Let me set the scene. It’s my first month on the job. My manager sends me a link to a learning management system and tells me to complete my onboarding training. I click in and I’m greeted by a 47-slide PowerPoint that someone clearly built in 2016, a few grainy videos with robotic narration and a quiz at the end that I could pass without actually watching any of it.

I finished it in under an hour. I retained almost none of it.

Sound familiar?

If you work in L&D or HR, I want you to hear this, not as a complaint, but as honest feedback from the generation you’re now trying to train, develop and retain. Gen Z isn’t disengaged because we don’t care about learning. We’re disengaged because the way most organizations deliver learning doesn’t match the way we actually learn.

We Grew Up Learning Differently

Here’s something worth understanding about Gen Z: We didn’t discover the internet. We were born into it. By the time we entered the workforce, we had already spent years learning how to do things through YouTube tutorials, TikTok breakdowns, Reddit threads and Discord communities. We learned to edit videos, code apps, start businesses and develop skills, entirely self-directed, entirely on our own time and almost always in short, digestible formats.

So when we show up to work and get handed a three-day instructor-led training, it doesn’t just feel boring. It feels inefficient.

That’s not arrogance. That’s just the reality of how our learning instincts were shaped.

What We Actually Want

Let me be specific, because “Gen Z learns differently” is a vague statement that doesn’t help anyone build a better training program.

1. Bite-sized and on-demand. We want to learn in the moment we need it, not three weeks before we need it in a scheduled session. Microlearning works for us. A 5-minute video, a quick how-to guide, a short interactive module we can pull up on our phone between meetings. That’s the format that fits our workflow and our attention spans. This isn’t laziness; it’s efficiency.
2. Relevant and immediately applicable. If I can’t connect what I’m learning to something I’ll use this week, I’m going to struggle to stay engaged. Gen Z responds to learning that feels practical and tied to real outcomes. Tell us why we’re learning something and what we’ll be able to do after. Context matters more than content volume.
3. Social and collaborative. We don’t just want to learn at something, we want to learn with people. Peer learning, group discussions, mentorship and even social learning features inside platforms (think comments, reactions, shared notes) make the experience feel alive. We grew up learning in communities online and that instinct doesn’t disappear at work.
4. Personalized to our path. Not everyone on a team has the same skills gaps or career goals. Cookie-cutter learning paths feel tone-deaf to us. We want development that feels tailored, with learning recommendations based on our role, our goals and where we actually want to grow. AI-powered learning platforms are starting to make this possible, and Gen Z notices and appreciates when a company invests in that kind of experience.
5. Continuous, not episodic Learning shouldn’t feel like a once-a-year event tied to performance review season. We want it woven into our day-to-day work. Small opportunities to grow, consistent feedback, stretch assignments. This is what keeps us engaged and feeling like we’re moving forward.

What L&D Teams Should Do About It

I’m not here to just point out the problem. Here’s what I’d actually recommend if you’re building or rethinking your learning programs with Gen Z in mind:

• Audit your content for relevance and format. If it’s longer than 15 minutes and can’t be broken up, ask yourself if it needs to be. Could this be a shorter, more focused live session rather than an all-day training event? Could this PDF become an interactive module?
• Build in social learning touchpoints. Cohort-based programs, peer mentorship pairings and even Slack channels dedicated to sharing resources go a long way. Don’t underestimate informal learning.
• Use technology that feels modern. Gen Z can tell the difference between a platform that was built for us and one that was built in 2010. Investing in a modern LXP (Learning Experience Platform) signals that the company takes development seriously.
• Ask us what we want. Run a survey. Do focus groups. Include Gen Z employees in the design of learning programs. We’ll give you better insights than any generational report will.
• Tie learning to career growth explicitly. Show us the path. If completing this learning track means I’m on track for a promotion or a new role, say that. Connect development to opportunity clearly and often.

The Bottom Line

Gen Z isn’t a hard generation to develop. We actually want to grow. We’re ambitious, curious and used to teaching ourselves things. The opportunity for L&D leaders is to meet us where we are, rather than asking us to adapt to systems built for a workforce that no longer exists.

Get the format right, make it relevant and give us community around it. Do that and you won’t just train Gen Z. You’ll build some of the most self-directed, engaged learners in your organization.

And maybe retire that 47-slide PowerPoint. I’m begging you.

