We’re all feeling it - change is coming at us faster than ever, and workplaces are under pressure to respond. But the truth is, some of the biggest challenges we’re facing right now can’t be solved with systems alone. As organisations navigate three interconnected challenges: a decline in trust, constant change, and the ever-growing demand for new skills - we need something altogether more human.

The way forward? We need to make it easier for people inside our organisations to reflect and share their own living knowledge —not just facts and figures, but hard-won insights and stories based on their real experience.

It’s not what you’d find in a typical course catalogue, but these are the stories others can learn from or which will influence them to try something new.

Let’s break it down.

 

1. Trust is fragile - and L&D can help rebuild it

According to the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer, trust in institutions continue to take a hit with an unprecedented 3 percent global decline in employer trust. And it’s not hard to see why. There’s been so much change, uncertainty and people are tired of being asked to do more with less.

This trust deficit has seeped into workplaces, affecting how employees view leadership and organisational change. When trust falters, employees disengage and resist new initiatives. One crucial insight from Edelman’s Trust at Work study is that employees want to be heard: “81% of employees say they expect it to be easy for them to give input, and 76% want to be included in the planning process.”​

But here’s the thing: trust is the foundation for everything. It affects how people show up, how motivated they are to learn, speak up, and take risks. And trust doesn’t spring like magic from slick communications or purely top-down strategies - it comes from open, authentic, human connection. From seeing someone like me or you talk about what they’ve learned, struggled with, or figured out along the way. Giving employees a voice isn’t a nice to have, it's essential for rebuilding trust.

 

2. Empowering people to feel change-ready  

As a 2024 UNLEASH report puts it, “Traditional change management frameworks can’t handle today’s pace of change; adopting a change mindset is critical to thriving.” After all, organisations don’t just do change and then return to a stable normal. However, this shift in mindset doesn’t just happen by chance or decree.

And, according to Wiley, a staggering 96% of employees are feeling the pressure of change, making it essential to address both emotional and technical aspects.

People don’t simply change because they’re told to - they change when they hear stories that make them think, “If they did it, maybe I can too.” Change happens when people feel connected, see possibility, and are nudged by peers - not when they feel pressure from above.

To create a truly adaptive culture, change must feel human. It needs to be inclusive, iterative, and led by example. Organisations need employees who want to change, not just those who have to.

So, whether you’re enabling future ready leaders, embedding company behaviours, or supporting the adoption of a new technology people need to hear directly from their peers.

 

3. Skills are always shifting

The third challenge is perhaps the most familiar: the ongoing need to upskill, reskill, and “future-skill” the workforce. It feels never-ending, doesn’t it? And while digital platforms have made learning and performance support more accessible than ever, we still have a gap. Because some of the most important skills today - like adaptability, empathy, communication - aren’t best learned through content alone.

They’re learned by watching, listening, trying, practising, reflecting. They’re sparked through stories. Through hearing how someone handled a tough conversation, led a team through uncertainty, or found their voice in a new role.

This means organisations must not only deliver training, but also motivate employees to engage in lifelong and ‘work-long’ learning. Yet traditional learning content alone often struggles to keep pace with these demands – employees may not see the immediate relevance or may lack the time and encouragement to apply new skills. The need for speed in skill-building and the importance of employee buy-in are higher than ever.

 

AI is part of the solution—but not the whole story

Of course, AI is a huge player in all of this. It’s one of the forces behind the rapid change we’re experiencing, and one of the tools helping us adapt. AI can generate content, automate repetitive tasks, identify skills gaps, make personalised recommendations, simulate tough conversations, and scale coaching like never before. But it has its limits.

AI can’t tell us what something felt like. It doesn’t know what it means to be the only person in the room with your perspective. It can’t model what inclusive leadership looks like in action in your organisation. It can’t articulate how you stretched your own comfort zone to try something new. 

And while AI can do a lot with data, it still relies on real people to provide the context, the nuance, and the meaning. That’s where living knowledge matters most. It brings the kind of insight no algorithm can replicate.

