Introduction

Corporate learning is in the midst of a seismic shift. What used to be an isolated, compliance-driven function of corporate necessity is transforming into the essential hub for a successful talent strategy.

The necessity of learning is clear, thanks to ongoing talent shortages, perceived failures in primary and secondary education, and persistently uncertain economic conditions. Organizations see that they must actively manage gaps in hard and soft skills, enhance the readiness of their people for the future, and improve everyone’s performance.

1% Percentage of survey respondents who consider their learning technology fully integrated with other enterprise systems

They’ve got their work cut out for them, as a new generation in the workforce is literally changing the way the world works. Today’s Millennial employees expect learning opportunities in the workplace to be continuous and knowledge to be available on demand. They also expect learning to be interactive, collaborative, and engaging. And their tolerance for yesterday’s technology is low.

For learning professionals, these realities have created an extreme sense of anxiety. The stakes are higher than before. Employees expect more. Technology can be an enabler but also a roadblock. And at a time when learning must integrate with other HR and talent systems, just 1 percent of the professionals we surveyed consider their learning technology fully integrated with other enterprise systems.

To provide clarity for learning professionals today, Brandon Hall Group and The Starr Conspiracy Intelligence Unit surveyed more than 300 learning leaders globally in partnership with The Human Capital Institute from December 2013 through May 2014. We found that the learning profession as a whole is ready for the road ahead, even if they don’t have all the tools they need to enable success. Although we asked many questions, we believe these five are the most important to answer for you today:

At the end, we think you’ll draw the same conclusion that we have: Learning is becoming the center of the talent management universe. And you, the learning professional, are the key to unlocking your organization’s talent potential. With these key insights from your professional peers, you’ll be able to embrace today’s changes and prepare effectively for the future.