The research, which polled 250 senior L&D and HR leaders across the UK and US, was conducted by the learning and knowledge platform Fuse and suggests that many organisations are struggling to replace legacy courses with the modern business demand for real-time learning. In fact, just one organisation in four (25%) is providing all employees with access to knowledge and learning in the flow of work, despite more than half (55%) of L&D/HR leaders admitting that they themselves need access to knowledge every day or several times a week.

Survey respondents also highlighted the impending "Great Resignation" as a significant threat to business, with nine out of ten (89%) agreeing or strongly agreeing that the loss of company expert knowledge presents an alarm-bell business issue.

With most organisations expecting to lose ten to fifteen percent of their total workforce over the next twelve months, and as many as one in five anticipating up to 20% churn, it becomes evident that companies are teetering on the edge of a business knowledge brain drain. Citing the biggest associated risks to business, 58% of respondents specified reduced innovation, followed by increased costs (43%), and rising employee churn (42%).

On the topic of skills, prioritisation of upskilling versus reskilling was fairly balanced in most organisations (34% upskilling, 37% reskilling, 28% equal mix of both), yet this was contradicted by nearly three-quarters (73%) of respondents, who said they currently assign 80% of all learning to upskilling for performance and just 20% to talent reskilling.

When asked about the most important success factors for upskilling on the job, more than two-thirds cited the ability to find and share knowledge (68%), followed by access to learning in the flow of work (58%), and adopting modern learning technology (also 58%).

Commenting on the research findings, Luke Oubridge, CEO at Fuse, said, "This research leaves little doubt that there is a significant disconnect in terms of what leaders know and want L&D to look like in the modern-day organisation and the actual reality, which is that a great many are still struggling to swap course-centric strategies for real-time learning on the job.

"When we then look at these findings through the lens of hybrid work, the advent of technology, and the impending Great Resignation, the true urgency of this issue can be fully appreciated. The course, at least in isolation, is no longer a viable learning solution when the need for instant access to knowledge on demand is happening every day - and it's a business-critical issue that warrants immediate attention at the top table."