Employee Education – A Missed Opportunity or Leadership Priority?

Now that AI tooling and automation disrupt traditional workflows, businesses could take a page from the early education playbook when it comes to equipping employees with the skills to adapt and thrive in the age of AI.

In today’s technological landscape ,where AI automates repetitive tasks and reshapes job roles, companies that fail to prepare their workforce with training and education risk falling behind in productivity, innovation, and ultimately employee retention.

For many business leaders, offering employees continued education and training opportunities is often an afterthought, relegated to sporadic training sessions, or focused solely on initial onboarding. But employee education is quickly moving up the priority list for executives as they realize AI is a fixture in their future reality.

As AI asserts itself as a tool for hiring and other HR functions, modern leaders are adapting their organization’s employee education not only to stay competitive but to equip their teams with the skills to pivot to new workflows, technologies, and responsibilities.

Companies that prioritize this learning curve will gain a competitive advantage and be able to meet the evolving AI landscape head-on. Yet those who fail to address employee education — especially in the AI era — will quickly feel the ramifications, such as ‌stagnant skill sets within their employees, low engagement, missed innovation opportunities, and a significant AI skills gap.

In our current era of “AI everywhere,” employee education has become more crucial than ever. Businesses must equip their teams with the skills to adapt and thrive in this rapidly evolving landscape.

The core problem: Employee education is an afterthought

In early child education, every aspect of the curriculum is proactive and intentional: How kids learn, what motivates them, and how to build a foundation for lifelong success. Conversely, employee education tends to be reactive — fixing knowledge gaps when problems arise — rather than proactive.

Employers who aren’t teaching about AI aren’t innovating, and employee education is where innovation can happen. As AI tools become mainstream, businesses with untrained employees may struggle to leverage their full potential. Workers must understand how to use these tools effectively, interpret and decipher AI-driven insights, and manage ethical implications. After all, the lack of growth opportunities is a leading reason employees disengage, feel undervalued, and leave. Research from Gallup shows that employees who feel their company invests in their professional development are more engaged, more productive, and more likely to stay long-term.

What businesses can learn from early childhood education

Childhood educators don’t just teach; they create learning environments. Companies can borrow these principles from such an approach:

• Personalize it. In pre-K programs, teachers recognize that every child learns in a unique way. Similarly, employees have diverse learning needs and preferences, and a one-size-fits-all training program isn’t enough. Individualized Learning Plans cater to individual career goals and learning styles. Learning Management Systems (LMS) is just one of the technologies that provide tailored learning paths. AI-driven tools can be leveraged to identify knowledge gaps and recommend tailored learning paths.
• Active engagement. Passive learning (e.g., watching a slideshow) rarely sticks with employees. Just as young children learn best through play and hands-on activities, so do adults. Interactive workshops, group discussions, and real-world problem-solving exercises make learning more engaging and effective. AI simulations or gamified tools can easily be incorporated to create dynamic, hands-on learning experiences.
• Consistent reinforcement. Repetition and practice are cornerstones of childhood education. Without reinforcement, new knowledge tends to fade quickly. By enforcing repeated use of AI tools, employers can replace unfamiliarity with frequent use.
• Continuous learning. Ongoing education is most effective when integrated into a workplace culture. Regular skill refreshers, certifications, or weekly “learning hours” are great ongoing programs. Similarly, AI platforms can provide continuous micro-learning opportunities, keeping employees up to date on emerging technologies.
• Create a safe learning environment. Kids learn best when they feel safe to explore and make mistakes, and employees are no different. A culture that encourages questions and experimentation creates a psychological safety net, where employees feel comfortable trying new things. Encourage employees to experiment with AI tools without fear of judgment or worry about whether it’ll replace their job. This will foster trust and encourage an innovative mindset.

Actionable steps to transform employee education

Here are five practical strategies to prioritize education in your organization:

1. Make learning a leadership priority. Education starts at the top. Leaders need to champion employee development and allocate the necessary resources to ensure its success. One example comes from Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, who transformed the corporate culture by focusing on a “learn-it-all” mindset instead of a “know-it-all” one. This shift drove innovation and growth.
2. Integrate learning into daily work. Education shouldn’t feel like a chore. Embed learning opportunities into employees’ day-to-day tasks. Assign stretch projects that challenge employees to develop new skills. Encourage employees to explore AI tools such as chatbots, analytics platforms, and agentic workflow builders during their daily work. Empower peer-to-peer knowledge sharing through mentoring or collaboration tools. For example, at Nutrient, we dialogue constantly in open Slack channels, ensuring that everyone can learn from a question asked or an idea proposed, and allowing for experts in specific areas to share their knowledge with their colleagues. Leverage technology. Modern tools can deliver scalable and engaging learning experiences. For example, implement an LMS/Wiki to centralize training materials. Incorporate “gamification” to make learning fun.  AI platforms like Coursera or LinkedIn Learning use algorithms to recommend relevant courses. Even productivity software like Notion can host a well-thought-out learning program, such as we’ve done in our ever-evolving Nutrient University.
3. Reward continuous learning. Recognition and rewards can motivate employees to invest in their growth, such as certifications or badges. Aligning learning milestones with performance reviews and promotions can document success along the way. Mark the occasion by celebrating employees who master AI tools or develop innovative uses for them in their roles. In our open “Praise” Slack channel, employees in all roles post daily shout-outs about colleagues who demonstrated initiative and innovation that benefit our teams and business success.
4. Measure impact. Similar to report cards, which track student progress in school, businesses can measure the ROI of employee education. By using metrics, the following can easily be tracked: skill improvement, employee engagement scores, productivity increases, retention rates, adoption, and effective use of AI tools within teams.

When you see the effort that goes into educating young kids, consider if you’re putting the same thought into how you educate your team. Businesses can draw inspiration from the early childhood education playbook in preparing their workforce for the AI era. By investing in thoughtful, proactive education programs, leaders can unlock the full potential of people, drive innovation, and establish trust.