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TJ podcast: Beyond courses: How AI transforms L&D into a strategic business partnership – episode 328
In this episode, Josh Bersin, Erica Farmer and Laura Overton join Jo Cook to unpack how AI is shifting L&D from static courses to adaptive support. They explore dynamic content, practice with AI coaching, and why learning teams must redefine impact in terms of performance, relevance, and real business value. Key takeaways: Created by CleanVoice Podcast summary: Created by CleanVoice and edited by ChatGPT Jo Cook, Erica Farmer, and Josh Bersin explore how AI is reshaping learning and development from…
The wellbeing effect: why smart L&D strategies go beyond skills
Craig Fearn explores the basics of how L&D, when strategically focused on wellbeing, transforms both individuals and organisations. This integrated approach builds resilience, reduces burnout and boosts performance, creating a workplace where people can thrive personally and professionally, all while driving long-term business growth and engagement from the inside out. When L&D is applied strategically it is a catalyst for systemic change; this is particularly apparent when applied to employee health and wellbeing initiatives. By investing in L&D with a…
AI vs human learning: Where the real value lies
Helen Routledge argues the real opportunity with AI isn’t replacing L&D teams but rethinking how we approach our work. By blending AI’s scalability with human insight, learning becomes immersive, realistic, and effective; preparing people for critical moments before they count and delivering performance-driven outcomes that matter to individuals and organisations. Every few months, a new ‘influencer’ pops up declaring that AI is going to replace trainers, instructional designers, or entire learning departments. It’s a provocative headline and it generates clicks…
Putting teamwork front and centre: A guide for HR and L&D leaders
Steve Macaulay and Sarah Cook explore how HR and L&D professionals can create high-performing teams using proven models, practical strategies, and the human skills that bring them to life. This guide blends research, emotional intelligence, and real-world tools to build team cultures of trust, growth, and sustained collaboration. Team building is essential for fostering strong, effective organisations. HR and L&D professionals play a crucial role in driving collaboration, innovation, and growth. Conversely, dysfunctional teams can hinder progress and divert focus…
Three ways to show training’s real value
In a world where training drives business strategy, measuring its impact is crucial. Dr. Ajit Kumar Kar outlines three practical approaches, ROI, ROTI and ROE, that help organisations justify investment, track outcomes and align learning with performance. Discover how to make training accountable, strategic, and report well for future investment. In today’s volatile business landscape, training is no longer optional, it’s a strategic enabler. Companies invest in training for a number of reasons: Training fuels people’s growth to match the…
Why your first 90 days in L&D should focus on rhythm, not results
New to L&D? Kanishka shares a three-phase rhythm (listen, learn, lead) to help L&D professionals start strong and avoid burning out. Adapted from the book A Simple Methodology for Life, this 90-day approach builds confidence, credibility and calm through small, purposeful actions and reflection at each stage of the journey. Stepping into a new learning and development role is exhilarating, and overwhelming. New trainers, facilitators, or instructional designers often rush to ‘prove value,’ only to find themselves firefighting rather than…
The Training Officer August 1968
To mark its 60th year, TJ revisits the earliest edition in the archives, a magazine that shaped the early training profession. With striking parallels to today’s challenges, the issue tackled assessment reform, human skills, community and more. The values of evidence, critique and collaboration still resonate across learning and development. Published as the “Official Journal of the Institution of Training Officers,” this archive magazine captured a profession defining itself in the wake of the Industrial Training Act. Its mix of…
The next five years in L&D will change everything
L&D is undergoing its biggest shift in decades. At World of Learning 2025, 17 experts shared bold, insightful answers on what’s coming next. From AI to skills strategies and culture shifts, Kirstie Greany explores what the profession must prioritise to stay human, strategic and impactful over the next five years. Learning and development as an industry is at a turning point, a tipping point, or is that an inflection point? If the conversations at this year’s World of Learning Conference…
We don’t need more learning, we need more practice
Why capability demands rehearsal, not just retention: Practice builds capability, but it’s still missing from much of workplace learning. Helen Routledge argues that L&D has become too focused on content delivery, overlooking the psychological realities of how people truly learn. Without meaningful rehearsal, learning won’t stick, and performance won’t follow. Most workplace learning still follows a simple formula: deliver content, test recall, tick the completion box. But as the demands on employees shift and the pace of change accelerates, L&D…
From cost centre to strategic asset — what gives L&D a seat at the strategy table?
L&D isn’t just about courses and compliance. In a world of constant change, it can be a powerful driver of growth and resilience. Jennie Marshall explores five ways learning teams can move from support function to strategic partner and earn the credibility they need to impact people, outcomes and organisations. For years, learning and development has wrestled with a perception problem. It’s often been seen as the department that organises training sessions, rolls out compliance modules, and occasionally delivers a…
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