The latest L&D news, reports, research and updates, personally compiled by TJ’s Editor, Jo Cook. This week: AI raises concerns about workplace loneliness, while inclusion affects retention. Hybrid harassment policies need updating, charities face cyber risks, government digital spending draws criticism, and learning professionals prepare to gather in Las Vegas.
Only 49% of employees report having both access to learning and guidance on what will help them progress
Research published by Go1 points to what the company calls the “Activation Gap”: the disconnect between the learning organisations provide and the guidance, action, reinforcement and visibility needed to turn learning into workforce progress.
91% are very or somewhat confident they know which skills will matter most for their role over the next 12–24 months. Yet just 6% always receive recommendations on what to learn next, while 28% rarely or never do.
Managers are also expected to be heavily involved in employee development, with 94% saying they support it always or often. But the follow-through needed to help employees apply what they’ve learned puts additional pressure on managers: Lack of time is the most common barrier to following up after learning, cited by 48% of managers.
Almost a third of professionals lack essential digital skills
A recent study by Adobe Acrobat surveyed 2,000 UK adults to uncover the most important digital skills in the workplace and the biggest knowledge gaps workers face.
Using spreadsheets is considered the most essential digital skill in today’s workplace (42%). Excel literacy is often a requirement in industries such as finance, administration, and technology, and is used daily in many others, yet almost a third (29%) say they don’t feel confident carrying out the task.
Workplace harassment training interest jumps 146% ahead of key UK employment law changes
Interest in workplace harassment prevention training has surged by 146% in the last month as employers face mounting pressure and new regulations to demonstrate they’re doing enough to protect staff from sexual harassment.
Compliance training provider Skillcast has revealed a huge increase in views to its Preventing harassment in the workplace training package, with interest more than doubling in the last 28 days.
The UK Workplace Respect Gap: What happens when inappropriate behaviour occurs?
The Workplace Respect Gap from iHasco shows a disconnect between recognising inappropriate behaviour and feeling able to report, challenge and prevent it.
- 48% have experienced or witnessed inappropriate workplace behaviour
- 40% don’t fully know their employer’s procedure for reporting inappropriate behaviour
- 66% don’t have full confidence that employees who report inappropriate behaviour are adequately protected
AI is making work lonelier for the people who use it most
A wellhub survey of 5,021 full-time employees in ten markets hints at the cost or small talk. Among the most fluent users of AI, 47% said it had led to less meaningful interaction with colleagues. Among intermediate users the figure was 39%; among beginners, 22%. The people who have embraced the technology most keenly are the likeliest to notice what it has displaced—and they do not seem to like it. Two-thirds of respondents said they wanted to feel more connected at work.
The survey cannot show that AI causes isolation; roles, workloads and workplace culture all play a part. Nor does the effect run only one way. Some 45% of respondents said AI had improved their relationships with colleagues. That is less contradictory than it sounds. A manager freed from admin can spend more time with a new recruit. An employee who uses a chatbot to marshal her thoughts may find a difficult conversation easier to start. Preparation can make for a better conversation.
Employees six times more likely to leave less inclusive cultures, research reveals
The ‘State of Inclusion in the UK: How Culture is Driving Performance’ report found that employees in highly inclusive workplaces expected to remain with their employer for an average of 7.2 years, compared with 4.3 years in workplaces rated not at all inclusive.
The research also identified a gap between how leaders perceived workplace culture and the experiences reported by employees. While 67% of organisations had a defined culture strategy, only 22% of employees described their workplace as highly inclusive.
Employers must update harassment training for hybrid working, says Gi Group
Gi Group has urged employers to update sexual harassment policies and training to cover remote and hybrid working. The HR and recruitment organisation said prevention measures need to cover video calls, messaging platforms, email and social media, rather than focus only on behaviour in person.
It cited Unite the Union figures from 2025 showing that 26% of respondents reported increased gender-based harassment while working remotely. The figures also showed that 60% of women had experienced sexual harassment during their working lives.
Charities far behind companies on cyber preparedness
Boardroom Bellwether 2026 finds charities far behind companies on cyber preparedness, while charity boards with the weakest AI capability are less likely to treat it as a governance priority
More than four in ten (42%) charity and not-for-profit governance professionals say their organisation’s preparedness to respond to a cyber attack at board or governance level is limited or non-existent, according to Boardroom Bellwether 2026, published by The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland. In listed and private companies, the figure is 3%.
UK government ‘cannot show where the money is going on digital transformation’
The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee has published the government’s formal response to a report released by MPs in May which made a range of recommendations, encompassing calls for major changes to how money is spent and tracked, the introduction of succession plans for the most senior tech roles, and greater transparency on departments’ progress in achieving cybersecurity targets.
Most of these 30 recommendations have been deflected or denied, with other responses citing pre-existing programmes as evidence of action to address the committee’s concerns. In light of which, MPs have suggested that government should “revisit its response” and consider whether it can make additional and more meaningful commitments.
Read more on our sister publication PublicTechnology.net
Inaugural Learning & Performance Tech Week to bring together learning professionals across a wide variety of industries
The inaugural Learning & Performance Tech Week will bring together professionals from across the learning field, including learning and talent development leaders, instructional designers, customer education professionals, higher education teams, and those working across performance, skills, data, measurement, and learning technology.
The week will combine two events at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Learning Leadership will take place from November 2 – 3, followed immediately by DevLearn Conference & Expo from November 4 – 6.
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