LinkedIn Learning recently published its annual research report on the state of affairs in learning and development. This year’s Workplace Learning Report – the sixth such report - is all about transformation, acknowledging that as our world of work changes, so does L&D.
The report reveals that leaders in L&D are breaking down organisational silos to work together towards a more holistic view of HR, which means exploring new ways to link the development of skills to career development, internal mobility and staff retention. And they are demonstrating a new kind of caring and humanity on topics such as wellbeing, diversity, and inclusion.
We have summarised the main findings of the report for you:
In 2019, having learning and development opportunities ranked 9th in the list of most important factors for a good organisational culture, but this year it’s escalated to number one for employees. Opportunities for personal growth now outrank a feeling of 'belonging' (second place) and organisational values (third place). Fortunately, 62% of the L&D professionals surveyed indicated that the learning culture within their organisation had become stronger in the past year.
Leadership development and management training will be the primary focus area for L&D programs in 2022. Other priority areas include: Employee upskilling and reskilling; Digital transformation; and Diversity and inclusion.
More than last year, L&D professionals are concerned about the gap between the skills available within the organisation and those needed:
COVID-19 made us more aware of the inequality between people – in health, wealth and opportunity. This shifting mindset also increased the focus on diversity, equal opportunities and inclusion in the workplace, as a fundamental basis for psychological safety and the path to better performance. L&D plays an important role here: 55% of respondents indicate that L&D is fully (12%) or partially (43%) responsible for their organisation's DE&I strategy.
The report highlights that another important issue for organisations is to go further to ensure the wellbeing of employees. The decisive factor revealed is the manager, which is why 49% of L&D professionals paid more attention to training and supporting managers in this area last year. But there is room for improvement: only 25% say their organisation prioritises training for leaders on the wellbeing of their people, despite the fact that organisations with less caring managers are almost 50% more likely to see employees looking for other jobs. Attracting and retaining talent requires good people skills, especially from manager communities.
According to LinkedIn Learning, building skills through skills-based workforce planning is the way to move your organisation forward. Organisations that start doing this have a unique opportunity to accelerate the creation of a learning culture and successfully tap into trends in L&D, such as the link between talent development and internal mobility. Some key trends include:
The LinkedIn Workplace Learning report is geared towards helping L&D leaders make an even stronger impact for their people and organisations, which is why the report also provides top tips to successfully navigate this transformation:
Click here to view the full report.
