What’s L&D’s ‘why’ this year?
New years resolutions. I’m sure you’re sick of reading about them now. The idea of ‘new year, new you’, or ‘new year, same you’ will likely be driving you about as crazy as all those sales requests landing in your inbox. But what I’d like to propose, and maybe this will be a bit controversial for some people, is that L&D should keep on keeping on. Hear me out.
Since 2020, the industry has seen a seismic shift in almost all areas of what it does. Teams have reduced and then grown again and may now disperse again. Plans altered. Uncertainty underpinned almost every decision, and stakes were high.
But what happened somewhere amidst all that chaos, was that people started tackling the tough questions. We stopped being order takers and started asking ‘why?’ more frequently.
Why collaboration isn’t just a 2023 trend
Organisations have largely embraced remote and hybrid work (let’s completely ignore the Dyson debacle and everything about Musk for now), and have started to think more strategically about the relationships needed for project success. The most successful clients we work with on platform implementations are masters of bringing people together, and giving people a voice. So more of this please.
L&D, HR, marketing, and IT are becoming common bedfellows. It seems strange to write this down but organisations are beginning to realise just how important it is to collaborate and bring people along on a journey together.
We launched our Marketing Studio service in response to organisations recognising this need but not necessarily having the people power to take any action on it. So for teams that have busy, small, or no, marketing teams, our marketing whizzes can be your third hand and guide you through effectively marketing your L&D brand across your business.
It makes a lot of sense to us that approaching learning and development holistically can reap cross-business rewards, and when it comes to professional development the same is true.
Why skills is only getting bigger
There needs to be a mindset shift when it comes to skills. Instead of solely relying on an organisation to lead the way and proclaim the skills-focus, individuals should also be given the autonomy to identify their own focus areas and upskilling opportunities. The only way this happens is through cross-business communication and empowerment of your people.
Yes, skills are here to stay, and things will only get better (thanks D:Ream). We’ve experienced the early adopters who know that focusing on their skills strategy will benefit their wider business. But 2023 is the year that so many more throw themselves head first into skills, and agile skills strategies really gain momentum.
We’d like to see organisations identifying skills gaps not only in line with the technical or practical needs that exist in organisations, but in-line with their values and the associated behaviours needed to embody them. This means that there will be a visible balance between technical digital skills and power skills.
Alongside this, L&D team needs to be able to dig into the data and identify what skills their people are working towards and what their platform is able to support them with. But it doesn’t end there…
Why data isn’t enough without storytelling
Data isn’t just a buzzword anymore. It’s the basis of all effective decisions. And data doesn’t have to be scary. In the past many people have been afraid of data because they imagine it needs to be some massive, technical task to gather or analyse, and although it can be and often is, there are smaller steps you can take to start telling stories backed by data. For example, how you use survey results or share results with a wider team, is a great place to start.
Last year we highlighted why using skills data sets you up for business success. It’s because it stops business leaders from simply asking for what they think people need, and shifts the focus onto recognising what people actually need and use.
These are just a few of our ‘why’s’ we know our customers will be laser-focused on. What are yours? Share them with me in the comments.