Learning and development activities were at an all time low in 2009 due to The Great Recession. However, as the recession is easing and the economy is making a slow, but steady rebound it is our time as learning and development professionals to make a difference.
One thing we know for sure, consistent learning and development opportunities are among of the most effective ways to build sustainable employee loyalty, create organizational alignment, and increase employee pride and joy in their work. So in the long-term, learning and development will play a significant role as organizations begin to recover from the recession.
So how can you make a difference in 2010?
1. Link all learning and development activities like key business priorities; core competencies; identified employee performance gaps; process improvement; and organizational culture. This level of business acumen and progressive thinking could gradually elevate your role from one of a rudimentary trainer eventually to that of Chief Learning Officer.
2. Set up learning and development tracks at every level to include your high potential employees who are on track to become mid-managers; your current mid-managers; and of course, your managers who are on the fast track to becoming emerging executives. If you have an opportunity to benchmark how a true learning organization operates, you’ll find that providing learning at every level is a vital part of their sustainability and success.
3. Next, create a learning strategy and work the plan. If you are not forwarding thinking enough to start working on your strategic plan now, I guarantee you an outside learning and development organization will approach your organization and jeopardize the sustainability of your role within the company. To be considered viable and credible, your plan must incorporate the activities shared in #1 and #2.
4. Make sure you have a cadre of core learning and development programs that are customized to meet business demands, up-to-date, and that create an engaging learning experience for participants. Core learning and development programs that at a minimum should be part of every organization’s library of workshops include: New Employee On-Boarding; Job Specific Training; Workplace Harassment Prevention; Diversity & Inclusion Awareness; and Workplace Safety & Security. Before you add any other programs, make sure these primary learning and development programs are solid.
Bottom-line, while I like the Kirk-Patrick model for evaluating learning and development, if you are measuring the wrong suite of learning and development programs or ineffective programs and add no value to your organization, its simply a waste of time. So commit to making a difference in 2010, and you’ll not only secure the sustainability of your profession but also enhance the level of learning and development activities you bring to the table next year. Believe me, you won’t regret it!
