Creativity and innovation

Finger about to press a start button with the word innovation on the left. Composite between an image and a 3D background

Accelerating agility and innovation in Learning & Development

Ravinder Tulsiani

Ravinder Tulsiani takes a look at some key tactics for making sure your learning team are flexing to the needs of their people and changing technology landscape In today’s fast-paced business environment, maintaining a competitive edge is crucial. This is particularly true of Learning and Development (L&D). Agility and innovation in L&D are not just buzzwords; they are vital strategies for organisations aiming to stay relevant and effective. This article serves as a guide to sign-post you to ideas for…

The word injustice on a wall and the first two letters being painted over with a roller

Brushing aside injustice – art, women and innovation: a call for creative empowerment in training

Rachel Bentley

Rachel Bentley examines not only a gender pay gap, but how creativity can inspire development and change in challenging work climates In the world of art an insidious reality lurks beneath the canvas: a gender pay gap that painfully exposes the struggles faced by women artists. A recent article by The Guardian sheds light on the profound impact of this shocking difference citing evidence from a leading academic and activist.  Creativity and innovation drive progress, allowing organisations to maintain a competitive…

Concept of new idea and creative thinking as a symbol of innovation and inspiration metaphor as a group of crumpled papers with one different paper transforming into an origami bird in flight.

Echoes of a past self: art, memory and transformation

Lior Locher

As part of International Women’s Day 2024, Lior Locher’s first performance art video explores the profound impact of unplanned artistry on identity and existence In an unexpected twist, an Lior Locher finds themselves at the centre of a performance art piece, not as an observer but as the unwitting subject. This becomes a powerful metaphor for professional growth and adaptability and this video narrative showcases how unplanned experiences can dramatically shape our understanding of creativity, collaboration, and personal development. Transcript…

Lime green Volks Wagon old type two camper van at three sister near Glencoe in Scotland - mountain backgrounds stunning scenary.

Conversations, relationships and learning: Spotify Tag

Julie Drybrough

Julie Drybrough takes us on a tour of Scotland, music and collaboration A couple of years ago we rented a campervan and meandered our way up the west coast of Scotland to Skye. As you can imagine, there were a lot of driving hours. During our travels we developed Spotify Tag – a game where someone picks an initial music track (from Spotify – other streaming services are available) and the next person tags on a song, based on association,…

Neurodiversity concept. Multi-coloured figures of the brain.

Unlocking the power of neurodiversity

Steve Macaulay

In this feature, Steve Macaulay looks at the benefits and importance of neurodiverse employees Every manager aims to make the best use of all the resources available so that their employees feel fulfilled and satisfied that they are reaching their full potential and contributing fully to the success of the organisation. However, a potential performance gap that has not been fully explored is the wide variation in the way each person approaches work and relationships and how each learns. Fostering…

Paper plate, glasses, notepad, pen and pencils on the white background. Business concept. Text THE POWER OF STORYTELLING

Bridging the gap with killer communications: the power of storytelling for building a learning culture

Kerry Jary

Kerry Jary weaves a tale about story telling in L&D An embedded learning culture – we want this, we need this! But just how do we achieve it? In an ideal world, learning and development forms the backbone of our organisational culture, employees want to participate, they are motivated and engaged.  However, in reality, modules often become tick box exercises, we only communicate with our audience when the next training refresher is due, or worse still, we don’t communicate at…

Pile of colourful books and alarm clock on top on white background

Learning from life: writing a book

Michelle Parry-Slater

This month Michelle Parry-Slater is an open book about the challenges of writing This month my book, The Learning and Development Handbook is three years old. Writing that book taught me so much about myself and expectations on learning new skills. Who was I to write a book? I couldn’t write because I wasn’t the right person Writing the book was really hard for me, which came as a surprise. A big surprise! I had written short form content for…

Multi-generation meeting of males and females in an office planning things. Generative AI image.

Elevate your leadership: 10 strategies for a positive workplace culture and team success

Lakeisha Robichaux

Set the tone for a successful year ahead with a guide for leaders from CEO Lakeisha Robichaux As leaders step into the new year, they have the opportunity to set the tone for success, foster positive culture, and inspire team development is always top of mind. Leadership reflection on the past year is a vital exercise for personal and professional growth Here are 10 ways for leaders to kickstart the year with a focus on positive culture, effective communication, and…

Reassuring employees about AI

Luke Smith

Luke Smith offers ideas on how to reassure employees they won’t be replaced by artificial intelligence As AI becomes increasingly capable, even employees in highly skilled industries are becoming concerned about job security. One recent study showed that 24% of Americans believed AI might make their job obsolete. As a business leader, how can you help employees understand that your organisation isn’t planning to lay everyone off and replace them with bots? It can be challenging, especially given the number…

L&D’s role in sustainability in L&D – a well-being angle

The link between sustainability and well-being is clear, and here Jo Cook examines the evidence and urges L&D professionals to champion these vital areas into their strategy. Work-related stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 55% of all days lost due to work-related ill health The global pandemic has increased the need for well-being support for working age adults. The UK Health and Safety Executive reported that in 2021/22 work-related stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 51% of all work-related ill health and…