May 12, 2025 • 9 mins
Donna and Yakov discuss the pressing issue of time constraints affecting learning and development (L&D) initiatives in workplaces. Research shows time, not interest, is the main barrier. They advocate for embedding learning in daily workflows, emphasizing experiences and immediate value. They highlight the need for learning to adapt to diverse, generational needs and realities.
#TimeBankruptcy, #CorporateLearning, #LearningAndDevelopment, #WorkplaceLearning, #GenerationalNeeds, #EmbeddedLearning, #ImmediateValue
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to Bite-Sized L&D, your quick, no-nonsense update on the latest in workplace learning.
(00:10):
Today we'll tackle the pervasive issue of time constraints in learning and development,
uncovering how to seamlessly embed learning into your daily workflow and leverage AI to
free up precious time.
Alright, let's get straight into it.
Hey everyone, welcome to another episode of Bite-Sized L&D.
I'm Donna, and as always, I'm joined by my brilliant co-host.
(00:34):
Yakov Lasker here. Thanks for tuning in to our weekly dose of learning and development
insights that you can actually use.
Today, we're diving into something I think every single one of our listeners is feeling.
The absolute time crunch that's crushing learning initiatives everywhere.
It's not just in your organization, it's everywhere.
(00:54):
Absolutely, and there's fresh research that puts some hard numbers on what we've all been
experiencing. The latest Gallup study from Q1 2025 is pretty eye-opening. Get this.
41% of employees say the biggest barrier to their development isn't interest or resources,
it's simply not having enough time.
(01:15):
That number doesn't surprise me at all. When your calendar looks like a game of
Tetris where all the blocks are meetings, finding even an hour for focused learning
feels impossible.
Right. And it's not just front-line employees feeling the squeeze.
The same study found that 37% of managers cite time away from daily responsibilities
(01:36):
as their main obstacle to supporting employee development.
And at the very top, 89% of key HROs, the people literally in charge of development,
say time away from the job is the biggest challenge to participation.
So we've got a consensus up and down the corporate ladder.
It's not that people don't want to learn, they're just drowning in deliverables.
(01:57):
I think that's a really important distinction.
Exactly. Too often organizations misinterpret lack of time as lack of interest.
They build these elaborate learning platforms and wonder why adoption is low.
Meanwhile, employees are just trying to keep their heads above water.
You know what I find fascinating? The report mentions that we don't actually have a learning
(02:19):
problem. We have a time problem. That's a perspective shift for many L&D professionals
who've been focused on creating better content rather than addressing the time constraint.
And that time constraint is getting worse, not better.
With AI and automation raising productivity expectations,
people feel even more pressure to show immediate results.
(02:41):
Every hour spent on development feels like an hour not spent on real work.
Let's talk about those invisible forces making traditional leadership development obsolete.
The first one really hit home for me. Work bleeding into life.
That boundary is basically gone, right?
Totally gone. Between remote work, always on communication and the gig economy,
(03:05):
people aren't just working nine to five anymore.
They're fitting work around child care, side hustles, elder care, you name it.
Taking a full day for training, forget about it.
And different generations feel this differently.
The research showed millennials specifically cite personal and family responsibilities
as major obstacles. As a millennial myself, I can confirm we're in that sandwich generation
(03:31):
caring for both kids and parents. Meanwhile, Gen Z is more concerned with financial
limitations and career uncertainty. They're wondering if they're even learning the right
skills for an unclear future. That's a very different problem than not having enough hours in
the day. And let's not forget the shelf life of skills is shrinking dramatically.
The World Economic Forum study mentioned in the report predicts that 39% of existing skill sets
(03:56):
will be transformed or outdated between 2025 and 2030. That's terrifying.
Five years. Just five years to see nearly 40% of your skills become obsolete.
And most leadership programs still run on these long, drawn out schedules.
By the time you finish a traditional development program, what you learned at the beginning
(04:18):
might already be outdated. Okay, so we've established the problem,
but I'm more interested in solutions. What's actually working out there?
The report outlines some promising approaches. First, we need to stop designing training around
checkpoints and start designing around critical moments. When leaders are making actual decisions,
(04:39):
that's when learning sticks. So embedding learning into the workflow,
rather than pulling people out of it. I love that. It reminds me of the whole concept of
performance support versus traditional training. Exactly. And the second big shift is proving
immediate value. Leaders should feel the payoff right away, not six months down the road. The
(04:59):
data showed that organizations focusing on three specific areas, strengths, employee engagement
and manager development, saw engagement increase by 20 percentage points.
That's significant. And I think it speaks to the idea that learning needs to feel relevant to
today's challenges, not just tomorrow's. People need to see the connection between development
(05:21):
and survival. Which leads to the third point, treat development like survival gear, not a perk.
In a world where AI, market disruptions and global crises are the norm,
learning isn't enrichment, it's endurance. That's a powerful reframe. Stop saying, here's
a nice learning opportunity if you have time and start saying, here's what you need to know to
(05:44):
remain relevant. And speaking of AI, there's a whole section about using automation wisely.
