Organisations must rethink learning as skills demand rapidly evolves

Shifting skill demands driven by digitalisation and tech advancements are challenging traditional training models, says Ella Puoliväli from Aalto University Executive Education and Professional Development (Aalto EE).

Rapid changes in the world of work are forcing organisations to rethink how they develop skills, with new insights showing that learning must be embedded across every level of the business, not as a standalone function.

“Organisations can no longer rely on individual upskilling alone. The real competitive advantage comes from how effectively knowledge is shared, applied, and scaled across the business,” says Ella Puoliväli, Business Unit Director at Aalto EE.

In order to keep up with the shifting skills demand, organisations should gradually move toward continuous organisation-wide learning and integrate it into everyday work, rather than relying solely on one-off training initiatives. This approach helps businesses respond more quickly to disruption and creates the conditions for ongoing renewal, change, and growth.

“Successful organisations are no longer solely focused on individual competence. Instead, they prioritise how knowledge is shared, integrated, and translated into decision-making across the organisation,” says Ella Puoliväli.

Puoliväli emphasises that leadership plays an important role in enabling successful learning transformation. Rather than only supporting training programs, she encourages leaders to take an active role in shaping how development happens across the organisation.

“Leadership plays a critical role in turning learning into measurable business value. It is not enough to provide access to learning, leaders must ensure that it is applied and embedded into everyday work,” says Ella Puoliväli

Organisations that treat learning and development as a strategic capability, and not just a HR function, will be best positioned to succeed.

/ENDS.

For more information, or to speak with someone from Aalto EE, please contact Katie Hurley from BlueSky Education at khurley@bluesky-pr.com.