The future of work: Learning in the flow of life

The future of work is already here.

The changes in the workplace that we expected within a decade have happened within the space of a few extraordinary weeks, leaving most companies unprepared to mobilise people at scale to both work and learn remotely. Learning in the flow of work used to be the aim for learning and development (L&D) but now we are all working in the flow of life.

These unusual and turbulent times are bringing the need for learning to the forefront. Business needs exceptional skills and L&D teams must empower their people to meet the challenges of remote working and start engaging with the future of work.

In our future of work map we’ve been exploring the three new services that are now in high demand as we adjust to a new reality: upskilling, optimising, and conversion.

• Upskilling can be self-directed or requested. This might involve individuals or in many current cases, whole teams at scale.
   
• Optimising means acknowledging and using what you have at your fingertips today, to help meet your future of learning challenges. Be that developing new organisational structures or making best use of the communications and learning platforms at your fingertips.
   
• Conversion currently means making the change from physical to digital. With blend optimisation now focused on how to make the most of digital alone and digital together.

You might be focused on one or all three of these – separately or together. But whatever your priorities, you'll almost certainly be accelerating your future of learning strategy.

In our future of work map we explore how strong design principles and the power of immersive learning also contribute.

In a time where most of our learning occurs digitally, human-centred design is more important than ever. Just as we are working within the flow of life, appropriating our living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms as offices, so too are our platforms finding new uses as learning spaces.

Those already accustomed to digital learning are doing more of it, while those who are new to it are discovering new ways of learning.

In areas where industry has collapsed, people need to transfer skills and develop new capabilities quickly. Immersive content has been proven to help transfer skills faster, by taking people through the motions and the emotions of learning a new skill.

As we flow through the unusual to the exceptional, the efficacy of the skills we give our people will help us successfully navigate the flow of life. Now is the time to ensure learning is at the forefront of the future of work.