L&D Professionals

Effective teamwork. Older and younger men women multiracial business executives colleagues gather for brainstorm at workplace look on laptop screens of two diverse team leaders propose solutions ideas

Your multi-dimensional workforce is a valuable asset: Three ways to make the most of difference 

Steve Macaulay

Turn diversity into success with three instantly actionable insights from David Buchanan and Steve Macaulay  You know the saying: it takes all sorts? That’s the perfect description of today’s workforce. Look around your team and you’ll see different ages, ethnicities, experiences and backgrounds. When managed correctly, these differences become a valuable asset, offering fresh solutions and driving innovation. But get it wrong, and this diversity can spark disagreements and conflict. Let’s explore three ways to capitalise on your multi-dimensional workforce…

Conceptual 3 letters keyword ROI (Return On Investment), on multicolored stickers attached to a cork board.

Maximising ROI on training programmes in 2025: Strategies for a high-impact workforce

Rob Porter

Personalise learning, engage stakeholders and embrace artificial intelligence to unlock real value, writes Rob Porter  As organisations increasingly invest in training and development to drive productivity and ensure business growth, measuring these programmes’ return on investment has become a critical issue. According to a Gartner report, 55% of HR leaders feel their current technologies do not meet evolving needs, and 51% cannot measure ROI on their HR investments.  AI-powered learning analytics are transforming how organisations evaluate training success   With training…

Explain, agent or black woman on computer in call center for consulting, questions or loan advice. Solution, advisor or African virtual assistant talking for telemarketing info or sales communication

Scaling skill adoption with AI and a human-centric approach 

James Swift

Take a phased approach and keep people at the heart of strategy, advises James Swift Leyton, like many businesses, prioritises client retention as a crucial driver of sustainable growth. Recognising that their consultants’ skills directly impacted client relationships and retention rates, Leyton’s talent development team sought innovative solutions to improve skill adoption and consistency across their workforce. The business challenge was to boost client retention.   AI provided unprecedented visibility into employee skill usage… replacing subjective observations with objective data  …

Conceptual hand writing showing Book Now. Concept meaning Make a reservation in hotel accommodation or airplane ticket

Behind the scenes of planning a new learning event: Exploring ticket sales tactics

Kirsty Lewis

Kirsty Lewis on the ups, downs and wild ideas behind getting people to SOFest 2025 How are you? If you are new to this blog it is all about my crazy idea to put on a festival for 100-plus facilitators, trainers, coaches and consultants from 10 to 12 June 2025, in Essex, UK. I mean how hard can it be to create a large-scale event, in a field, for people who love to learn, connect into the community and have experiences? …

Organizational Learning Communities – book review 

Peter Plumlee

Practical, insightful and inspiring, this go-to guide is packed with fresh ideas and real-world strategies – Peter Plumlee reviews essential reading for L&D professionals, team leaders and anyone seeking smarter collaboration  Book: Organizational Learning Communities – Empowering social learning and collaboration to improve performanceAuthor: Andy Lancaster When I first picked up Organizational Learning Communities – Empowering social learning and collaboration to improve performance, I wasn’t sure what I was getting into. A 400- page book about learning communities? It sounded…

 TJ Columnist Peter Honey, dies aged 87

Debbie Carter

Former TJ Editor Debbie Carter reflects on Peter Honey’s life and his contribution to learning Peter Honey was a columnist for TJ for many years and he was an Editor’s dream. His 700 words of wisdom dropped into my inbox once a month without need for reminder or revision. Peter’s material was well written, pertinent with very little repetition of content. Surveys of the readership consistently put his column at the top of our polls for style, content and entertainment!…

A visionary meeting where manufacturers and retailers discuss incentivizing designs for recyclability and compostability in a green office environment

From code to culture: How AI can embed company culture 

Elie Rashbass

Artificial intelligence can help turn company culture from words on a wall into something real – Elie Rashbass explains how Strong and healthy cultures help businesses and employees thrive. Weak or toxic cultures, on the other hand, harm both the workforce and the business’s bottom line. Companies know culture matters and recognise exactly what values they want. However, listing and wanting certain values, even if you mean it (which most companies do!), doesn’t make them a reality.   The missing link…

Tap Dancing.

From tap to hip hop: How dance inspires workplace excellence 

Karl Green

Success at work requires precision, energy, expression and adaptability – just like mastering different dance styles. Karl Green shares lessons from the stage to help you perform at your best  Some of our most powerful lessons about workplace success come from unexpected places. As someone from a performance background of over a decade, who pivoted career from dance and musical theatre to coaching and development, one of my favourite analogies is how different dances mirror various approaches to work and…

Global Sentiment Survey 2025 front cover showing Donald H Taylor (C) Don Taylor

L&D professionals question if AI really is a hot topic for 2025

Donald H Taylor launches his L&D Global Sentiment Survey and TJ digs into the results At the launch event for the of the L&D Global Sentiment Survey 2025, the 12th annual check of the pulse of L&D worldwide, Donald H Taylor has analysed answers from 3,339 people covering 93 countries. Don asks “What will be hot in workplace L&D?” for the coming year and people make a selection from 16 options, including AI, reskilling, learning analytics and others. Don highlights…

World of Learning Summit 2025 Olympia front entrance.

From influence to action: key lessons from the World of Learning Summit 2025

How can L&D leaders drive real impact, influence strategy, and transform learning in the workplace? Be inspired by the industry’s leading thinkers and practitioners in this conference summary What does it truly mean for L&D to have “a seat at the table”? It’s a phrase that sparks debate—some see it as the pinnacle of influence, while others dismiss it as an outdated ambition. It’s not just about being in the executive room; it’s about using the right data, influencing the…