L&D Professionals
Behind the scenes of planning a new learning event: Last update before the fun!
With just a couple of weeks to go, Kirsty Lewis shares the emotional highs, financial lows and last-minute wins as SOFest edges closer. From surprise sponsors to sparkly outfit dilemmas, here’s a raw and real behind-the-scenes glimpse at the planning, panicking and reality of building a learning festival from scratch When I started writing these blogs for TJ they were a retro of the month before, the activities, the highlights and lows of SOFest. As we are drawing closer to…
Unlocking frontline performance: The next evolution in enterprise learning
The hidden majority that is underserved by traditional L&D efforts are the frontline workers that power most industries. This partner article explores how compliance training, mobile learning, and early development can evolve from tick-box exercises into performance drivers that unlock skills, boost retention, and helping build smarter, more agile teams. Frontline workers, those who serve customers, operate machinery, move goods, and support communities, make up around 80% of the global workforce. Yet, they remain underrepresented in corporate learning strategies, which…
Coaching at a crossroads – how AI is transforming the support we give at work
With demand for personalised coaching soaring and the growing need in our changing world, human capacity is being stretched thin. Laurel McKenzie explores how AI can support – not replace – human coaches, helping organisations scale development efforts ethically while meeting the needs of hybrid workers, Gen Z employees and career changers. The demand for personalised learning and development tools has surged as the workplace evolves. With hybrid working, a growing Gen Z workforce, and frequent career transitions, organisations are…
Attention is earned, not given – what L&D needs to learn from marketing
Marketers know how to grab attention and inspire action in people — so why isn’t L&D learning from their approaches and methods? In this smart crossover, Ricci Masero shares how marketing’s best strategies, approaches tactics can supercharge learning engagement, from storytelling and UX to journey mapping and business metrics inspired design. As a marketing professional working in the EdTech space, I see a closely shared common goal with learning and development: capturing attention and driving behaviour change. While marketers have…
How to handle difficult conversations without losing learner trust
Training and coaching can surface emotions, resistance, and of course, personal baggage. But with curiosity, empathy, and assertiveness, learning professionals can turn tension into transformation—and build deeper trust with their clients. Cliff Lansley explores three types of empathy and advises on how the learning professional can implement this approach. Training and coaching individuals and teams in organisations isn’t easy – whether as a learning and development professional working within an organisation, or as someone serving external clients. The learning and…
Influence or manipulation? Why mindful manoeuvring is a leadership skill no one’s teaching
Influence happens—intentionally or not and it’s the engine of modern leadership. Caitlin Collins unpacks the line between guiding and manipulating at work, revealing why leaders need more than authority to truly move people. This is the leadership skill hiding in plain sight—and it’s time we made it teachable. When a former tech executive recently shared that she had used “manipulation” to pivot her career, the reaction online was swift—equal parts shock and curiosity. The word “manipulation” triggered something. And rightly…
L&Ds role in meeting expectations of early career professionals
Emily Goldsack and Alanna Harrington explore how learning and development can be the deciding factor for early career talent. Their research reveals what young professionals expect from employers — from onboarding through to long-term growth — and how L&D can help organisations meet these needs to build engagement, trust and future-ready leaders. In a world where organisational success is defined by speed and adaptability, attracting early talent is essential to stay ahead. They bring innovative ideas, a hunger to learn,…
How to stretch your budget to achieve high-impact L&D
Tight budgets don’t have to mean low impact. Steve Macaulay shares smart, strategic ways to do more with less in your L&D department, so you can look at boosting learning, increasing performance, and sparking innovation – without breaking the bank. From internal expertise to open-source tools, it’s all about working smarter! Many L&D professionals struggle to stretch their budgets to meet growing organisational demands. Surveys consistently highlight budget constraints as a top concern for HR and L&D professionals worldwide. Underfunded…
We should all be training our teams in the use of AI – the why and the how
With US public institutions stepping up AI training, it’s time for businesses to ask: why aren’t we doing the same? This piece by Grant Polachek explores why interest in AI is high but usage is low — and what leaders must do to close the training gap and build AI-ready cultures Last year multiple states including Connecticut, California, Mississippi, and Maryland announced plans to help facilitate AI training for workers. Connecticut has gone the furthest – launching a free Citizens…
Taking a results-based approach to L&D investment
As businesses tighten belts and talent gaps widen, L&D really has a chance to shine—not with attendance stats, but by proving real impact. Aisling MacNamara calls for a smarter, outcomes-led approach that aligns learning with organisation strategy, speaks the language of business, and turns development into a competitive edge In today’s results-driven business world, demonstrating a clear return on investment is expected for virtually every initiative. Yet, learning and development has too often been the exception. For years, success in…
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