Mary Kay Scully: Rethinking Learning in a Leaner Workforce
Mary Kay Scully is director of customer education at Enact, Raleigh, N.C., where she trains over 35,000 mortgage professionals annually on topics including tax return review, fraud detection, process improvements and compliance. She has held multiple leadership roles at Enact (formerly GE/Genworth) and began her career as a loan officer. The statements in this article are solely the opinions of Mary Kay Scully and do not necessarily reflect the views of Enact or its management.
Learning has never been more important–or more difficult to deliver. If you have led a training session, attended an industry event, or hosted a webinar recently, you have likely noticed a pattern: Fewer people are in the room. Virtual attendance has increased, but engagement has decreased. Cameras are off, multitasking is visible, and attention is fragmented.
This is not a reflection of disinterest; it is a reflection of reality. Mortgage lenders, like many industries, are operating with leaner teams. Workforces are static or shrinking. Remaining employees are carrying more responsibility. Informal “hallway learning” has diminished in remote and hybrid environments. At the same time, training budgets and travel dollars are often the first line items scrutinized when costs tighten.
Yet the demand placed on teams has not slowed. Regulatory changes, technology adoption, compliance complexity, and customer expectations continue to evolve. Leaders do not need convincing that learning matters. What they need are models that work within today’s constraints of time, attention and resources.
To design effective learning, we must first understand how adults actually learn.
Why Adult Learning Requires a Different Model
Too often, workplace education still resembles a classroom model built for children: one-directional instruction, dense presentations, and limited interaction. For adult professionals, this approach erodes engagement rather than strengthening it.
Dr. Malcolm Knowles’ theory of adult learning, or andragogy, provides a useful framework. Adults are self-directed and internally motivated. When learning feels imposed or disconnected from their daily challenges, resistance naturally follows. Professionals want autonomy in how they engage and clarity on why something matters.
Adults also bring substantial experience to the table. In mortgage banking, that experience may include navigating multiple rate cycles, compliance shifts, and operational transformations. Effective learning builds on that knowledge rather than disregarding it. When participants can connect new information to what they already know, retention and application increase.
Adults are goal-oriented and practical. They want to understand how learning connects to performance, production, risk management, or customer outcomes. Abstract theory has limited value. Real-world application, case examples, and actionable tools carry far greater impact.
Finally, adults expect respect. They want a voice in the process. Peer discussion and idea-sharing are not distractions; they are accelerators of engagement.
When these principles are ignored, common barriers emerge. Emotional barriers such as stress and cognitive overload make it difficult to absorb new material. Motivational barriers arise when value is unclear. Personal barriers, including time constraints and varying learning preferences, reduce participation.
Understanding how adults learn is not optional in today’s environment. It is foundational to effective upskilling.
Designing Learning for How Work Actually Happens
The solution is not to require more attendance; it is to redesign how learning shows up.
First, consider format and access. People absorb information differently. Some prefer to read. Others learn best through audio or discussion. Many retain knowledge through application. Offering short videos, written guides, podcast-style content, and both live and on-demand options increases accessibility without increasing cost.
Second, embed learning into daily work. Training should not feel like “one more thing.” Microlearning moments, brief, focused sessions tied to immediate tasks, are often more effective than lengthy seminars. Encourage peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, especially across production, operations, and compliance teams. Solving real problems together reinforces both learning and collaboration.
Third, lower the cost barrier. Effective learning does not require expansive budgets. Industry associations provide free and low-cost resources. Internal subject matter experts can lead targeted sessions. Cross-team mentoring builds institutional knowledge while strengthening relationships. Many of the most impactful learning opportunities already exist within the organization.
Most importantly, reframe learning as an investment rather than an expense. In a shrinking workforce, skill gaps widen quickly. Institutional knowledge becomes harder to replace. Organizations that continue to invest in learning, even modestly, improve retention, increase adaptability, and strengthen long-term resilience. In mortgage, where cycles are inevitable, capability is a competitive advantage.
A Strategic Imperative
The future of work will not be defined by who can schedule the most training sessions. It will be shaped by organizations that understand how adults learn and design accordingly.
In a time of tighter budgets, fewer people, and constant change, learning must be relevant to real work, flexible enough to fit demanding schedules, and respectful of the experience professionals bring.
Organizations that get this right will not simply keep pace with change. They will build more capable, confident teams and preserve learning as a strategic advantage rather than allowing it to become an afterthought.
As Oscar Wilde observed, “You can never be overdressed or over-educated.” In today’s mortgage environment, the latter may be one of the most important investments leaders can make.
(Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect policies of the Mortgage Bankers Association, nor do they connote an MBA endorsement of a specific company, product or service. MBA NewsLink welcomes submissions from member firms. Inquiries can be sent to Editor Michael Tucker or Editorial Manager Anneliese Mahoney.)