The idea isn't just to use AI to create more efficient learning. It's to use AI to free up
time for learning in the first place. Oh, that's an interesting angle. So AI isn't just changing
what we need to learn, but potentially giving us the space to learn it.
(06:05):
Exactly. But only if we're intentional about it. If organizations just use AI to increase
productivity expectations, we're back to square one with no time. The key is deliberately
redirecting that reclaimed time toward development. I'm also struck by the point about experiences
versus courses. The report mentioned that 58% of employees are already seeking development-related
(06:30):
experiences outside formal training. They're voting with their feet. People know instinctively
that real growth happens through experiences that stretch them. But the report emphasizes
that throwing someone into the deep end alone isn't effective. You need coaching and reflection
alongside challenging experiences. Real leadership growth doesn't happen when you throw someone into
(06:53):
the deep end alone. It happens when you swim alongside them. I really like that metaphor.
It's powerful, right? Development isn't passive. It's an act of shared building.
And that brings us to what I think is the most important shift in mindset from the whole report.
What's that? We need to stop asking, how do we get people to prioritize learning and start asking,
(07:17):
how do we build learning that prioritizes them? Their reality, their urgency, their needs.
That's the million dollar question, isn't it? How do we design learning that fits into the compressed,
chaotic reality of today's workplace? And it's not one size fits all. The report made clear that
different generations have different obstacles. A Gen X manager with three kids needs something
(07:41):
very different from a Gen Z employee, trying to find direction. So what are you taking away from all
this? What's the one thing L&D professionals should be focusing on? If I had to boil it down,
I'd say, stop treating time as an afterthought in learning design. Time is the primary constraint.
Design around it, not despite it. What about you? For me, it's about embedding learning into the
(08:05):
workflow rather than extracting people from it. The days of, let's all go to this two-day workshop
are numbered. Learning has to happen in the seams of real work. I think our listeners have a lot
to chew on here. Time isn't just another factor in learning design. It's the factor. And as L&D
(08:25):
professionals, we need to radically rethink our approaches to work within that constraint.
Absolutely. So listeners, we'd love to hear from you. How are you addressing the time crunch in your
learning initiatives? What's working? What's not? Drop us a note on our website or social channels.
And if you're feeling that time pressure yourself, remember, small, embedded learning moments can
(08:49):
be more powerful than grand disruptive initiatives. Start there. That's it for this week's Bite-sized
L&D. I'm Donna. And I'm Jakob Lasker, reminding you that the future of learning isn't about more
content. It's about fitting the right content into the reality of work. We've reached the end of
(09:13):
today's podcast where we explored how time constraints challenge learning and development,
emphasizing the need for integrating learning into workflows and leveraging AI to make room for
growth. Don't forget to like, subscribe and share this episode with your friends and colleagues
so they can also stay updated on the latest news and gain powerful insights. Stay tuned for more updates.
Welcome to Bite-Sized L&D, your quick, no-nonsense update on the latest in workplace learning.
(00:10):
Today we'll tackle the pervasive issue of time constraints in learning and development,
uncovering how to seamlessly embed learning into your daily workflow and leverage AI to
free up precious time.
Alright, let's get straight into it.
Hey everyone, welcome to another episode of Bite-Sized L&D.
I'm Donna, and as always, I'm joined by my brilliant co-host.
(00:34):
Yakov Lasker here. Thanks for tuning in to our weekly dose of learning and development
insights that you can actually use.
Today, we're diving into something I think every single one of our listeners is feeling.
The absolute time crunch that's crushing learning initiatives everywhere.
It's not just in your organization, it's everywhere.
(00:54):
Absolutely, and there's fresh research that puts some hard numbers on what we've all been
experiencing. The latest Gallup study from Q1 2025 is pretty eye-opening. Get this.
41% of employees say the biggest barrier to their development isn't interest or resources,
it's simply not having enough time.
(01:15):
That number doesn't surprise me at all. When your calendar looks like a game of
Tetris where all the blocks are meetings, finding even an hour for focused learning
feels impossible.
Right. And it's not just front-line employees feeling the squeeze.
The same study found that 37% of managers cite time away from daily responsibilities
(01:36):
as their main obstacle to supporting employee development.
And at the very top, 89% of key HROs, the people literally in charge of development,
say time away from the job is the biggest challenge to participation.
So we've got a consensus up and down the corporate ladder.
It's not that people don't want to learn, they're just drowning in deliverables.
(01:57):
I think that's a really important distinction.
Exactly. Too often organizations misinterpret lack of time as lack of interest.
They build these elaborate learning platforms and wonder why adoption is low.
Meanwhile, employees are just trying to keep their heads above water.
You know what I find fascinating? The report mentions that we don't actually have a learning
(02:19):
problem. We have a time problem. That's a perspective shift for many L&D professionals
who've been focused on creating better content rather than addressing the time constraint.
And that time constraint is getting worse, not better.
With AI and automation raising productivity expectations,
people feel even more pressure to show immediate results.
(02:41):
Every hour spent on development feels like an hour not spent on real work.
Let's talk about those invisible forces making traditional leadership development obsolete.
