HR leaders need to stop training employees and start teaching them how to learn.
That’s according to Irma Horvath, head of learning and development for Norwegian learning and engagement platform company Kahoot. While school-aged children may recognize the global company for its multiple-choice quiz games, Kahoot has a wide variety of apps and digital tools aiming to make learning more accessible and impactful.
Horvath takes that mission seriously within the workplace, not just for employee well-being, but also as a strategy to navigate rapid change. Here’s how she does it.
Why should companies shift from traditional training to a focus on teaching employees how to learn?
Traditional training often works on the assumption that delivering content leads directly to capability. But in reality, the pace of change in most industries is so fast that specific skills can become outdated quickly. What really sets teams up for long-term success isn’t just what they know—it’s how well they learn.
When companies shift their focus toward helping people learn how to learn—how to ask better questions, evaluate information critically and apply insights across contexts—they’re building resilience, adaptability and the ability to keep growing through change.
It’s no longer enough to push knowledge one way and hope it sticks. The most forward-thinking organizations are investing in curiosity, critical thinking and learning agility, skills that help people navigate uncertainty and drive their own development.
Interestingly, some of the most effective programs we’ve seen aren’t the ones packed with content, but those that spark reflection, self-directed exploration and peer learning. Teaching people how to learn is no longer a soft skill, it’s a strategic advantage.
What are the biggest barriers preventing employees from developing a continuous learning habit?
One of the biggest blockers is simply time. Most employees are juggling competing priorities, and learning often gets pushed aside in favor of more immediate tasks. In our recent Workplace Culture Report, nearly half of U.S. desk workers told us that time constraints and workload are the top reasons they don’t prioritize learning. That’s a pretty clear signal: If learning isn’t embedded into the rhythm of work, it’s unlikely to happen at all.
Another barrier is how learning is delivered. When training feels generic, overly formal or disconnected from real-life challenges, people naturally disengage. Almost half of workers say training is boring, and over a third say it’s just not engaging.
That’s a missed opportunity. The challenge for HR leaders is to design learning experiences that feel relevant, energizing and worth people’s time—something employees actually want to lean into, not something they feel obligated to get through.
How can organizations foster a culture where learning is self-driven rather than top-down?
It starts with trust and ownership. People are far more likely to drive their own learning when they feel a sense of autonomy and psychological safety. That means moving beyond a checklist mindset and creating space for curiosity, experimentation and shared learning. The most effective cultures normalize learning as part of the everyday—not as an extra task, but as something woven into how teams reflect, collaborate and grow.
One powerful way to do this is by unlocking the knowledge already sitting inside the organization. Our research shows that nearly 60 percent of employees hold valuable expertise that often goes untapped. Creating more peer-to-peer learning moments, whether through mentoring, lunch-and-learns, project showcases or knowledge-sharing rituals can make learning more social, practical and continuous.
When people feel they own their development, and that their insights are valued, it becomes part of the culture, not just a company initiative.
How can technology make workplace learning more engaging and effective, and what are the best ways to apply it?
Technology has huge potential to shift learning from passive consumption to active engagement but only if it’s applied intentionally. The goal shouldn’t just be digitizing content. It should be creating meaningful learning moments: interactive, personalized and integrated into the way people already work. Whether it’s through real-time feedback, gamified experiences or collaborative tools, tech can help bring learning to life in a way that feels dynamic and human.
That said, the best solutions are the ones that meet people where they are: on their phones, in their team chats or embedded into project workflows. Learning doesn’t always need to be a formal event, it can happen in short bursts, through peer interactions or right in the flow of work. When tech is used to make learning more relevant, more social and more emotionally resonant, it stops feeling like a box to check and starts becoming a habit people want to build.
