{"id":5350,"date":"2026-01-13T00:01:25","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T05:01:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vpslearning.com\/?p=5350"},"modified":"2026-01-13T00:03:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T05:03:11","slug":"learning-trends-for-2026-what-the-evidence-is-pointing-to","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vpslearning.com\/fr\/learning-trends-for-2026-what-the-evidence-is-pointing-to\/","title":{"rendered":"Learning Trends for 2026 – What the Evidence Is Pointing To"},"content":{"rendered":"

Learning Trends for 2026 – What the Evidence Is Pointing To<\/h1>\n

As we look ahead t 2026, the most useful signals for L&D leaders are not the loudest \u201cnext big thing\u201d headlines, but the consistent patterns showing up across reputable research and employer data.<\/p>\n

Several themes are repeating across thought leaders and evidence sources, including McKinsey\u2019s view of \u201creimagined development\u201d, the World Economic Forum\u2019s employer survey data on skills disruption, CIPD\u2019s focus on lifelong learning as a necessity, and Brandon Hall Group\u2019s research on AI adoption and skills investment.<\/p>\n

Below are the learning trends most likely to shape 2026, and what they mean in practice for organisations.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Skills become the organising principle for learning and workforce decisions<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Skills are moving from \u201cframeworks on paper\u201d to the practical language of workforce planning, role design, internal mobility, and performance.<\/p>\n

The World Economic Forum\u2019s Future of Jobs Report 2025 highlights technology-related skills as among the fastest-growing, and points to employers expecting major transformation from AI and information processing. That should influence what L&D prioritises, how pathways are designed, and how capability is evidenced.<\/p>\n

*Future of Jobs Report 2025 World Economic Forum<\/h6>\n

What to do for 2026:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Define a small set of business-critical skill priorities, not an exhaustive skills library<\/li>\n
  • Build learning pathways that show progression from beginner to proficient<\/li>\n
  • Move from self-reported skills to validated capability where it matters most<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Learning moves closer to \u201cin the flow of work\u201d through AI-enabled support<\/strong><\/h1>\n

    McKinsey\u2019s learning perspective points to a shift toward development that is continuous and embedded in work, with AI agents increasingly supporting real-time practice, coaching, and reflection.<\/p>\n

    *McKinsey Development in the Future of Work 2025 Perspective on Evolving Trends in L&D<\/h6>\n

    This trend matters because it changes the operational expectation of L&D. The question becomes less \u201cWhat courses do we run?\u201d and more \u201cHow do we design work and support so people learn while delivering?\u201d<\/p>\n

    What to do for 2026:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Identify where performance support will beat formal training<\/li>\n
    • Pilot AI-enabled coaching or guidance for high-frequency tasks<\/li>\n
    • Put governance in place for responsible use, privacy, and trust<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Responsible AI adoption becomes an L&D leadership issue, not just a technology one<\/strong><\/h2>\n

      The evidence is clear that organisations expect AI to reshape learning, but many are still using it narrowly.<\/p>\n

      Brandon Hall Group reports that 89% of businesses expect AI to transform learning and development, yet adoption often remains limited to basic content creation and recommendations. The same source reports a gap between perceived need and training, with many employees saying AI skills are crucial while far fewer have received relevant training.<\/p>\n

      *brandonhall.com\/ai-powered-learning-the-make-or-break-initiative-for-corporate-success-in-2025\/<\/h6>\n

      What to do for 2026:<\/p>\n

        \n
      • Treat AI capability as a workforce priority, not an optional digital topic<\/li>\n
      • Build AI literacy for all, with deeper pathways for priority roles<\/li>\n
      • Define what \u201cgood\u201d looks like for AI-enabled learning, including quality and ethics<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Learning operating models are under scrutiny as cost pressure continues<\/strong><\/h2>\n

        In many organisations, learning strategy has advanced faster than learning operations.<\/p>\n

        McKinsey notes the need to break down silos across people functions and build data-driven development ecosystems, which directly connects to operating model decisions about roles, governance, and how work flows across L&D, HR, and talent.<\/p>\n

        At the same time, Brandon Hall Group research points to continued investment in human capital technology and changing delivery approaches, which increases the need for a clear operating model that can scale without creating complexity.<\/p>\n

        *McKinsey Development in the Future of Work 2025 Perspective on Evolving Trends in L&D<\/h6>\n
        *brandonhall.com\/2025-a-transformative-year-for-learning-development\/<\/h6>\n

        What to do for 2026:<\/p>\n

          \n
        • Clarify decision rights: who approves priorities, budgets, and design standards<\/li>\n
        • Reduce duplication across regions and functions<\/li>\n
        • Strengthen the \u201cengine room\u201d of learning operations, including intake, scheduling, and reporting<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

           <\/p>\n

          Lifelong learning becomes a necessity, with a sharper focus on inclusion and access<\/strong><\/h2>\n

          CIPD\u2019s 2025 report frames lifelong learning as \u201cfrom luxury to necessity\u201d, driven by technology, the green transition, and demographic change. It also highlights risks that fall unevenly across the workforce, particularly for lower-skilled and older workers, reinforcing the need for inclusive access to reskilling.<\/p>\n

          *CIPD Report August 2025 Lifelong learning in the reskilling era<\/h6>\n

          This matters in 2026 because L&D strategies that work only for office-based populations will increasingly fail to support overall organisational resilience.<\/p>\n

          What to do for 2026:<\/p>\n

            \n
          • Identify who is least likely to access development and why<\/li>\n
          • Build learning models that work for frontline and operational roles<\/li>\n
          • Design pathways that support mobility, not just role performance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Measurement shifts from activity reporting to decision-grade insight<\/strong><\/h2>\n

            The credibility of L&D increasingly depends on showing outcomes in business language. McKinsey\u2019s emphasis on meaningful data and strategic decisions supported by foresight points in the same direction: measurement needs to guide choices, not simply report volume.<\/p>\n

            *McKinsey Development in the Future of Work 2025 Perspective on Evolving Trends in L&D<\/h6>\n

            What to do for 2026:<\/p>\n

              \n
            • Reduce metrics, increase usefulness<\/li>\n
            • Align measures to performance indicators where possible<\/li>\n
            • Build reporting that supports prioritisation and resource decisions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              What this means for 2026 planning<\/strong><\/h2>\n

              The 2026 learning landscape will reward L&D teams that can do three things consistently:<\/p>\n

                \n
              1. Focus on skills that matter to the business<\/li>\n
              2. Embed development into work through smart support and responsible AI<\/li>\n
              3. Operate efficiently, with evidence that informs decisions<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                The opportunity is not to chase every trend. It is to build a learning function that is aligned, scalable, and trusted.<\/p>\n

                If you want to explore how these trends should shape your learning strategy and operating model for 2026, contact us to learn more about our strategic and operational L&D support.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                Learning Trends for 2026 – What the Evidence Is Pointing To As we look ahead t 2026, the most useful signals for L&D leaders are not the loudest \u201cnext big thing\u201d headlines, but the consistent patterns showing up across reputable research and employer data. Several themes are repeating across thought leaders and evidence sources, including […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":5346,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[105],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5350","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insights-fr"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vpslearning.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5350","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vpslearning.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vpslearning.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vpslearning.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vpslearning.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5350"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vpslearning.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5350\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vpslearning.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5346"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vpslearning.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5350"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vpslearning.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5350"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vpslearning.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5350"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}