That’s the human gap in AI. Real change - especially in learning - still depends on people. Stories, lived experience, and emotional connection bring meaning in ways no algorithm can.

 

So, where does the real value lie? In our people.

Here’s what we often forget: our organisations are already full of the most incredible knowledge and experiences. Not just in systems and training materials, but in the people doing the work - every single day. The challenge is, we haven’t made it easy for them to share that valuable living knowledge in meaningful, scalable ways.

This is where the human layer of peer learning and storytelling becomes essential. AI can distribute information, but it’s people who share contextualised wisdom  - real stories, lived experiences, and lessons learned. Giving employees a way to share those stories digitally can be a game-changer when it comes to building trust, driving change, and supporting skill development.

 

Why does this matter? Behavioural science gives us a clear answer:

We learn from and are influenced by those we consider a credible messenger
A credible messenger is someone we trust because they’re relatable - they’ve “been there, done that” or they come from a similar background or community to us. Research from the Pinkerton Foundation in youth mentoring programmes shows that people with shared life experiences “build trust faster and inspire confidence more quickly” because they understand our reality. In the workplace, this same principle holds.

Peer storytelling brings context and emotional truth
A colleague sharing how they’ve struggled with a new tool - but eventually found success - can make others feel seen, understood, and more willing to try it for themselves. It’s motivation through identification: “If they can do it, maybe I can too.”

Plus, there’s social proof and influence
Humans are social learners; we take cues from each other. If we see peers actively engaging in upskilling or embracing a change initiative, we’re more likely to follow. Digital tools can facilitate this, whether it’s a video storytelling platform like StoryTagger, or a mentor platform that pairs up employees to learn from each other’s experiences. When change becomes a shared mission among peers, it feels less like an imposition and more like a cultural movement.

Peers close the trust gap
Crucially, peers close the trust gap in ways leadership can’t. An employee testimonial carries a level of honesty that slices through cynicism. It’s harder to dismiss a change as “flavour of the month” when your own teammates are vouching for it. And, when employees openly share their upskilling journeys - including the challenges and mistakes along the way - it normalises learning and builds a culture of trust and psychological safety.

Rethink SMEs – they’re situational NOT just technical

The evidence above makes it crystal clear. Subject matter experts are just as critical as ever providing vital context and real-world stories as well as validating AI content. L&D needs to collaborate with SMEs even more closely giving them the tools to create and contribute more impactfully.

However, when we’re looking to enable learning and behaviour change, we need to rethink who is an internal expert or SME.

Sometimes expertise might be purely technical, but it can also be situational. So, it’s about identifying who is ahead in the journey who can share the most valuable experiences or insights others can build on. These are your credible messengers. Find them, their insights will be gold dust!

For example, here are five examples of where you can source your credible messengers:

• Alumni – former participants of a grad, development or onboarding programme pay it forward to the next cohort.
• SMEs – those with a deep knowledge in specific areas.
• DEI community members - voices to champion an inclusive and equitable workplace.
• Early adopters – pioneers with new technology or ways of working.
• Role models - people who are visibly putting your values and behaviours into practice.

If we think in terms of both situational and technical value everyone in your organisation has a contribution to make and will feel part of the ongoing change journey.

These human experiences and impact stories are simultaneously both a cost-effective AND priceless way to oil the wheels.

 

Conclusion: In a world full of noise, real stories cut through

The truth is, we’re facing big challenges. And, AI alone won’t get us through. What we need now is more human connection at work not less. That means making space for people to share what they’ve learned, in their own words. Real stories. Real insights. Peer learning through storytelling isn’t just a nice to have - it’s how we rebuild trust, help people feel ready for change, and keep developing the skills that matter.

Let’s be honest - people don’t change or learn as a result of polished comms or training content alone. We learn from each other. From seeing someone like us trying, struggling, figuring it out. That’s what makes change feel possible. When we use technology to tap into the living knowledge and experience already inside our organisations, that’s when the real magic happens. Because, when people share their stories, others feel brave enough to act too.

 

Cheryl Clemons 

CEO at StoryTagger

 

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