According to Skillsoft, training in communication skills, productivity, and establishing effective virtual teams were all in the top ten categories at the end of May. (Photo: Shutterstock)
With the dramatic changes that businesses have seen in 2020, a sharp rise in demand for learning and training has also emerged, according to a new report from Skillsoft, a company that specializes in online training.
The Boston-based company said that it had seen explosive growth in demand for some of the categories of services it supplies. This included a 552% growth in training around encouraging team communication and collaboration; a 652% growth in agile software development; a 367% growth in access to content concerning diversity, equity and inclusion; and a 407% increase in trust-building through effective communication.
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"Post-pandemic, the world won't go back to business as usual. More than 50% of organizations agree that work has permanently changed," said Ron Hovsepian, executive chairman, Skillsoft. "In the U.S., 80% of workers want at least one COVID-19 policy adopted permanently, such as flexible hours and remote work. Data also indicates rising expectations for organizations to afford greater autonomy while concurrently investing in holistic growth."
Remote work is popular but requires new skills
The changes in how people work over the past year may in the end be a net positive: many employees from around the world seem to like the new flexibility, the report found. In the USA, 54% of workers said they would support a permanent policy that allows working from home; 52% said they would support a permanent move toward more flexibility in working hours; and 49% support a policy that brings more attention to physical and mental well-being.
Skillsoft said it saw significant changes in demand for its services between Jan 1, 2020 and May 31 of this year. Before the pandemic, the No.#1 demand for training was about "moving to the cloud;" after, the No.#1 demand was "contributing as a virtual team member."
Further, training in communication skills, productivity, and establishing effective virtual teams were all in the top ten categories at the end of May. Communication and productivity classes were also among the top ten before the pandemic, but the report shows a move in priorities toward communication skills and virtual teamwork.
Social justice issues emerge as a priority
The report also focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) issues as the Black Lives Matter movement in the US and around the world continues to have an impact on the workplace. "There's been immense focus—at both the individual and corporate levels—on how to be a better ally and use privilege to support diversity in the workplace," the study said.
According to the report's research, there was a doubling in the number of courses completed on topics related to DEI between May and June of this year. And the company said it saw a twelvefold increase in training around inclusion and understanding unconscious bias in that same time period.
"This year has been transformational in so many ways, galvanizing our collective mission to succeed, grow, and persist," Hovsepian said. "Work has changed irrevocably, and building a truly future-fit, resilient workforce requires access to the tools needed to learn and achieve. We envision a world where learning is democratized, establishing an engaged, active, and optimistic workforce prepared to face the challenges of the future."
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