minute changes and unexpected events. These would ensure you’re not stuck with one solution and ineffective processes.
That requires flexibility and a team that can brainstorm under pressure and in challenging times. Moreover, focusing on developing enduring skills first and only after prioritizing the necessary ones is a more efficient approach for the future-ready workforce.
Merge your L&D strategy with the growth mindset
Your L&D strategy should support and drive business objectives, but it’s equally essential it addresses employees’ learning needs and helps them commit to lifelong learning. Because of that, it should blend with the growth mindset and encourage people to learn even outside work.
Reward your employees’ efforts and accomplishments and raise awareness about the importance of continuously expanding knowledge.
Opportunities to adopt new skills and grow continuously arise, and you should teach your employees how to recognize them. They should understand how participating in L&D programs benefits them and why it’s vital that they don’t limit themselves to workplace learning.
Instead, employees should always seek out productive activities and chances to learn something new. That’s how they ingrain the growth mindset into their identity and become more prepared for the future.
Develop L&D programs based on the skills and capabilities people will need in the future
Your L&D programs should be in line with the future of work and the high-demand skills and capabilities it will require of your workforce. Ensure that employees are learning content that will make their lives easier and careers more successful.
Thus, relevant and up-to-date learning material is more appealing and significantly impacts their everyday activities. Start by diving deeper into the abilities and knowledge your employees will need in the future to perform their jobs well and stay competitive.
Reinforce your L&D with the latest tech
Use technology to increase the flexibility and accessibility of your L&D programs organizationwide. Today, most employees expect an opportunity to access the learning content from anywhere and join training from remote locations.
Flexible opportunities will be increasingly important in the future and will ensure people can join the program from their homes and any place that works for them at a given moment. Thanks to that, they will be more motivated to learn and appreciate your willingness to accommodate different needs and learning styles.
Additionally, predictive analytics available through learning technology platforms can speed up your ability to gain insights into the core and specialized skills across your organization to invest more purposefully in your skills development time and resources while growing your people and organization more effectively.
Assess your L&D programs regularly and address the newest changes
Since the world and technology continuously change, your L&D programs must be adaptable and follow an accelerated pace. Avoid waiting for your employee training to become outdated and ineffective and nurture a proactive approach.
Monitor tech changes, global events and industry trends. Stay ahead of transformations and be ready to keep up with them or add your spin to L&D innovation.
That requires you to consistently assess your training programs and identify their strengths, weaknesses and future potential. Determine what you can improve and how to provide employees with better and future-oriented content.
Although change feels like it’s happening faster than ever, and 2022 has been alarmingly disruptive, we can leverage our global collective experiences as learning tools. Use the change to empower your employees and prepare them for what’s inevitable — the future. Foster their resilience, agility and curiosity through relevant and effective training, and encourage a growth mindset. Help them understand the importance of anticipatory planning through programs such as future literacy.
The future of learning doesn’t just happen — we create it. By cultivating a proactive company culture of learning and helping our talent cultivate the mindset of lifelong learners, we are providing the support mechanism to prepare talent to be future-prepared and future-ready.
