For organisations to thrive in this new normal, everyone needs to behave like a leader. So how do organisations make learning and development more effective by integrating learning experience platforms, blended learning content, business leaders, and learning professionals? Leaders like Priti Dahima, Coforge’s Richa Sethi, HCL’s Ashok Madaan and Skillsoft’s Ankur Gupta come together to discuss the burning issues of L&D, at People Matters TechHR India 2022. 

When it comes to the function of learning, its challenges and opportunities have certainly changed gears post-COVID-19. Learning was all ‘sustenance’ before the pandemic and now, the challenge lies in learning and curating the programs while removing what is not relevant in the future world of work. Leaders are now asking the questions themselves such as how ready are we for the workforce? Do we have a five-year strategy?

It is now imperative that learning programs have to be transformed beyond the usual formats that leaders use to follow before the pandemic. Now it's more about making the right kind of impact. Hence the organisation needs to learn that its agenda has to be packed with talent-centric suggestions and larger agenda of the business and that's when we'd be able to be effective.

Focus on ROI in the learning programs

Nowadays, learning is no longer seen as an affordable notion in business conferences or panel talks. Every business now needs their employees to learn presentation skills and conflict management so they can take work initiatives. In the new world of work, learning and development are at the forefront to address bigger priorities like ROI. An example was discussed where a tech client was required to rescale upskilling and create an internal advancement process within the organisation. The solution was together to create an Information Technology Leadership Academy when the option of transparent nominations was opened to everybody across the organisation who may or may not have a degree in engineering, but aspire to make a career in IT. Interviews were conducted and a six-month learning journey was charted with it.  

The emergence of ROI in the learning programs makes the said initiatives' execution more important. The attendees get to complete real-life projects where they are coached by leaders. This becomes a good opportunity to align their agenda with the organisation’s agenda as well as set up business priorities.  

The learning programs are now in an interesting position where they can be served to the employees in a ‘hyper-personalised’ fashion. The programs can be catered to a lot of personalised learning content which will enable the consumers/ employees to tailor their aspirations to the organisation’s needs.  

The boss becomes the coach

The new-age future of work mantra explores the nuances where organisations are looking at certifying people, especially the managers, thus developing the mindset of ‘the boss becoming the coach’. 

Tailoring the learning programs to inculcate the above mention ‘mentality’ raises questions on the conception of the programs themselves. Hence coaches can ask themselves - 

• What will be the outcome of the particular program that you are designing?
• What will be the dynamics within the program that the learners can work on?
• What are the learners working for through the program?
• How much time would they be able to dedicate to come to your ‘classroom’?

Today’s leaders are taking the initiative to invest more time in the conceptualisation of ideal learning programs. One wants to bring more people to the classroom? Online learning is a good solution, which will keep learners busy and as well as provide them with the initiative to manage their work too. There is no ‘one size fits all approach; every approach will require different dynamics.

Checkout the full video of the session below: