The New Key to Learning: Unlearn
Workers frustrated by training programs in the AI era may be struggling to unlearn instead learn. Can it be done?
The amount of new stuff workers will have to learn over the next few years is astounding. This month, a study predicted that one in one in 15 American workers may need to switch occupations by 2035. That’s on top of the World Economic Forum’s estimate that 40% of today’s core working skills won’t be needed by 2030.
But forget years from now. What about the next six months? The average worker worldwide might have to learn how to operate a new AI model by the end of 2026, only to have to abandon it for a completely different one before the end of 2027. Indeed, there’s no end in sight for the need to learn, unlearn, and learn something different, and both individual workers and organizations are finding that the unlearning part is slowing down careers and corporate transformations alike. “Even if something is easier, you’ll be hardwired to not do it,” says Jenna Young, head of creative for Korn Ferry’s Culture, Change, and Communications practice.
Experts admit that unlearning—or at least setting aside—old routines and systems is a tough skill for almost everyone. Only 15% of people globally are highly agile, according to Korn Ferry research. Ironically, it’s top performers who often struggle most with unlearning. The methods that earned them promotions, bonuses, and recognition become deeply embedded habits. “Unless you’re incredibly learning agile, you’ll repeat behaviors and try to solve problems in way you’ve solved them before,” says Jennifer Williams, a Korn Ferry senior client partner in the firm’s Board and CEO practice.
Compounding the problem is that many organizations aren’t sure what skills, processes, or tools they’ll need a year from now, let alone in 2035. That means that workers might have to learn multiple programs—and that leaders will have to manage multiple transformations—as the organization figures out its best approach in the AI era. Many firms can’t afford to stand pat until they figure out exactly what they need. “Organizations and people need to be able to thrive in ambiguity,” says JP Sniffen, practice leader of Korn Ferry’s Military Center of Expertise.
Frustration over the learning-and-unlearning cycle is showing up in numerous studies and surveys of today’s workplace. Sixty-two percent of workers worldwide say their workload has increased significantly over the last two years, in part because they’ve had to get training on multiple new systems. Some experts believe that the cycle could also be contributing to high rates of burnout.
Habits, of course, are always difficult to alter—that’s why they’re habits. The more successful a habit, the more automatic it becomes. Unlearning doesn't mean erasing knowledge. It means weakening the dominance of an old pattern so a new one can take over.
Experts say some leaders can take some measures to make unlearning slightly easier for workers. They should set the expectation up front that today’s transformation will be followed—likely sooner rather than later—by another one. AI and other technologies are changing so much so fast. “There’s no visible end to the improvement and the volatility of this,” says Bryan Ackermann, Korn Ferry’s head of AI strategy and transformation.
Leaders and organizations also should champion learning and unlearning. That can take a variety of forms, from rewarding people for successfully using new technologies to giving them time and encouragement to experiment with new tools. Firms also could prioritize filling their workforces with curious-minded people who are willing, even eager, to embrace change. “These days, a competitive advantage is less about what a person knows and more about their adaptability,” says Lisa Harrison, a Korn Ferry senior client partner in the firm’s Healthcare advisory practice.
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