Developing a culture of learning and development

 

Learning and development puts people and skills at the centre of organisational success. According to LinkedIn learning’s 2023 Workplace Learning Report, “the top four focus areas of L&D for 2023 are: 

 

 

Think about your job role and those of your team/department, are there areas you think you could improve on and benefit from some additional training? What are the areas that your staff are talented and keen to develop in that you haven’t discovered yet? 

 

 

Staff who are receiving regular training report feeling happier. According to the Chartered Institute for Personnel Development (CIPD): “Happiness makes business sense. A key impact on the bottom line is a reduction in staff turnover. Happier employees stay in the job longer; the 20% least happy employees are twice as likely to leave their job in the next quarter than the 20% happiest employees”. This point also makes clear the link between staff happiness and their retention. 

 

The CIPD also report that training makes staff feel more valued and more confident in their role. Investing in learning and development opportunities shows your staff that you’re invested in them as an individual and you want to support them in growing and developing. 

 

Regular training means that staff are always up-to-date with their knowledge and feel more assured and comfortable in their role, while new training opportunities allow your team members to develop further skills and take on different opportunities. This means their role stays varied and interesting, and they may have the opportunity to progress into more senior roles or into specific areas of expertise. 

 

According to LinkedIn learning’s 2023 Workplace Learning Report, 

 

“So many obstacles can impede large-scale initiatives. But individual people can make enormous strides. Empowering employees with career development tools and internal mobility options engages learners and expands workforce skills. The ultimate benefit is an organization that can act quickly on valuable opportunities.” 

 

 

There are many benefits to offering apprenticeships in addition to short courses and e-learning that your organisation may already offer. 

 

How many times have you completed a training course and been full of ideas by the end of the day or week, only to return to the office and slip back into business as usual? A key benefit of the apprenticeship is that it is delivered over at least 12 months. The programme is carefully planned so that knowledge is built up slowly, each piece of knowledge building on the last. The learning is embedded when learners put it into practice back in the workplace and receive feedback at each stage. Learners’ knowledge is regularly checked, and new skills and behaviours are observed. The learner works towards a final end point assessment where everything they have learnt comes together. This all works to ensure that the new skills and knowledge will be retained over the long term. Our previous blog on the 9 Benefits of Apprenticeships can tell you more. 

 

As stated by the CIPD “Learning and development is about creating the right culture and environment for individuals and organisations to learn and grow. It’s knowing the current and future capability needs of the organisation, as well as how to create a learning culture that drives engagement in ongoing professional development.” 

 

 

There are a number of steps you could take towards thinking about your L&D differently and moving things forward. 

 

Consider how you want to develop personally and how you can do this alongside your job role for yourself and your teams 

 

Carry out a gap analysis of staff - When was the last time you evaluated the performance of your team against your operational goals? Read more in our TNA blog 

 

Find out about opportunities and the best people to speak to regarding learning and development in your organisation 

 

Contact us to find out more about the apprenticeships available to you. Let us work with you to upskill and reskill your teams. 

 

You may also be interested in: 

 

Employer Guide to Apprenticeships 

 

Key steps to a successful partnership between employers and their apprenticeship training provider 

 

CIPD - Addressing skills gaps a top priority for L&D professionals 

 

CIPD - People Profession 2030 Future Trends