Top 5 trends on the local executive training market in 2022

The three most important trends that will define the local training market in 2022 are adapting the programs to the new hybrid way of working, the design of learning experiences that support retention and well-being of employees, and micro-learning. On fourth and fifth places is the ability to work with data for decision-making and leadership skills development, according to internal data of EXEC-EDU, the leader of the executive education market, the top segment of the training market.

Visible since last year, the five main trends will mark the activity of all L&D departments in companies, but also of the players in the training market, is already felt in the industry since the end of last year.

“We have completed 2021, the 16th year of EXEC-EDU existence, with very good results. It was a year in which we went through complex situations well, a year in which welded as a team and became more resilient and agile, so stronger. The main challenge, which we successfully overcome, was to facilitate interactive live online programs that would keep participants connected, attentive, and 100% involved, and 2021 was for us the second-best year in history, after 2019. Over 1700 managers interacted with us, at courses or in coaching, mentoring, or consulting projects, and we have carried out over 140 training programs. We organized 10 online events for our community, attended by 2500 people, one face to face and two with international guests”, says Oana Scarlat, CEO of EXEC-EDU.

For 2022, the company has a portfolio of 70 courses and a team of over 40 experts. Among the programs already launched this year are Hybrid Leadership and Data Literacy.

“2022 brings new challenges for the training industry, not only locally but also globally, with the volatility of the labor market, the change in business models and consumer behavior, but also the way we learn. We are competing with a global market, with unlimited opportunities and resources, many of them free, just a click away. However, the skills we have developed over the past two years will help us to remain at the top of our students’ options. Our resolution for 2022 is to continue to build useful learning experiences, suitable for the new hybrid way of working, constantly adapting to the market trends and the needs of our students and, why not, anticipating them”, says Oana Scarlat, CEO of EXEC-EDU.

1. Adapting the programs to the new hybrid way of working

Hybrid working, from home or anywhere, will not disappear from the landscape anytime soon. Both global and local studies show that the overwhelming majority of employees prefer a hybrid work system and that rapidly developing multinationals have adopted this model of “productivity from anywhere”. For both employees and companies, teleworking is about results, and less about where the employee is or the hours they work. In these conditions, training programs must be aligned with this new reality, in which students work from anywhere – a benefit that, according to studies, has become essential for employees. Training solutions are versatile, the way in which learners interact with their content is diverse, integrating, among other things, technology, asynchronous resources with live online interactions, but also with classroom activities, designed to bring in the highlight collaboration and connection.

2. Designing of learning experiences that support the retention and well-being of employees

Wellbeing is no longer just a benefit offered to employees within the compensation package, as daily pressures in the family or burn-outs accused of remote working mode, which erases the boundaries of time and space, have become realities that directly affect people’s productivity and performance. That’s why integrated well-being programs have become part of people’s retention and motivation strategy.

3. Diversifying learning channels

The days dedicated exclusively to the classic classroom sessions have become increasingly rare in the managers’ schedule. Now learning is done on multiple channels: video, podcast, audiobooks, webinars, live online sessions. The integration of short micro-learning sessions during working hours, or even the inclusion of team coaching sessions or facilitated brainstorming in the working meetings of the boards or operational teams, are new ways to streamline the learning approach, focusing on pragmatic solutions and problem-solving. Another way of optimization is to use digitalization to generate adapted content, customized to the needs of each manager or employee.

4. Data literacy in making decisions

IDC, a global provider of market information, forecasts a ten times increase in data globally by 2025 It thus becomes increasingly difficult for managers to make valid decisions that are not only based on flair, but on accurate and current information. An additional barrier is the major gap between people’s digital skills and the speed at which new technologies are emerging.
The competitive advantage today is given by the ability of managers to read, work, analyze and argue with the help of data. Globally, only 24% of decision-makers have the necessary skills in working with data, so they need specialized trainings.

5. Developing leadership abilities

Leaders who want to win the competition with artificial intelligence, which will exclude incompetent bosses from the labour landscape, need even more help to develop their skills, especially since they must be aligned with the new realities. For this period, a new type of leader is needed, with other skills – empathy, agility, flexibility, resilience. Therefore, investing in the development of management teams is more necessary than ever, and the first step is to re-evaluate and measure their competencies.