The post What Gen Z Actually Wants from Workplace Learning</br> Spoiler: It’s not a 4-hour training module appeared first on Brandon Hall Group.

I’ll be honest. When I hear HR leaders talk about AI in the workplace like it’s some far-off concept they’re “exploring,” it’s a little confusing to me. I’m 22. I’ve had AI in my pocket since middle school. My generation didn’t just watch technology evolve, we grew up inside of it.

So why is Gen Z still walking into workplaces that feel like they’re stuck in 2012?

It’s a question our research here at Brandon Hall Group answers really well. The data is clear: AI is reshaping how organizations develop, engage and retain talent. The organizations that are leaning into that shift are pulling ahead and Gen Z, the most tech-native generation in history, is paying close attention to which employers are keeping up.

AI Isn’t Coming. It’s Already Here.

Let me put some numbers on this. According to Brandon Hall Group’s HCM Outlook 2025, AI is rapidly becoming central to HR functions including learning and development, talent management and leadership development. The organizations that are moving fast on this aren’t just keeping up, they’re pulling ahead.

And yet 40% of HR departments still have no formal strategy for AI expansion, according to Brandon Hall Group research, despite growing pressure to act. That gap is wild to me. We’re not talking about some experimental technology anymore. We’re talking about tools that can personalize learning, predict skill gaps and support employees in real time.

As our CEO Mike Cooke put it: “The integration of AI into HR, Learning and Talent Management isn’t just a technological upgrade. It’s a fundamental reimagining of how we develop, engage and empower our workforce.”

That reimagining needs to happen now. Not in three years.

Gen Z Expects More From Workplace Tech

Here’s something HR leaders need to understand about my generation: We don’t separate our digital lives from our work lives. We use AI to write, research, solve problems and learn new skills on a daily basis. And according to Brandon Hall Group research, 49% of Gen Z employees use AI regularly to improve their skills at work.

So when we show up to a job and the tech stack feels clunky, outdated or just absent, it’s a red flag. It signals that the organization isn’t investing in us the way we’re expected to invest in them.

This matters for retention, too. Brandon Hall Group research makes clear that organizations that invest in smart, personalized, technology-driven development are the ones winning Gen Z loyalty. That’s not a coincidence. That’s cause and effect.

The Learning and Development Opportunity Is Huge

This is where I think the biggest opportunity lives for HR and L&D leaders. Gen Z doesn’t want to sit through a generic training module. We learn by doing, by collaborating, by applying things in real situations. AI makes that possible at scale in a way that was never feasible before.

Brandon Hall Group research shows that only 42% of organizations report strong alignment between learning initiatives and business goals. That’s a problem for every employee, but it hits differently for a generation that came in expecting development to be continuous, relevant and personalized.

Michael Rochelle, our Chief Strategy Officer and Principal Analyst, framed it well: “What sets the leading organizations apart is the focus on balancing Human Intelligence with AI. HR leaders must become change agents guiding transformation, without losing the human element that drives organizational success.”

That balance is exactly what Gen Z is looking for. We’re not asking for AI to replace the human parts of work. We’re asking for technology that makes learning smarter, feedback faster and career paths clearer.

The Organizations Getting It Right

The good news is that some organizations are absolutely nailing this. Brandon Hall Group’s Excellence in Technology Awards have recognized companies using AI to drive real, measurable outcomes in learning and development. From personalized microlearning platforms to generative AI tools that support employees in real time, the playbook exists. It just needs to be adopted more widely.

As Rachel Cooke, our COO, said about this year’s award winners: “The winners exemplify how technology can unlock new possibilities, improving performance, enabling smarter decision-making and transforming how organizations support and develop their people.”

That’s the standard. And honestly? It’s not out of reach for most organizations. It just requires committing to it.

A Note to HR and L&D Leaders

If you’re reading this and thinking about how to better engage Gen Z at your organization, here’s my honest take: We’re not hard to retain if you invest in us the right way. Give us tools that actually work. Give us learning that’s personalized and connected to real career growth. Use AI to make our development smarter, not just faster.

We grew up in a world where technology adapted to us. We’re going to gravitate toward workplaces that do the same.

The research backs it up. The tools are there. Now it’s just about making it happen.

The post Gen Z Grew Up on the Internet.</br> Here’s Why AI at Work Just Makes Sense. appeared first on Brandon Hall Group.