The first one really hit home for me. Work bleeding into life.
That boundary is basically gone, right?
Totally gone. Between remote work, always on communication and the gig economy,
(03:05):
people aren't just working nine to five anymore.
They're fitting work around child care, side hustles, elder care, you name it.
Taking a full day for training, forget about it.
And different generations feel this differently.
The research showed millennials specifically cite personal and family responsibilities
as major obstacles. As a millennial myself, I can confirm we're in that sandwich generation
(03:31):
caring for both kids and parents. Meanwhile, Gen Z is more concerned with financial
limitations and career uncertainty. They're wondering if they're even learning the right
skills for an unclear future. That's a very different problem than not having enough hours in
the day. And let's not forget the shelf life of skills is shrinking dramatically.
The World Economic Forum study mentioned in the report predicts that 39% of existing skill sets
(03:56):
will be transformed or outdated between 2025 and 2030. That's terrifying.
Five years. Just five years to see nearly 40% of your skills become obsolete.
And most leadership programs still run on these long, drawn out schedules.
By the time you finish a traditional development program, what you learned at the beginning
(04:18):
might already be outdated. Okay, so we've established the problem,
but I'm more interested in solutions. What's actually working out there?
The report outlines some promising approaches. First, we need to stop designing training around
checkpoints and start designing around critical moments. When leaders are making actual decisions,
(04:39):
that's when learning sticks. So embedding learning into the workflow,
rather than pulling people out of it. I love that. It reminds me of the whole concept of
performance support versus traditional training. Exactly. And the second big shift is proving
immediate value. Leaders should feel the payoff right away, not six months down the road. The
(04:59):
data showed that organizations focusing on three specific areas, strengths, employee engagement
and manager development, saw engagement increase by 20 percentage points.
That's significant. And I think it speaks to the idea that learning needs to feel relevant to
today's challenges, not just tomorrow's. People need to see the connection between development
(05:21):
and survival. Which leads to the third point, treat development like survival gear, not a perk.
In a world where AI, market disruptions and global crises are the norm,
learning isn't enrichment, it's endurance. That's a powerful reframe. Stop saying, here's
a nice learning opportunity if you have time and start saying, here's what you need to know to
(05:44):
remain relevant. And speaking of AI, there's a whole section about using automation wisely.
The idea isn't just to use AI to create more efficient learning. It's to use AI to free up
time for learning in the first place. Oh, that's an interesting angle. So AI isn't just changing
what we need to learn, but potentially giving us the space to learn it.
(06:05):
Exactly. But only if we're intentional about it. If organizations just use AI to increase
productivity expectations, we're back to square one with no time. The key is deliberately
redirecting that reclaimed time toward development. I'm also struck by the point about experiences
versus courses. The report mentioned that 58% of employees are already seeking development-related
(06:30):
experiences outside formal training. They're voting with their feet. People know instinctively
that real growth happens through experiences that stretch them. But the report emphasizes
that throwing someone into the deep end alone isn't effective. You need coaching and reflection
alongside challenging experiences. Real leadership growth doesn't happen when you throw someone into
(06:53):
the deep end alone. It happens when you swim alongside them. I really like that metaphor.
It's powerful, right? Development isn't passive. It's an act of shared building.
And that brings us to what I think is the most important shift in mindset from the whole report.
What's that? We need to stop asking, how do we get people to prioritize learning and start asking,
(07:17):
how do we build learning that prioritizes them? Their reality, their urgency, their needs.
That's the million dollar question, isn't it? How do we design learning that fits into the compressed,
chaotic reality of today's workplace? And it's not one size fits all. The report made clear that
different generations have different obstacles. A Gen X manager with three kids needs something
(07:41):
very different from a Gen Z employee, trying to find direction. So what are you taking away from all
this? What's the one thing L&D professionals should be focusing on? If I had to boil it down,
I'd say, stop treating time as an afterthought in learning design. Time is the primary constraint.
Design around it, not despite it. What about you? For me, it's about embedding learning into the
(08:05):
workflow rather than extracting people from it. The days of, let's all go to this two-day workshop
are numbered. Learning has to happen in the seams of real work. I think our listeners have a lot
to chew on here. Time isn't just another factor in learning design. It's the factor. And as L&D
(08:25):
professionals, we need to radically rethink our approaches to work within that constraint.
Absolutely. So listeners, we'd love to hear from you. How are you addressing the time crunch in your
learning initiatives? What's working? What's not? Drop us a note on our website or social channels.
And if you're feeling that time pressure yourself, remember, small, embedded learning moments can
(08:49):
be more powerful than grand disruptive initiatives. Start there. That's it for this week's Bite-sized
L&D. I'm Donna. And I'm Jakob Lasker, reminding you that the future of learning isn't about more
content. It's about fitting the right content into the reality of work. We've reached the end of
(09:13):
today's podcast where we explored how time constraints challenge learning and development,
emphasizing the need for integrating learning into workflows and leveraging AI to make room for
growth. Don't forget to like, subscribe and share this episode with your friends and colleagues
so they can also stay updated on the latest news and gain powerful insights. Stay tuned for more updates.
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