Leading Workforce Change: How Learning Managers Can Drive 2026 Success

17 December 2024
All resources, Bespoke elearning, Learning and development strategy, Learning design, Off-the-shelf elearning

The role of Learning and Development (L&D) has never been under more pressure than in 2026. Rapid advancements in AI, automation, and digital technologies are transforming the skills employees need – and the way we deliver learning. For L&D leaders, this means navigating uncertainty, scaling impact, and sometimes feeling that your role itself could be reshaped by technology. It’s a lot to manage.

But there’s another side: L&D is uniquely positioned to be a strategic force in helping organisations thrive. By embracing technology thoughtfully, fostering adaptability, and guiding employees through change, learning managers can turn disruption into opportunity.

1. Regulatory & Compliance Training – The New Baseline for L&D

2026 brings additional regulatory pressure. For example:

Under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA), from September 2025, large organisations face strict liability if employees or agents commit fraud on their behalf unless “reasonable fraud-prevention procedures” were in place.
The Reporting Cryptoasset Service Providers (Due Diligence and Reporting Requirements) Regulations 2025 come into force 1 January 2026. Firms dealing with crypto must carry out enhanced due diligence, customer-identification, reporting, and record-keeping.

Steps for L&D teams:

Build or update training modules covering Anti Money Laundering, Anti-Fraud, Anti-Bribery & Anti-Corruption, Whistleblowing, Data Protection, crypto risks, and regulatory compliance.
Use scenario-based and role-specific training to foster understanding and accountability.
Maintain training records, logs, and audit trails to support “reasonable procedures” defence, if ever needed.

This evolution positions learning as a compliance safeguard, one that protects the business, its employees, and its reputation.

2. Cybersecurity & Digital Safety – A Company-Wide Learning Imperative

The UK’s 2025 Cyber Security Labour Market report reveals that nearly half of businesses now report a basic cybersecurity skills gap, with many highlighting deficits in data protection, malware defence and incident response.

What to do:

Include Cyber Security, Phishing and Data Protection and Artificial Intelligence (AI) awareness training in core training for all staff not only those with “tech” roles.
Use microlearning, interactive modules and refreshers to reinforce secure habits.
Track completion and embed cyber compliance into performance and learning metrics.

This approach helps meet regulatory expectations and reduces risk proactively rather than reacting after a breach.

3. The AI Skills Gap – Why AI Literacy is Now a Board-Level Priority

The adoption of AI across sectors is accelerating. Recent studies show many jobs in the UK are increasingly exposed to generative-AI or automation, while demand for relevant skills outstrips supply.

For L&D, this means building more than basic digital training: staff need AI literacy, ethical use awareness, prompt-engineering know-how, and critical thinking skills to safely and productively use AI tools.

What learning managers should do:

Develop AI-skills modules: from basics (what is generative AI) to advanced (safe usage, data privacy, compliance).
Embed human-centric skills – judgement, ethics, creativity – alongside technical skills. That balance remains a key differentiator.
Introduce “just-in-time” microlearning and on-demand learning paths – ideal for rapidly evolving AI skills.

This repositioning transforms L&D from a support function into a strategic driver of workforce readiness and competitive advantage.

4. Skills-Based Hiring & Internal Mobility – Learning as Talent Strategy

Recent research finds that in AI and green-economy roles, employers increasingly value skills over formal degrees and are embracing “skills-based hiring” to broaden the talent pool.

This is a game-changer for L&D. Learning departments are key in shaping workforce growth, including upskilling employees.

What this means for L&D:

Develop skills passports and micro-credentials that map to internal career paths.
Create internal mobility programmes: upskilling employees for roles that match evolving business needs.
Use data (from LMS, assessments, performance reviews) to identify skills gaps, future needs, and talent pipelines to improve learner outcomes.

Learning is absolutely a strategic lever – not merely training staff, but growing and retaining talent internally, aligned to business goals.

5. Microlearning, Agility & Just-in-Time Learning – Fit for Fast-Changing Times

Traditional training courses can’t keep up with rapid technology cycles or shifting regulatory obligations. Microlearning as short, on-demand, focused modules is key to this.

Benefits:

Learners can complete modules between tasks, workdays, or even during downtime.
Easy to update when rules or tools change – perfect for rapidly evolving domains like AI, cyber, or compliance.
Supports hybrid and dispersed workforces with different learning styles and schedules.

For 2026 designing learning as modular, adaptive, and continuous is not just a nice-to-have; it’s a necessary.

6. Measuring Impact & ROI – Demonstrating L&D Value with Data

In uncertain economic times and under regulatory scrutiny, L&D must justify its place – not just as a cost centre, but as a value driver.

What to measure:

Skills gaps before vs after training
Compliance incidents (e.g. data breaches, fraud attempts) before vs after courses
Productivity metrics, turnover, internal mobility rates
Employee engagement and satisfaction linked to training

Platforms like our InfoAware Moodle LMS let you build dashboards, track completion, link training to performance, and provide tangible evidence of impact.

7. Embedding Culture, Ethics & Human Skills – The Competitive Edge

As automation and AI take over more and more routine tasks, human skills become invaluable. Research shows demand growing for skills like critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, ethics, resilience, and communication – what some call “power skills.”

L&D’s role:

Include modules for soft-skills development (leadership, communication, resilience, ethics).
Pair technical training (e.g. AI, cyber) with human-centred learning – balancing “can do” with “should do.”
Encourage lifelong learning and adaptability, fostering a culture of continuous growth.

This balanced skill focus helps organisations thrive in a rapidly shifting market.

8. Positioning L&D as a Strategic Partner – Not Just Training Provider

In 2026, the most effective L&D teams won’t sit at the back of the business – they’ll sit beside leadership, offering insights on skills risk, talent planning, compliance readiness, and culture building.

How to shift the perception:

Use data from training and skills mapping to advise on workforce planning and risk mitigation.
Proactively propose learning strategies for upcoming regulatory or technological changes.
Show how learning can support business resilience, internal mobility, retention, productivity, and compliance all aligned to organisational goals.

In doing so, L&D becomes part of the strategic core – not a cost centre, but a source of competitive advantage.

Conclusion: 2026 – The Year of Learning-Driven Transformation

If 2024 was about stabilising after economic and global upheaval, 2026 is about seizing the future. Organisations that thrive will be those that combine technology, compliance, people, and culture – and learning managers are at the heart of that transformation.

By embracing AI and cyber upskilling, building compliance-ready programmes, enabling skills-based mobility, measuring impact with data, and nurturing human skills, L&D can lead the workforce change that defines success for 2026 and beyond.

Get in Touch

At InfoAware, we specialise in creating off-the-shelf and bespoke training solutions that engage learners and has lasting impact. Our customisable online training solutions, bespoke content creation, and Moodle LMS platform are designed with inclusivity in mind.

You can learn more about some of our most popular off-the-shelf courses on our training courses page.

Ready to empower your workforce for tomorrow? Contact InfoAware today via our contact form, or email us at info@infoaware.com.