The latest L&D news, reports, research and updates, personally compiled by TJ’s Editor, Jo Cook. This week: AI use misunderstood, new managers misled, and suicide support stalled. From inflated job titles to insecure cybersecurity, today’s L&D challenges aren’t what they seem — and the consequences are far deeper than surface-level skills.
L&D Employment: ‘Open to Work’
Why are so many ‘green circles’ appearing on L&D professionals LinkedIn profiles? New analysis by L&D recruiter Blue Eskimo combines data from the ONS, CIPD, PwC and others with insights from its own L&D recruitment activity and it’s used AI to model what’s really happening behind the scenes.
58% admit to “skills masking”
This survey highlights a “skills masking crisis” – just one of the challenges, perceptions, and improvement strategies surrounding employee onboarding and learning and development (L&D) programs across a diverse workforce.
By capturing both structural gaps and emotional realities, such as skills gaps anxiety and resistance to feedback, this paper aims to inform more effective, inclusive, and data-driven onboarding practices.
Most managers can’t participate in training because they don’t have time, study shows
Although most organisations offer a manager development program, more than 90% say they lack time to participate, according to a report from the Association for Talent Development.
In addition, 63% said being a manager is more difficult than they anticipated, and more than half said their organization provided little or no training to prepare, the report found.
Demand in cybersecurity skills surges as ANZ firms ditch complacency
Corporate demand for cybersecurity skills is surging across Australia and New Zealand, as escalating digital threats and a fast-moving regulatory landscape force organisations to rethink their approach to cyber risk.
What was once a compliance checkbox has become a core business priority, with security training now viewed as essential infrastructure – not optional spend. This shift is fuelling growth for providers like Lumify Work, Australasia’s largest corporate IT training company.
New research from Arthur Technologies shows enterprises are missing AI’s true potential
Arthur Technologies, a leader in enterprise collaboration, released new research showing that while AI is now ubiquitous in the workplace, most organizations are falling short of utilising its true potential. Instead of being embedded into the workflow as a trusted, real-time collaborator, AI is largely confined to narrow, siloed, task-specific uses.
- 100% of employees reported using AI at work in the last three months, with nearly half using it multiple times per day
- The most common applications, including research (55.7%), data analysis (50.5%), and brainstorming (40.0%), show that AI is still treated as a “junior assistant” rather than a peer
- Far fewer employees use AI for core functions like project management (37.5%), customer service (10.9%), and sales (6.9%)
These three corporate fairy tales could be your downfall
Every year, thousands of professionals earn their first management stripes — a moment often hailed as the gateway to leadership success. It’s an exciting shift, yes, but also one fraught with hidden traps. These newly minted managers are expected to hit the ground running, despite often being handed more ambiguity than actual guidance.
The result? Many fall victim to the same well-intentioned — but deeply flawed — beliefs about what good leadership looks like. Hogan Assessments, the world’s leader in workplace personality assessment, analysed these modern-day corporate fairy tales that may sound empowering, but followed blindly, they can quietly sabotage your team, your credibility, and your career.
New research reveals troubling gap between intention and confidence on suicide prevention in the workplace
New data on suicide prevention and support at work reveals that 74% of UK adults say they would ask a colleague if they were worried that their colleague might be having thoughts of suicide. Despite this, only 40% would feel comfortable talking about suicide with a colleague.
