L&D adapting well to budget cuts

L&D professionals are adapting well to budget cuts by implementing more tailored, business-focused training, according to a survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

It says funds are decreasing in more than half of UK organisations and only one in 10 employers expect training spend to increase in the year to come.

The 2010 Learning and Development Survey of more than 700 professionals found the majority of organisations say their economic circumstances have declined in the past 12 months, compared to 46 per cent in 2009.

Despite this, learning and training development departments' headcounts have largely remained the same in the last year, which the CIPD says is a result of UK organisations managing costs more efficiently.

The main changes over the last year include a move to be more business focused and a reduction in external suppliers and a move to in-house provision.

Dr John McGurk, CIPD learning and talent adviser, said it was particularly good to see that L&D professionals were focusing on leadership and people management skills as key to support business growth during the tough times.

"Ensuring front-line managers are well trained to deliver on their people management responsibilities can have a direct and valuable impact on the performance of their staff and their organisation's success," he said.

The CIPD says that with the UK's private sector now emerging from recession, the skills employers say they need to focus on in order to meet their business objectives in two years' time are mainly leadership skills, front-line people management skills and business awareness.

"A skilled and motivated workforce will be essential to ensure organisations are well placed to take advantage of the recovery when it comes," concluded McGurk.