The Future of Learning is Now: Here’s how L&D can shape the Future of Field Excellence
Learning and Development (L&D) is at an evolve-or-die moment. A confluence of new technologies is reshaping workplaces and customer experience. With more data than ever before and large language models making interactions with data and artificial intelligence (AI) ever more accessible, we have come to expect experiences personalized to our needs as customers and consumers. And with estimates of this technology causing a change in the core skill needs of 44% of workers in the next five years1, there’s more pressure from the companies than ever to deliver learning at scale.
Following the launch of Nazaré’s industry-leading research on how to empower future-fit commercial, medical and market access field teams, we hosted an event of fireside chats where we explored how L&D professionals can shape the future of field excellence. This discussion was rooted in the Future of Field Excellence report, which identifies five key trends: hyper-personalized engagement, tech fluency, data-informed customer engagement, cross-functional partnerships, and strategic acumen among field teams. These trends provide a framework for understanding the critical role that learning can play in transforming the field.
Here are the key themes that emerged from that discussion with industry leaders, including our personal reflections on the conversation.
Hyper-personalized engagement: Learning that’s built around you.
The pharmaceutical industry faces ongoing challenges in effectively implementing omnichannel strategies, with only 36% of leaders believing they are successful in doing so.2 Hyper-personalized engagement is essential for creating meaningful interactions, and learning teams have an opportunity to role-model this by delivering tailored learning experiences that align with individual needs.
Mirroring our ambition to personalize how we engage our customers, AI has emerged as a powerful tool for enabling hyper-personalized engagement in learning. During the discussion, it was highlighted how some leading pharmaceutical companies are leveraging AI to provide real-time feedback and personalized coaching. This is feedback based on data from real calls, with a breadth of comparison far wider than a single manager or coach has available. This helps make the feedback more objective and accurate than that of a single person.
Real-time feedback and adaptive learning systems are central to the future of hyper-personalized learning. By integrating AI into learning platforms, L&D can use large language models to look inside data that was previously too messy to understand at scale, such as transcripts and written documents, identifying specific skill gaps and providing targeted content that helps individuals grow in areas that are most impactful to their roles.
The goal is to create learning experiences that are as individualized as possible, focused on delivering real performance gains, and mirroring the tailored approaches needed for successful customer engagement.
With all this potential, though, how to get started? Collectively, we agreed there is real value in trying small-scale internal AI-driven projects and proving their impact to illustrate how they can help the organization achieve its goals at a larger scale.
Tech fluency: Embracing our digital future with confidence
Tech fluency is becoming increasingly critical in both field-facing roles and L&D, yet adoption remains low, with only 13% of companies effectively integrating AI and machine learning2, and many are still struggling to get to grips with some of the previous generation of digital collaboration tools. To truly lead the future of field excellence, learning professionals must embrace these technologies, role-model what’s possible, and embed them into business strategies.
The discussion highlighted several barriers to tech fluency, including compliance concerns, regulations, and resistance to change. A significant mindset shift is required—one that views AI and technology, not as threats to autonomy, but as tools that empower individuals and teams. For instance, a leading pharmaceutical company’s experience with AI-driven coaching has shown that these technologies need to augment, rather than replace, the human element of learning.
One practical strategy for increasing tech fluency is to provide safe spaces where employees can experiment with new technologies without fear of failure. This kind of environment encourages exploration and learning, which are essential for building comfort with emerging tools. As importantly, L&D should focus on reframing mindsets by truly demonstrating the value of AI, and therefore why teams should adopt it—showing how it can streamline workflows, provide deeper insights, and ultimately lead to better outcomes for both individuals and the organization.
The success of these initiatives often depends on the mindset of the team. Teams accustomed to coaching were more open to adopting AI for these purposes. The skills needed aren’t just learning to interact with the tech, we will also need to deal with the fundamental changes that this technology brings.
