LinkedIn's 2022 Workplace Learning Report makes it clear that learning is rapidly becoming a critical part of many peoples’ daily work. Producing high-quality learning experiences for Employees is just the beginning for L&D Professionals. As the nature of work continues to evolve, organisations need to ensure that their Employees have the skills needed to ride the wave of change and future-proof the organisation. When it comes to providing training for future-fit skills, (to build a sustainable workforce and a sustainable organisation), technology plays a crucial role. This week's HR Blog explores the importance of Learning and Development to organisational culture and long term business success.
Learning is the Bedrock of Great Company Culture
According to Glint's 2021 Employee Wellbeing Report, the drivers of a great work culture changed dramatically in 2020. Five of the top 10 drivers in 2020 were not in the top 10 in 2019, and 'opportunities to learn and grow' is now the number one factor that defines an exceptional work environment. On top of that, Employees who rate their culture highly are 25% more likely to be happy at work and 31% more likely to recommend working at their organisation.
LinkedIn's Workplace Learning Report makes it clear that culture is having a watershed moment. The Report also illustrates that learning powers culture, and culture powers engaged Employees who are energised to innovate at work, delight customers, and beat the competition.
A 'Learning Culture' is a Critical Success Factor
One of the greatest focus areas for L&D content in 2022 and beyond is the need for upskilling. Integrating this as part of 'how we do things around here' (company culture) has become mission critical for organisational success and longevity. To build a sustainable workforce, one that can adapt to change and navigate as yet unknown futures, re- or upskilling needs to be an integral (and normal) part of the work day. The role of the Learning & Development team is to make this type of learning possible 'in-the-flow-of-work.' Employees need to know that they are empowered (and can take the time) to re- or upskill as/when needed. LinkedIn's report recommends that the primary focus areas of L&D programs in 2022 and beyond should be:
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Leadership and management training.
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Upskilling and reskilling employees.
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Digital upskilling / digital transformation.
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Diversity, equity, and inclusion.
When it comes to re- or upskilling Employees to manage change and stay aligned with evolving workplace demands, developing skills dovetails back to culture. L&D technology that delivers learning content is essential, but it is also important Employees understand that a learning oriented culture goes beyond just a curated content library. That's because one of the main ways people learn comes from applying the knowledge gained, doing work related to that learning, and interacting with fellow Employees (learning from them in the process). Simply learning a new process, system or theory by doing/watching a course on it is only part of the equation. Meaning that online learning content is not a standalone solution. Curated learning content is more beneficial for Employees when combined with application in real-world environments and through peer engagement. Not only does the added level of networking help personalise and make the content unique, but it also further helps the organisation as a whole understand the skills gaps/needs relevant to their business.
Transform a Shortcoming into a Strength
In the new world of work, the Workplace Learning Report results prove that skill building and skills-based planning stand out as the biggest opportunities for progress. However, many organisations still have a gaping hole in their capacity to build skills efficiently. To do so, you need to start with an understanding of which Employees have which skills (so that you can assess where the gaps are). However, Report results indicate that only 10% of HR and business executives say their organisations have a 'skills database' with profiles for all Employees. Meaning that whopping 90% don't have access to that kind of data at all.
LinkedIn's Report also states that organisations willing to shift to 'skills-based planning' have a unique chance to take advantage of learning culture and capitalise on emerging trends. This is especially true if organisations want to capitalise on the convergence of learning, talent acquisition, talent development, and internal mobility.
In terms of delivering training to fill skills gaps, a good content strategy stems from a personalised skills framework. Organisations need to rely on data and Employees to help them determine which skills are relevant and beneficial to the industry they are in. Not only does this give the organisation an advantage by building long-term, sustainable skill sets, but it also helps them determine where skills are lacking.
Organisational Learning Strategist Michelle Ockers believes there are five principles that L&D leaders can apply to best connect and engage with Employees to build future skills:
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Connect with the right priorities.
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Connect with the right content.
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Connect with relevance.
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Connect with people.
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Connect with data.
Michelle says, “There’s a conundrum of needing to build skills, when we’re not exactly sure what we’re building skills for, or what type of skills are going to be needed into the future. But we can tackle this with evidence-informed approaches. We can draw on what’s worked and what’s demonstrated to work in skill-building, in order to respond and scale in a way that is actually going to be effective and build impact – even though we may not know what the future holds for roles in our organisation.”
Using Technology to Deliver the Right Learning, to the Right Employee, at the Right Time
In last week's HR Blog we discussed the importance of simplified HR technology (and an efficient digital ecosystem) to creating Human Capital Management success. To build a sustainable workforce and ensure the long-term, sustainable success of any organisation, #HRtech is an essential part of the equation. To deliver learning to Employees, you need the right tools and the right content. Subscribe-HR's new Training Widget has so many great new features it is almost an entirely new solution in and of itself. However, we're making it available as a standard inclusion for all Core-HR subscribers (at no extra cost).
The Training Widget's features have been designed to make it easier than ever for People & Culture Users to manage Face-to-Face and e-Learning training across the entire organisation. The Widget includes the following features to manage training needs:
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Training Analysis.
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Mandatory Training.
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Training Records.
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Face-to-Face Courses.
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e-Learning.
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Courses and Course Waiting List.
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Course Events.
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CPD Training.
We're also working on a new 'Skills' Tab for the Training Widget, to ensure that Learning & Development Managers, People & Culture Users and HR Managers have all the information they need under one roof to make informed decisions about the right training, for the right Employee, at the right time.
Get Started Today With a No Obligation Free Trial
Do you work for a mid-sized organisation in Australia or New Zealand? Is your business in need of tools to deliver in-the-flow-of-work Learning & Development to help your Employees reskill for the future of work? To do exactly that, you can use Subscribe-HR's suite of 13 codeless, cloud HR software solutions to seamlessly manage every touchpoint of the employee journey, from the first hello, to the final goodbye.
Want access to the Training Widget so that you can test it yourself? Try it now using our 7-day FREE trial, which gives you no obligation access to the full functionality of the Subscribe-HR platform.
The FREE Trial also gives you instant access to the Activation Hub, which includes our out-of-the-box, templated functionality to get up and running quickly, Then you can use our powerful and flexible configuration tools to adapt your unique, HR process into Subscribe-HR.
You'll be amazed by how fast and easy it is to set yourself up.
