Workplace learning spending rose slightly between 2020 and 2021, according to research from the Association for Talent Development released this month — but that expenditure looks different from years past.
Organizations dedicated one-fifth of their learning content to managers and supervisors, the report said, a 7% increase, potentially driven by the need to train leaders on how to manage hybrid teams, ATD said.
Notably, instructor-led classroom learning made a comeback from a 2020 dip; the format made up 28% of the learning hours available, compared to 10% in 2020. Meanwhile, instructor-led virtual classroom training was down nearly 10% for hours used.
Employees used fewer hours overall, however, compared to 2020.
A looming recession may skew learning priorities going into 2023, other surveys have said. But manager training is likely to remain at the forefront, especially amid hybrid work’s continued emergence. Coaching, in particular, has seen increased adoption as a learning tactic.
Employees are using what training time they have to work on communication and project management, a recent Udemy report revealed — though job search skills training has also skyrocketed, thanks to the state of the economy.