Data-informed customer engagement: Learning from what works
Data is the backbone of effective engagement, yet only 38% of pharmaceutical companies are consistently using data to inform their customer interactions.2 In the learning context, data-driven approaches offer a powerful way to personalize content, measure impact, and ensure that learning initiatives align with business objectives.
The session explored how L&D can leverage leading and lagging metrics to assess learning effectiveness. By using large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, learning teams can gather insights at a scale not previously possible, helping to make sense of vast amounts of data and providing targeted, actionable feedback to learners.
For example, AI can be used to assess skills in real time and provide coaching that helps learners improve in the flow of work. This kind of data-informed approach not only ensures that learning is relevant but also helps field teams make data-driven decisions that improve their interactions with healthcare professionals (HCPs). Actionable steps for L&D include incorporating non-sales success metrics, such as the quality of interactions or behavioral changes, and continuously refining learning programs based on data-driven insights.
At scale, this means partnering to improve data-hygiene at an organizational level but learning professionals can get started at a smaller level, by simply having clear hypotheses for what they are doing and putting in place the structures to test those hypotheses.
Cross-functional partnerships: Breaking down silos
The importance of cross-functional collaboration cannot be overstated, yet only 23% of pharma leaders believe they are successful in delivering unified customer engagement.2 Breaking down silos is essential for ensuring that field teams can deliver a cohesive message to HCPs and patients, and learning plays a crucial role in making this happen.
During the discussion, participants emphasized the value of fostering empathy and understanding across customer-facing teams. For instance, ensuring that sales teams understand the priorities and challenges of medical affairs can lead to more effective collaboration and a more unified approach to customer engagement. Learning teams can facilitate this by developing cross-functional training programs that promote a holistic understanding of the business and its various functions.
Breaking down organizational silos remains a key challenge for cross-functional collaboration in life sciences. Practical recommendations for L&D include creating shared spaces for team collaboration, developing rotational learning programs between departments, and emphasizing the unique value each function brings to shared organizational goals. By promoting mutual understanding and appreciation, L&D can help transform siloed teams into interconnected, high-performing networks.
Strategic acumen among Field Teams: From field experts to business leaders
To succeed in the future, field teams must think strategically and operate beyond the confines of their traditional roles. The Future of Field Excellence report highlights the need for field teams to become “all-rounders”—individuals who are well-versed in medical, sales, and market access knowledge and can navigate complex business landscapes with ease.
Learning has a critical role to play in this transformation. Firstly, by displaying strategic acumen in how we work and focusing on the big challenges that matter to the business. By designing solutions that build strategic acumen, L&D can help field teams better understand how their actions align with broader business objectives. For example, merging training content for medical, sales, and market access teams (compliantly) can create a more integrated approach that ensures all team members are equipped to contribute strategically.
Specific examples from the session demonstrated how strategic thinking can enhance the effectiveness of field teams. One participant mentioned how providing field teams with insights into the payer landscape helped them have more informed conversations with HCPs, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes. L&D can support this by prioritizing activities that focus on strategic thinking, data-driven decision making, and understanding the bigger picture of healthcare delivery.
Conclusion
The future of learning is already here, and L&D leaders have a unique opportunity to shape not only the future of field excellence, but also drive an agile culture based on testing and learning, while keeping the organization future-fit and able to deal with the next wave of change. By adopting emerging technologies, using data effectively, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and building strategic capabilities, learning teams can position field teams for success in an increasingly complex and competitive landscape.
The key is to act now. Learning is not a supporting function—it is a driving force that leads the way in transforming how field teams operate and engage. For L&D leaders, the call to action is clear: embrace the future of learning today, focus on the needs of the business, integrate cutting-edge technologies, and create learning experiences that are personalized, strategic, and impactful. The future of field excellence depends on it.
- WEF Future of jobs 2023 report (accessed 29 Nov 2024).
- Future of Field Excellence (accessed 29 Nov 2024)
Authors: Wil Procter, Director of Strategy and Innovation, Nazare and Andrew Gapper, Global Commercial Learning Lead, Specialty Care, Sanofi
