The latest L&D news, reports, research and updates, personally compiled by TJ’s Editor, Jo Cook. This week: financial services is investing more in learning than other sectors, soft skills take priority in hiring, an advisory board created for video learning innovation, and AI-fueled errors from staff are on the up!
Investment in learning shows promise for financial services skills gap
Investment in skills by financial services firms is outstripping almost all other sectors, with firms prioritising technical skills and behaviours, according to a new report from the Financial Services Skills Commission.
The report – ‘Positive progress? Skills for the future of financial services 2025’ – shows that while demand for skills remains high, firms’ efforts to build skills in areas such as artificial intelligence, data analytics and software development are making an impact on the sector’s challenging skills gap.
Soft skills take priority in 2025 hiring plans, says report
The 2025 Workforce Report shows that 64% of employers plan to favour emotional intelligence and interpersonal abilities when selecting new candidates this year.
The trend is most visible in sectors traditionally associated with technical knowledge. These findings suggest a shift in how technical and customer-facing sectors evaluate talent, with increasing emphasis on communication, teamwork and adaptability.
Most organizations overinvest in compliance training and underfund development to improve performance and prepare for future needs
Schoox, a global leader in frontline workforce learning and skills development, announced the availability of an insightful new research report, “Developing Frontline Workers: Focus Where it Counts,” independently authored by workforce experts RedThread Research, a leading source of workforce insights.
The report identifies a critical imbalance in training investments and outlines the areas of frontline workforce development that organizations must prioritize to improve productivity:
- License to Operate: Ensure compliance and safety with essential foundational training.
- Current Performance: Close skill gaps and optimize real-time performance.
- Future Readiness: Prepare workers for automation, digitization, and emerging challenges.
TechSmith forms training advisory board to drive video learning innovation
TechSmith Corporation, an industry leader in visual communication, announced the formation of its Training Advisory Board, a strategic initiative aimed at further expanding the company’s tailored offerings in enterprise learning and digital training.
This newly appointed board brings together top professionals from a diverse set of industries, offering deep expertise in education, HR technology, communications, legal training, and corporate development. The group will provide TechSmith with strategic guidance as it continues to expand feature sets in its flagship Snagit and Camtasia products aimed at empowering organizations to create high-impact, scalable training content.
Workplace emotions matter: established coach tackles workplace wellbeing crisis with innovative new podcast
As new data reveals 41% of UK workers feel stressed and over a quarter experience sadness during working hours, Sheffield-based leadership expert Jennifer McCanna launches a thought-provoking podcast challenging the “leave your emotions at the door” workplace culture.
The My Emotional Work Life podcast is launching on the 18th of May and offers practical strategies for both employees and employers navigating the turbulent professional landscape of 2025, characterised by financial instability, restructures, and the ongoing challenges of hybrid working arrangements.
Learning Hack announces new season of Great Minds on Learning and Learning Technologies special episode featuring Josh Bersin
Learning Hack Podcasts announces the launch of Great Minds on Learning Season 7 on 6 May 2025, exploring pivotal educational and learning themes. A special episode of The Learning Hack, recorded at the Learning Technologies Exhibition & Conference, will be released on 12 May 2025, featuring industry leaders.
Organisations must over communicate to engage Gen Z workforce, says L&D specialist
Organisations that prioritise overcommunication with their Gen Z workforce foster stronger connections, higher engagement and reduced workplace stress and anxiety, according to key insights from a recent webinar hosted by Development Beyond Learning, a leading international Learning & Development specialist.
“The consensus on overcommunication was unanimous. It doesn’t mean bombarding employees with messages though, it means ensuring clarity, openness and communicating with context,” reflected Josh Mackenzie, Founder of Development Beyond Learning.
Workloads are the leading cause of stress for HR
Research by HR, payroll and benefits software provider Ciphr reveals that just 6.3% of people in HR roles never experience stress at work. The results from a survey of over 270 UK HR decision makers suggests that most (94%) are affected by work stress and find at least one aspect of their job stressful.
Workloads topped the list of things causing them the most stress and anxiety (cited by 29% of respondents), followed by rising costs (26%), the challenges of employee retention (24%), and managing budgets (24%). Worryingly, nearly one in four (23%) HR professionals reported feeling stressed to the point of burnout and exhaustion. This rises to over a third (35%) of those working at organisations with more than 1,500 employees, indicating a potential link between workforce size and the occurrence of chronic stress.
Organisations also plan to turn to aggressive AI hiring to fill the skills gap
According to an Amazon Web Services report, organisations also plan to turn to aggressive hiring to fill the skills gap — a practice that may hinder employers in the long run if proper focus is not put on training, other reports have said. About a quarter of IT managers surveyed said at least half of the new positions at their companies “will demand generative AI skills.”
A limited understanding of employees’ generative AI training needs may prevent companies from creating “robust training plans” to properly upskill their workforces.
Nearly 6 out of 10 workers admit making AI-fueled errors
The research comes as AI is rapidly reshaping the role of the CFO, offering unprecedented opportunities in automation and data analytics, according to a March report by the World Economic Forum.
“But its adoption also comes with challenges as it raises concerns about cybersecurity, regulatory complexities and workforce displacement, creating issues for CFOs as they work to balance investments in AI with risk management strategies to ensure sustainable growth,” the forum report said.
