1) AI-shaped expectations: “fast, connected knowledge”
What’s happening: Employees already use generative AI on their own, so they expect learning to be short, contextual, and immediately useful. In 2024 data, 75% of global knowledge workers use AI at work, and leaders admit many orgs don’t yet have a plan to translate that into bottom-line impact—so teams lean on micro/nano learning in the flow of work that matches AI-accelerated pace. MicrosoftLinkedIn Learning
Why it matters: Buyers now look for route-first, in-flow experiences (not content dumps) that help people act inside their actual tasks.
2) Compliance & safety: demand for verifiable results
What’s happening: Standards like ISO 45001 make competence a documented duty—orgs must determine, ensure, and retain evidence that people can do the work safely. That pushes buyers toward event-level telemetry (what someone clicked/decided/dragged) that can roll up into auditable proof of competence and a verifiable certificate. blog.auditortrainingonline.comSmithers
Why it matters: “Completed a course” is no longer enough for regulated roles; buyers expect traceable performance evidence they can show to auditors and insurers.
3) Talent shortages: onboarding in weeks, not months
What’s happening: Global surveys show persistent shortages—~74% of employers report difficulty finding needed skills. That raises the premium on rapid, real-work onboarding (short scenarios, micro-actions, immediate feedback) that get juniors productive faster. go.manpowergroup.com+1
Why it matters: Buyers don’t want “education at large”; they want time-to-productivity gains they can measure in a few weeks.
4) Budget discipline: pilots with clear KPIs before scale
What’s happening: Tight budgets and longer buying cycles push enterprises to demand proof of value (retention, accuracy, time-to-productivity) via short pilots before committing. Analysts highlight stalling purchases and CFO focus on cost optimization with measurable goals; at the same time, exec surveys urge moving AI initiatives from pilots to production with explicit ROI. Forresterevanta.combusiness.adobe.com
Why it matters: Vendors that quantify outcomes in pilot—then roll into license—match how budgets are approved now.
Executive takeaway
- Employees expect micro, in-flow, AI-paced learning that changes how they work this week, not next quarter. MicrosoftLinkedIn Learning
- Risk owners (HSE/Quality) now ask for evidence of competence, not just completions. blog.auditortrainingonline.com
- With talent scarce, buyers pay for faster onboarding and visible productivity gains. go.manpowergroup.com
- Pilot-then-scale with KPI commitments is the default buying motion. Forrester
Sources (board-friendly)
- Microsoft + LinkedIn Work Trend Index 2024 — 75% of knowledge workers use AI at work; leaders need a plan to turn usage into impact. MicrosoftSource
- LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report 2024 — shift to micro/nano learning and learning in the flow of work. LinkedIn Learning+1
- ISO 45001 (Clause 7.2) competence — determine, ensure, and retain evidence of competence (training records, certifications). blog.auditortrainingonline.comSmithers
- ManpowerGroup Talent Shortage (2024–2025) — ~74% of employers struggle to find talent. go.manpowergroup.com+1
- Forrester: State of Business Buying 2024 — tight budgets, longer cycles; purchases stall without clear value. Forrester
- Gartner (CFO priorities / cost optimization) — measurable goals and optimization dominate finance agendas. evanta.com
- Adobe Digital Trends 2024 — “From pilots to powerhouse”: executive guidance on moving AI from pilots to scaled impact. business.adobe.com
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