Voices from across L&D this year reveal a mix of experimentation, support and steady curiosity about how people learn in fast-changing environments. Leaders and coaches noticed how AI opened new possibilities while also creating a need for reassurance and clarity.
Teams found themselves partnering more closely with the business and discovering that small, everyday learning moments often made the biggest difference. Read on to explore the insights that shaped this year of learning.
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‘Learning is lifelong. No matter how things change we will always need to learn unlearn and relearn.’
Priya Khosla, Director of Group Learning and Development at Singtel, perfectly sums up the last year, which was exceptionally busy for L&D teams. As organisations adapted to new tools and shifting expectations, employees were looking for development that would help them feel confident in their evolving jobs. The most valuable insights, our experts found, were not about costly launches or big complicated frameworks. Instead, the real key discoveries L&D teams made came from simple, practical actions that genuinely helped employees feel capable, confident and ready to handle constant change.
To understand more in detail, we brought those voices together to answer one simple question: what shaped L&D work this year? You’ll hear from leaders who piloted AI tools, coaches who saw how uncertainty affected teams, specialists who tracked cultural and generational shifts and consultants who challenged the AI ‘gold rush’ entirely.
Balancing rapid AI change with human needs
AI became a major positive driver for L&D. The biggest opportunity was the dual task: your team got to learn the technology while teaching the rest of the organisation how to use it. This constant movement created energy and rapid progress. Some companies took their time, testing tools carefully in small groups, while others moved quickly and successfully established how AI could truly help their staff. Beneath technology, the key factor was emotional support. Employees needed to feel secure and confident about their jobs as the new tools arrived.
The experts were unanimous: the real value was not buying the technology but focusing on helping people feel capable and in control through solid, clear guidance. Marcel Britsch, a Product Consultant for the British Council, gave us a straightforward view on the hype: ‘AI is everywhere but much of what we are hearing is hype and misinformation. The real benefit is knowing what problem you are trying to solve before bringing in new technology.’
The takeaway for L&D is clear: You are successfully balancing testing AI with giving staff great reassurance. AI improves performance, but only if people know exactly where it fits and are confident using it.
Shifting from delivery to partnership
The most significant shift for L&D this year was the change in its strategic role, moving from being a delivery team to an essential business partner. You found yourselves pulled into conversations much earlier, often before a clear learning request had even been formed. Leaders were looking for clarity, not just courses, which meant L&D had to guide the thinking instead of waiting for instructions. As automated tools took on operational tasks, L&D's real value moved upstream into analysis, influence and true collaboration.
So, how do you make that shift from delivering content to being the team leaders turn to for clarity? A big part of it was learning to influence earlier. L&D practitioners needed to ask much sharper questions, truly understand the business problem and then translate that into development that made genuine sense. Instead of immediately suggesting solutions, you needed to slow the conversation down and help stakeholders think through the root of the issue. This meant talking less about content and focusing more on behaviours, risks and measurable performance.
This change was clear in how learning was designed. Instead of buying generic courses, many organisations shaped their own solutions so the content felt real to their context. Stephanie Croxford, APAC Learning and Development Manager for Kennedys, described this as making learning ‘tailored and contextualised’. That kind of perfect fit only happened when L&D spent time with people, noticed the small moments that created friction and built learning around those points. This made the relationship with the business less like a transaction and more like solving problems together.
Developing skills in everyday work
Did you know that 70% of learning happens through on-the-job experiences? The skills that truly matter are the ones people use every day, reinforcing the value of practical application combined with theoretical knowledge. But, if the work is constantly changing, how can L&D keep learning rapid and accessible?
Antoni Lacinai, a Global Keynote Speaker and Communication Expert, captured this idea well when he said, ‘most of the real learning happens in the moments between people,’ which was a key insight highlighting that skills naturally grow in the flow of conversations and day-to-day interaction. Consequently, progress often began in small places, such as a quick exchange with a colleague, a short coaching chat before a meeting or a team reflection after a difficult moment. Emotional intelligence and communication sat at the heart of these interactions, helping people navigate tension, offer feedback and keep projects moving when things felt uncertain.
This grounded approach naturally required more agility, meaning teams were encouraged to adjust fast, let go of habits that no longer worked and stay open to trying something new. Short, practical resources proved highly effective, providing immediate utility; this included a two-minute video, a simple checklist or a conversation prompt that people could use straight away without stepping out of their day.
The result was a more integrated approach to development where coaching, peer support and small practice loops proved essential, acting as powerful accelerators alongside formal development programmes. People learned by doing, testing and reflecting, with L&D successfully moving closer to the work itself.
Supporting wellbeing through learning
With constant change came cognitive load. People were stretched, distracted and sometimes overwhelmed. Priya Khosla captured what many leaders echoed: learning only works when people have the headspace to absorb it. As organisations moved quickly to adopt new tools and adjust to shifting expectations, the pressure on employees rose in quieter but more persistent ways. It was not only about mastering AI or navigating new workflows; it was also about staying steady enough to keep learning at all. This is where L&D found itself taking on a broader role, moving away from focusing purely on content and thinking instead about the conditions that help people stay grounded. Small design choices made a meaningful difference; slower pacing, simple reflection moments and short group check-ins helped learners process change rather than push through it.
These simple touches made learning feel manageable and supportive instead of demanding. Psychological safety was another key theme that surfaced repeatedly across expert conversations, as people engaged more fully when they felt comfortable asking questions or practising new skills without judgement. Environments that felt human, respectful and attuned to mental load consistently led to stronger participation, regardless of format or tools. Ultimately, wellbeing was seen as an enabler rather than an add-on.
Where L&D goes from here
- Keep learning light: Structure all learning, from short sessions to comprehensive programmes, around integrated practice and application that immediately connects content to the job, maximising impact without requiring long periods away from work.
- Step into business discussions earlier: Shift budget and time from generic course buying to upfront analysis and consulting to influence business needs before solutions are set.
- Use AI to create space: Leverage AI for tasks like content summarisation and translation, freeing up L&D time for high-value coaching and human-centred reflection.
- Pay attention to everyday moments: Implement simple 'after-action reviews' or 'peer coaching' protocols to quickly capture and share learning moments in real-time within teams.
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