The one thing that has stood the test of time, and has helped humankind develop, is the idea of learning. We are inherently wired to explore more, discover more, learn more, and question more than we already know. This desire to know and learn has fueled the discovery and invention of ideas that remain indispensable to how we live. And in today’s world, this notion of learning has become perpetual, wherein the only way to be sure of success is to continuously keep learning and updating ourselves, by challenging what we are already aware of. 

The People Matters L&D 2019 special feature pays homage to the winners of the People Matters L&D 2019 winners and discusses the strategies they adopted to stay at the top of their game. These organizations not only successfully managed to design and implement an innovative learning approach but also helped their employees become agile learners in the process. The awards recognize excellence in the best on-boarding solution; best in future tech skill building; best in L&D technology and analytics; best in building self-learning culture; and, best in leadership transformation. 

The People Matters L&D Awards 2019 had more than 400 applicants pitted against each other. The applicants were thoroughly vetted by renowned L&D and HR leaders through several stages. The applicants had to demonstrate the tangible impact of their practice to the judges, and in each of the five categories, applicants were shortlisted to present their case in further detail. One winner from each category was selected in the final round, and the results were announced at the People Matters L&D 2019 conference, held in Mumbai on 6th November 2019. The People Matters L&D 2019 conference brought together leaders, experts, and organizations to discuss the latest trends, innovations, and best practices in the L&D function. The annual People Matters L&D conference aims to help HR leaders foster right the mindsets, design processes, and put enabling structures in place to build a future-ready workforce.

The annual People Matters L&D conference aims to help HR leaders foster right mindsets, design processes, and put enabling structures in place to build a future-ready workforce

The winners of the People Matters L&D 2019 Awards are: 

• Best in On-boarding Solution: Wockhardt
• Best in Future Tech Skill Building: Bosch
• Best in L&D Technology and Analytics: L&T
• Best in Building Self-Learning Culture: Collins Aerospace 
• Best in Leadership Transformation: VIP Industries Limited

People Matters extends its heartiest congratulations to all the winners! Despite the varied objectives and strategies, the practices implemented by these organizations confirm that the foundation of an effective learning approach is made of innovation, personalization, new-age digital tools, and alignment between personal and organizational goals. Furthermore, the benefits of an effective learning program go beyond simply skilling the workforce and extend to increased engagement, lower attrition, lower costs, and competitive edge. We thank all the applicants and winners who took the time to be a part of this exciting process. A special note of thanks to all the jury members who evaluated the application and awards process. Let us take a closer look at the journeys and experimentations of the winners and analyze the ingredients of what makes an effective learning program. 

People Matters L&D Awards 2019 Jury Members

• Aarif Aziz - CHRO, Diageo India
• Amit Narain - Head of Human Resources India, Nestle 
• Avishkar Mehrotra  - Chief People Matters, Walmart India
• Emrana Sheikh - Enterprise HR Head, Johnson & Johnson, India & South Asia 
• Indrajeet Sengupta - Executive Director and CHRO, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages
• Jaspreet Bakshi - Director HR & Regional Head - People Services, India, RBS
• Manu N Wadhwa - CHRO, Sony Pictures & Networks India
• Prasad Menon - Chief People Officer, Cleartrip.com
• Sudip Ghose - Managing Director, VIP Bags
• Vinay Deshpande - EVP & CPO, Mahindra Finance