Nearly half of the 1,200 employees surveyed by TalentLMS said they believe artificial intelligence is advancing faster than their company’s ability to train them, according to the company’s report released Jan. 14.
More than half surveyed reported a “clear lack of guidelines” on AI tool usage, and 63% said their current training programs “could be significantly improved,” with Generation Z being the least satisfied group.
Part of that improvement may include hastening the speed at which training can be delivered, the report said; 69% of employees surveyed said they think a faster delivery of programs is important.
Notably, the way workers engage with learning may also contribute to continued challenges in delivering L&D. TalentLMS flagged 58% of employees saying they multitask during training as a big engagement issue — particularly the younger generations. Additionally, 1 in 3 respondents said they “quickly forget training content after a session concludes.”
EY recently made headlines when it was revealed the company fired dozens of U.S. employees, largely certified public accountants with typically heavy workloads, for multitasking while training. The company considered the move — including watching two courses at a time — an “ethical breach,” prompting the firings.
Multitasking during training is far from uncommon, other reports — including one from TalentLMS in 2023 — indicate. But it may not be a problem L&D professionals need to solve, one expert said in that report, as “human things” happen while people learn, the expert added.
Another issue that may get in the way of upskilling generally: employee ability to actually use L&D programs that are offered.
A July 2024 report from D2L, a learning technology company, said that while both employers and employees agree that continuous upskilling is necessary, it isn’t the norm for most workers in part due to lack of time, money and motivation.