499 — Why workplace learning has never been more important

Jun 9, 2026

According to Dr Tessa Forshaw, Faculty Director of the Harvard Graduate School of Education's Workforce Learning and Innovation Initiative, workplace learning has never been more important. It's also never been at greater risk.

In this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast, Tessa joins Ross D and Matt to discuss:

• the role of L&D at a time when the World Economic Forum has estimated that 59% of the global workforce will need retrained by the end of the decade
• the importance of 'desirable difficulty' in learning, and how this is undermined by technologies like AI
• what the future of L&D should look like in an environment where skills needs are evolving at such a rapid pace.

You can find out more about The Future of Workforce Learning and Innovation certificate programme here. Enter the code MIND5 for a discount on the programme.

In 'What I Learned This Week', Matt referenced research exploring the similarities between whale and human communication.

For more from Mindtools Kineo, visit  our website mindtools-kineo.com. There, you'll also find details of our Learning Management Systems, Content Hub for leaders and managers, and custom learning design service.