The juggernaut of HCM trundles on

Published in February 2025, the Fosway 9-Grid™ pour les systèmes d'apprentissage looks at the market for Suites and Specialist platforms in the learning technology space. Here, Fosway analysts look at how other platform categories intersect with learning systems and what that might mean in future.

Our research last year into Large Enterprise Learning showed that the learning systems landscape for large enterprises is very different to that of the mid-enterprise or mid-market. Acquisitions (particularly by Cornerstone) have reduced the buying choices for large enterprise customers. That has created a vacuum pulling in some of the more progressive Core Leaders and Strategic Challengers, but the biggest competition is now with the learning offerings from the strategic HCM vendors.

Whilst the situation is not as pronounced in the mid-market, over recent years, mid-enterprise HCM solutions have also been acquiring or partnering with learning systems too. As the skills challenge becomes universal, the importance of a good skills and learning solution to HCM only grows further. That impacts the 9-Grid™ too, as acquired learning systems disappear into an integrated HCM buy and disappear as standalone systems.

The continued rise of LX, but no respite for LXP

Last year, we discussed that buyers were prioritising improving learning experiences (LX), but demand for standalone LX platforms (LXP) had declined. Key LX drivers such as personalised skills-based recommendations, slick UX, smart search, and seamless access to relevant learning, remain critical. In the mid-enterprise market, where most learning systems now offer both learning experience (LX) and learning management (LM) capabilities that shift is obvious.

However, large enterprises face greater complexity and challenges in scaling LX improvements within their existing systems. The LXP category is becoming further marginalised, both being subsumed into integrated learning suites or becoming an extension to wider employee experience or workplace productivity platforms.

Creativity required to meet frontline worker needs

Frontline workers continue to be a key focus for digital communication and learning. Having been neglected for many years, whether in manufacturing, transport, call centres, retail or hospitality, frontline (often deskless) workers require a different approach to desk-based knowledge workers and often need dedicated digital solutions. Technology vendors need to step-up and creatively solve these issues for deskless too. It’s time to think out of the box of the current desktop, or even mobile offering. But corporate thinking and engagement from L&D teams needs to change as well.

Fosway is seeing some great examples of where vendors and corporates are partnering to create something different. It could be the use of a digital screen on a production line with SME-generated video to remind a new operator of a process (no audio because of the machine noise), or screenless content (podcasts) for field sales engineers out on the road, or adaptive content to decrease call times and increase NPS for workers in call centres. More creativity is needed in understanding as well as solving the needs in the frontline.

Ceci est un extrait de le Fosway 9-Grid™ pour les systèmes d'apprentissage. Obtenez une vision complète et découvrez toutes les dernières tendances du marché et des solutions en lisant l'intégralité du rapport ici.

Que devriez-vous faire ensuite ?

• Sign up to be part of Digital Learning Realities 2025 – ignore the hype and be part of the reality of modern digital learning. Share your experiences in this year’s research cycle here.
• How is AI affecting HR and learning leaders? Add your voice to Fosway’s strategic AI projects for 2025.

Autres lectures recommandées

• Browse everything related to Cloud HR in the Fosway Group Knowledge Centre. Find out more here.
• Le Fosway 9-Grid 2024^TM for Digital Learning– full report. While you wait for this year’s look at the market and solution trends in learning content providers – have a read through last year’s report.
• Rethinking HCM: This is the new provider landscape – get the Fosway view.

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