Article: The challenge before CLOs: Learning Vs Time

Learning & Development

The challenge before CLOs: Learning Vs Time

How do you make learning a ‘pull’ factor rather than a ‘push’ factor?
The challenge before CLOs: Learning Vs Time

In the last few years, the focus of organizations on L&D has grown multi-folds. Given the current scenario, today when a C-Suit employee joins an organization, their immediate concern is how they are building their workforce of the future. There is no doubt that employees are the biggest asset and organizations are investing in skilling. 

However, CLOs and learning teams are faced with a constant challenge: while employees say they want more development opportunities, but also say they have little or no time for development. How can CLOs devise an efficient program that can help them solve the riddle of learning vs time.

In People Matters L&D conference 2019, leaders from various industries reflected upon the challenges Indian organizations face while making learning ‘pull’ factor rather than a ‘push’ factor.  So, how do you really make sure that the next time you implement your next learning program your employees don’t come up with issues like ‘bandwidth’, ‘not engaging’, ‘relevance’?

The single biggest driver of learning impact is the strength of an organization’s learning culture

Culture and values bind people. To make your learning initiatives really impactful, the company’s learning culture should also derive from the organization culture.  Relying on learning culture that derives from organizational culture values enhances the will to learn and continuously move towards a better growth curve. 

Lead by example

Another critical driver of employee learning is what you, as a manager or leader, actually do. Leaders’ behaviors — particularly what they do and preach— have a strong influence on the behavior and performance of their teams. Hence, how leaders in your organization perceive the role of learning matters a lot.

Anupama Nithyanand, Managing Director, Accenture during the session “The Challenge before CLOs: Learning Vs Time,” shares a story stating, “ Our new CEO assumed office very recently and the very next day she released a learning course on leadership for everyone emphasizing learning is very important and how critical role it played in her journey to becoming a CEO.” 

Start with “why”

Many programs are implemented without a clear business need. Most – if not all – training and learning programs should start with the “why,” which is often a business connection to refining measures such as productivity, quality, cost reduction, retention, compliance, engagement, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty, etc. Learning happens if it is connected with business value.

L&D for All by ALL

Hemalakshmi Raju, Chief Learning Officer, Reliance Industries Limited (Hydrocarbon Business) shares the organization has learning councils across different parts of the organization. These councils hold regular meetings, assess learning needs, decide implementation process and collectively assess the outcome of these learning initiatives. The L&D team has a say in these matters equally, and the overall learning program is driven by business.

We cannot deny the crucial role of learning in the development of talent for today and tomorrow. To stay relevant, organizations can’t shy away from investing in its employee learning. Additionally, they also have to educate employees that the first step towards growth starts from commitment towards learning.

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Topics: Learning & Development, #PMLnD

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