Elsie Rodas

07-04-2025

How should L&D evolve to meet workforce demands in 2025?

Image by katchanatsarin via Envato Elements

Discover six strategic learning shifts - from AI-powered personalisation to internal trainers - that will redefine how your organisation builds skills and compliance

As technology, compliance standards, and workforce dynamics evolve at a rapid pace, organisations are under increasing pressure to ensure their Learning and Development (L&D) strategies are not only practical but also future-ready. In 2025, workplace training must move beyond traditional compliance checklists - it must drive capability, performance, and organisational resilience.

At The Mandatory Training Group, we work with organisations across healthcare, education, social care, manufacturing, and other highly regulated sectors. Drawing on my background as a registered nurse and L&D leader, I see a clear imperative: Training must be aligned with strategic goals, underpinned by digital innovation, and tailored to meet real-world challenges.

In this blog, Elsie explores six transformative trends shaping workplace learning in 2025 - and how your organisation can adapt to stay compliant, competitive, and prepared.

Beyond compliance - Six strategic learning shifts for 2025

Below are the six key trends reshaping workplace learning in 2025.

1. From compliance to capability - Rethinking the purpose of training

In sectors such as health and social care, training has long been compliance-driven, focusing on meeting external requirements and minimising risk. However, today’s high-performing organisations are reframing training as a tool for building capability, not just satisfying regulatory requirements.

Capability refers to the ability of teams and individuals to adapt, solve complex problems, and deliver consistent, high-quality outcomes in real-world scenarios. This goes well beyond annual e-learning modules or classroom tick-box sessions.

How to act

Embed capability development into mandatory training programmes. For example, complement your Manual Handling or Basic Life Support courses with modules that develop communication, situational awareness, and critical decision-making, especially in high-risk or high-pressure environments.

2. Blended learning 2.0 - Elevating engagement and flexibility

Blended learning isn’t new, but in 2025, it’s more innovative, more integrated, and more learner-focused than ever. The most effective programmes now combine asynchronous learning (videos, microlearning, self-paced e-learning) with synchronous experiences (live coaching, peer workshops, simulations).

This dual approach ensures that employees can learn at their own pace while still benefiting from human interaction, feedback, and real-world application.

With our ComplyPlus™ LMS and TMS, clients can build adaptive, blended pathways tailored to different job roles, learning styles, and compliance needs.

How to act

Deliver theoretical components via digital learning, followed by in-person or virtual sessions for practice and feedback. For example, use e-learning to learn the basics of infection prevention, then apply this knowledge through simulated role-play during a classroom session.

3. AI-powered learning - personalised, predictive, performance-driven

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a future trend - it’s a current driver of efficiency and personalisation in workplace training.

In 2025, AI helps L&D teams:

• Recommend personalised learning pathways based on role, performance, and learning history
• Monitor progress in real-time and flag disengagement or risk
• Automate assessments and skills gap analysis.

This is particularly powerful in regulated industries, where consistent competence is not optional - it’s mission-critical.

How to act

Select a Learning Management System (LMS) equipped with AI-powered analytics to optimise training delivery, monitor individual progress, and pinpoint learning gaps before they impact performance. AI enables timely and targeted interventions, thereby improving both outcomes and compliance.

4. The rise of internal trainers - developing talent from within

Amid rising costs and the need for context-specific training, organisations are increasingly turning to internal trainers - frontline staff who are upskilled to deliver training to their peers.

This approach ensures that training is grounded in the real day-to-day realities of the workplace, while also fostering a culture of shared accountability and leadership.

At The Mandatory Training Group, our Train the Trainer programmes (including AET Level 3 and CPD-accredited courses in First Aid, Moving & Handling, and BLS) give internal trainers everything they need - lesson plans, PowerPoint slides, assessments, registers, and certification templates, all available through our ComplyPlus™ platform.

How to act

Identify subject matter experts in your workforce and invest in their development as accredited internal trainers. This not only reduces external training spend but also strengthens your internal capacity and succession planning.

5. Data-driven L&D - Shifting from outputs to outcomes

Traditional L&D metrics, such as attendance or course completion, no longer tell the whole story. In 2025, organisations are shifting toward impact-focused training analytics.

Key questions include:

• Did the training improve employee confidence and performance?
• Did it reduce risk, incidents, or errors?
• How did it align with regulatory audits and quality outcomes?

Platforms like ComplyPlus™ help organisations build real-time dashboards that visualise this data across training activities, job roles, and departments.

How to act

Set up Key Performance Indicators (KPI) that measure not only training completion but also post-training performance. Track improvements in service quality, safety incidents, or customer outcomes to link learning directly to business results.

6. Continuous learning culture - Learning in the flow of work

Workplace learning in 2025 is not an event - it’s an ecosystem. High-performing organisations are embedding continuous learning into everyday workflows through mobile learning, bite-sized resources, and performance support tools.

This model is especially vital in fast-paced sectors such as healthcare, logistics, and public services, where traditional classroom training may not be feasible or practical on its own.

How to act

Use your LMS to deliver microlearning, checklists, and video explainers that staff can access anytime, anywhere. Encourage team leaders to integrate learning into one-to-ones, shift handovers, and team huddles. Recognise and reward learning through internal recognition or digital badges.

Preparing for the future - Evolve or risk falling behind

The trends above signal a decisive shift: Workplace training is no longer just a compliance necessity - it’s a strategic enabler of organisational agility and workforce excellence.

To stay ahead, organisations must invest in systems, people, and strategies that are:

• Scalable, to reach dispersed or growing teams
• Adaptive, to meet the needs of different learners and risk profiles
• Measurable, to demonstrate real-world impact.

Build your internal training capability with MTG

At The Mandatory Training Group, we specialise in helping highly regulated organisations design and deliver training that builds internal capability - safely, effectively, and at scale.

Led by healthcare and L&D professionals, our Train the Trainer programmes provide everything you need to empower internal experts - from accredited courses to complete teaching packs and digital tracking via ComplyPlus™.

Whether you're in healthcare, education, local government, or industry, we can help your organisation:

• Reduce external training spend
• Improve training relevance and engagement
• Ensure compliance with sector-specific standards
• Build a sustainable, future-ready workforce.

Find out more about our accredited Train the Trainer courses: