Why Adaptability, Growth and Thriving Matter – In a world where change is the only constant, HPC’s Kevin Hannigan believes the organisations that succeed will be those that learn faster, adapt sooner, and prioritise growth.
Automation, AI, and shifting work models are transforming the very fabric of work. The World Economic Forum estimates that nearly 39% of roles will require entirely new skill sets by 2030, while Gallup reports that only a third of employees describe themselves as thriving. These figures underscore the world of work is changing at an unprecedented pace and that there is a potential, amidst all this change, to leave people behind.
Why These Three Skills Matter Now
If we are to deliver on the promise that new technologies provide, we must face the stark reality that success in this era will depend less on static expertise and to a much greater extent on the capacity of our organisations to adapt, grow, and thrive.
Recent practitioner reports echo this urgency. The OLxD 2025 Organisational Learning & Development Report identifies a culture of continuous learning and reskilling as the top priorities for learning professionals. Similarly, LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report warns of a looming skills crisis, with almost half of executives concerned that employees lack the capabilities to execute strategy.
For learning leaders, this is a pivotal moment. The question is not whether change will happen—it is how quickly we can equip our people to respond. Given the pace of change, this means reducing the time to competence for critical skills and also ensuring that our people are curious, adaptable and engaged. Organisations that fail to prioritise these traits risk falling behind in an economy where agility is the ultimate competitive advantage.
Adaptability: Building Agility in a World of Constant Change
Adaptability is no longer optional; it is existential.
McKinsey’s research on workforce resilience stresses that leaders must foster environments where employees can pivot quickly, embrace uncertainty, and experiment without fear of failure. Amy Edmondson’s work on psychological safety is also instructive. In Right Kind of Wrong, Edmondson argues that organisations thrive when they 
distinguish between “intelligent failures” (which drive learning) and avoidable mistakes.
Adaptability is not just about reacting to disruption; it is about anticipating it. Organisations that invest in adaptive learning strategies will be better positioned to seize opportunities rather than merely survive shocks.
Practical steps for learning leaders:
// Embed lifelong learning as a strategic priority and set engagement in lifelong learning as a core metric
// Encourage leaders to model vulnerability and curiosity, signalling that adaptability is valued
// Use scenario-based learning to prepare teams for ambiguity and rapid change
// Consider introducing “learning sprints” or hackathons to encourage rapid experimentation and cross-functional collaboration
Growth: Cultivating Skills and Mindsets for the Future
Growth is not just about technical upskilling; it’s about nurturing human potential.
Reports from Udemy and CIPD emphasise the rise of human skills such as empathy, problem-solving, and resilience alongside digital fluency. Dan Pink’s insights in Drive remind us that autonomy, mastery, and purpose remain powerful motivators for learning. When employees see a clear link between development and career progression, engagement soars.
Growth is a shared responsibility. Learning leaders must partner with business units to ensure development initiatives align with organisational priorities while empowering individuals to take ownership of their learning journeys.
Practical steps for learning leaders:
// Develop transparent skills frameworks and career pathways to give employees clarity and confidence
// Combine technical training with growth mindset interventions to build confidence and adaptability
// Encourage mentoring and peer learning networks to amplify knowledge sharing and foster a culture of continuous improvement
Thriving: Creating Cultures Where People Flourish
Thriving cultures are built on trust and inclusion.
Thriving goes beyond surviving disruption; it means enabling people to feel energised, connected, and purposeful. Research shows that psychological safety, well-being programmes, and inclusive leadership are key drivers. David Epstein’s Range reinforces the value of broad learning and diverse experiences in fostering creativity and resilience.
When employees feel safe, supported, and valued, they bring their best selves to work—fuelling innovation and long-term success. Organisations should also consider flexible work models and employee voice programmes to strengthen engagement and belonging.
Practical steps for learning leaders:
// Invest in well-being initiatives that address mental health and work-life balance
// Promote cross-disciplinary projects to spark innovation and broaden perspectives
// Recognise and reward behaviours that reflect adaptability and continuous improvement
Looking Ahead: The Role of Learning Leaders
Learning leaders must champion strategies that integrate adaptability, growth, and thriving into organisational DNA. This means moving beyond transactional training to strategic capability building, leveraging AI for personalised learning, and embedding development into the flow of work.
As Amy Edmondson reminds us, “No skill is more important than learning from failure.” In a world where change is the only constant, the organisations that succeed will be those that learn faster, adapt sooner, and prioritise growth.
Kevin Hannigan – HPC
Kevin leads the Learning and Talent Consulting offering and is also CEO at HPC. He works with clients to develop, deliver and evaluate bespoke solutions that drive performance across their business.
He is a highly skilled consultant and facilitator with a wealth of experience in designing the systems and processes that support effective learning, measurement and talent development.
Before joining HPC in 2013, Kevin was head of learning and development for Matheson, Ireland’s largest law firm and for C&C Ireland.
kevin.hannigan@wearehpc.com
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We will also be working more regularly from our new London base in Heron Tower, Bishopsgate. Located on the northeastern corner of the financial hub of the City, its central location allows us to connect with existing and new clients.
Kevin then asked Robert about what drives learning transfer. In Robert’s view, many factors drive learning transfer, some of which happen before the learning takes place, and some of which take place after the learning. In Robert’s experience, about 80% of the impact of learning depends on these before and after elements. Some specific considerations that Robert highlighted are:
Kevin noted how these elements suggest that the involvement and support of the learner’s line manager is key, and probed Robert a little more on this. Robert emphasised that the manager is key to the learner developing a sense of accountability for applying their learning and that this, in turn, depends on there being a dialogue with the manager before and after the learning. Robert noted how often “most people are held accountable for participating” but that this is not enough for learning to deliver real and consequential value to the organisation.
The final part of the discussion explored the value of the Promote platform. HPC uses Promote to facilitate learning transfer for clients and to create a compelling blended experience for programme participants. Since starting to use the platform in 2016, it has supported thousands of learners to continue their learning journey beyond the “classroom”. Kevin first came across the Promote platform when reading a report that Robert had joined the company as an advisor and he was curious as to how Robert had become involved. Robert first encountered the platform after he had retired, noting that for most of his career training was event-focused. Robert knew of the importance of the before and after factors that wrap around a training event, as well as the reliance on managers, all of which was hard to do. The Promote platform, in Robert’s words, was “what we’ve needed all along! When I saw it, I came off the retirement bench to get involved as much as I could in this promising technology!” The platform allows you to manage the before and after factors, giving you control and allowing you to connect with your learners in their workplace. Equally, there is no place to hide for a learner anymore because we can see it and do something about it. With Promote, learners are accountable for doing something useful with their learning.
As Kevin and Robert wrapped up their conversation, Robert graciously took two questions from the audience. The first question to Robert was “if he felt that L&D professionals needed to become more sales and marketing-focused to sell the benefits of learning solutions to a business.” Robert emphasised the importance of L&D professionals using data to provide evidence that training pays off, and even to show when learning is not being fully utilised and how a business could get more from it. He used the term “User education” to remind us that learning doesn’t just work magically and that you need to do something with the learning to get value from it. Being able to show a manager what is working, and where there is value not being fully exploited is very impactful. He spoke about a shift in the “user” mindset about learning. Learning is no longer about filling seats but instead is concerned with making sure L&D provides value to our clients. He ended this response by urging L&D professionals to “market the bejesus out of learning to clients”.
When Bob Dylan released “The Times They Are A-Changin’” in 1964 it no doubt resonated with people who could see change happening all around them. History since then has taught us that every generation feels like this. Things are changing faster than ever before, and while we would like to stop all the change for a little while to draw breath, this simply isn’t going to be possible. So, as we face ever faster and more dramatic changes in our lives at work and home, we need to revisit our personal beliefs about change. While a yearning for stability and predictability is very human, not least because it tries to preserve scarce decisional resources, your brain is perfectly capable of learning, evolving, presenting you with decision options, and weighing risk. We can’t expect the level of change to lessen, so we must embrace the need for continuous change and personal evolution.
We might not all feel the same way about an upcoming change. We may not all relish the challenge of crisis or discontinuity. We can all cope with these challenges, but only by letting go of the worn-out belief that we can’t change. Our brains are designed to adapt, but our minds often try to avoid the work. In a world where more change is certain, embrace your own in-built capability to learn, try, fail, and ultimately change.