Independent Professionals
The importance of upskilling both technical and leadership skills
Sue Musson on how L&D can enhance the leadership skills of technical experts Leaders with technical competence hold a unique advantage in today’s demanding workplace. Their expertise establishes immediate credibility, provides a valuable knowledge resource for their organisations, and demonstrates exceptional technical proficiency. Such leaders also benefit from structured pathways for continuing professional development, ensuring their technical skills stay sharp and relevant. It’s easy to spot the technical expert who has been promoted to a leadership role but not planned…
Global workplace turmoil: the unresolved crisis of violence and harassment
As one in five report experiencing violence and harassment at work, Aaron Gardner looks at what has been done to create safer workplaces Around the world, violence and harassment in the workplace is a major issue. Data from the Lloyd’s Register Foundation World Risk Poll indicates that more than one in five (21%) workers globally have experienced violence and harassment at work. The next stage is to take action, and there are clear and effective steps that can be…
Key skills for sustainable change programmes
Marek Szwejczewski, Steve Macaulay and Bob Lillis on the link between successful change and shifting skills, mindsets and attitudes L&D and people professionals have long understood that organisational change is essential and inevitable today; but what are the key skills involved and when should they be deployed? L&D professionals play a crucial role in developing the necessary skills at each stage of the change process Insights were gleaned from research into planned change programmes that lasted 18 months to six…
Ghosting in recruitment doesn’t have to be a horror story
Luke Shipley on how to keep communication lines firing on all cylinders during the hiring process Ghosting isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think about hiring a new employee, or when speaking to a potential employer. But with the shift to remote and digital-first work over the last few years, the way we recruit and employ people has changed – and with that comes new challenges and workplace trends. The best way to solve ghosting is…
LTEM and Action Mapping: hot sauce for business-driven learning
Ricci Masero adds zest to training evaluations, aligning learning with organisational goals and kicking performance gaps to the curb While travelling in the lush paradise of Costa Rica, where zesty hot sauce is as ubiquitous as the tropical sunshine, I stumbled on an insightful LinkedIn comment that sparked my interest in LTEM and Action Mapping. Just as the locals here expertly blend fiery chilies and tantalising spices to create their beloved hot sauces, these learning methodologies offer the perfect recipe…
How to build a fairer leadership pipeline for everyone
Sarah Danzl discusses how organisations can create more equitable leadership opportunities Organisations have made some progress in building more representative boards and C-suites, with the latest Women in the Workplace report from McKinsey & Co finding that it’s at the highest level since the report began. Yet, we still have a vacuum at the lower rungs of the career ladder, notably in middle management and director roles. For every 100 men promoted from entry-level to manager, 87 women were promoted…
The Glass Cliff – book review
Book: The Glass CliffAuthor: Sophie Williams I’m sure it’s not a coincidence that a book about women in leadership being under-represented and undermined was released the day before International Women’s Day. The day where women and their contributions are celebrated is an annual reminder that there is still much to do around equity and inclusion, but nothing quite prepared me for the bleak reality provided by Sophie Williams in this book. I found myself looking forward to starting the next…
Learning Technologies 2024 preview – is it all about AI?
Martin Couzins and Jo Cook explore what’s coming up at the Learning Technologies conference and exhibition this week AI is going to dominate this week’s Learning Technologies conference and exhibition. So it seems only fitting that Training Journal used AI to summarise the hot topics you can expect to hear being discussed. We took Whimsical within ChatGPT and asked it to summarise Learning Technologies’ interview with conference chair Donald Taylor. As you can see AI features but that’s not all.…
Data deficiency: how inaccurate reporting undermines the UK labour market
Nichola Hay explains why capturing workforce data on a wide range of L&D initiatives is an economic necessity It was recently reported that workforce data provided by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has “a long way to go” when it comes to providing an accurate depiction of the current state of the UK labour market. With the right data, the Government could identify where the UK’s skills gaps are at present, and where they could appear in future Part…
Unlocking talent in the age of AI
Gerry Griffin debunks AI myths, explores real-world applications, and highlights its potential for data-driven insights to enhance human potential The hysteria around AI can make it hard to tell fact from fiction. Listen to the doomsayers and you could be forgiven for thinking your replacement by a machine is both imminent and inevitable. But, once you get beyond the headlines, mostly generated by tech companies clawing back a dip in share price, the truth is markedly different. AI can provide…
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