Professional Development

Creative people working on new ideas

Ignite L&D momentum: Focus on three key areas 

Steve Macaulay

To drive truly impactful L&D, focus on customised learning, cutting-edge technology, and full organisational involvement – Steve Macaulay has your three-step guide  Are your L&D initiatives fresh and impactful? To cultivate a dynamic and skilled workforce, it’s essential to stimulate and maintain L&D momentum. Target specific areas to drive engagement, adaptability and resilience within your organisation.   Home in on the top areas for your organisation which will deliver the biggest impact   This article highlights three key strategic areas…

Lifelong learning gives career advancement. A cause and effect relationship.,3d illustration

Skills England – what to expect from the expected

Mandy Gill

Lifelong learning, apprenticeships and partnerships between businesses, education establishments and government – can it all work? Mandy Gill explores the shifting skills landscape Just over a month in and the new Labour government has not delayed in progressing one of its key manifesto commitments – the creation of Skills England. Skills England aims to bridge the current skills gap and support UK competitiveness on the global stage The bill was announced in the King’s Speech and by 22 July, the…

Inspiration strikes - A light bulb moment amidst the chaos of ideas

From chaos to clarity: Mastering documentation for work processes

Jo Cook

Discover key insights and techniques for effective, process documentation, with clear guidance from Jo Cook I saw a Facebook meme recently that went a bit like this: Me as a youth: Don’t tell me what to do! Me as an adult: Would someone please tell me, in intricate detail, with timings, exactly what I’m supposed to do. Good quality work often has a good quality process to guide it, so that there’s consistency, quality and clear outcomes. On a contract…

Post-it speech bubbles : feedback

Make learning count: Leveraging feedback loops for business success 

Houra Amin

Feedback loops help L&D leaders refine strategies, align learning with business goals and drive success, writes Houra Amin  In the rapidly evolving business landscape, the ability to adapt and continuously improve is critical for success. Central to this adaptability are feedback loops – a concept that involves producing something, measuring the outcomes, and making improvements based on the data.   A strong partnership between L&D and business leadership is crucial for ensuring alignment between the people-capability agenda and the overall business…

Colorful paint cans with paintbrush

Learning from life: What I learnt from living with disruption

Michelle Parry-Slater

Noise, mess, things left behind. Coping with decorating and how that applies to job changes – as explored by Michelle Parry-Slater Despite having lived in the house for four years, we had not ‘made it our own’. I often end up doing that ridiculous thing of not decorating until we decide to move, thus preparing the house to sell for someone else to enjoy the spoils of our labour. Am I alone in this? Do you put up with a…

Exploring Psyche's Depths of Shadow and Transformation

Facilitate and flourish: Embracing a new season 

Fiona McBride

Explore the art of great facilitation, interspersed with connection, curiosity and creativity with Fiona McBride As we see seasons transition it prompts me to consider the potential for change and transformation within our learning and facilitation work. This could be the perfect opportunity to seek out opportunities to evolve our approach, try new tools and techniques, or explore new trends in learning and development.  It’s useful to look at the areas you work in and explore strategies for continual improvement…

Adaptive Learning Letters

Unlocking employee potential: How adaptive learning is transforming workplace learning

Camilia Miccolis

Disappointed that training interventions aren’t hitting the mark? Then adaptive learning might be your answer! Camilia Miccolis tells us all about it Employees are often a company’s largest expense, but they are also their biggest asset. Like all assets, a return on investment is crucial – but humans are more complex than tools, services and products. In order to unlock the true potential of employees, organisations must do more than simply “acquire” them as an asset, they must invest in…

Implementing personalized employee development programs to boost morale

Joining the dots . . . on how L&D can drive impact through continuous development

Martin Couzins

Do you want to think more broadly and engage more people in the L&D process? Get ready to unlock the potential of continuous improvement, writes Martin Couzins  Return on investment is the Achilles’ heel of learning and development. It is hard to prove and yet people still talk about it and still want it. Rather than chasing something that is so elusive, try a different tack. Focus on continuous improvement. Why? Because it frees you up to think more broadly and…

One Pink Grapefruit Slice Stand Out Of Yellow Lemon Slices

Editor’s blog: Is the people profession unique in the organisation?

Jo Cook

Is the role of the supporting and developing the workforce actually unique? Jo Cook reflects. A lot of questions were posed at the HR Leaders Unconference in London yesterday – everything from AI and organisations processes, through to finding time to decide how to “be” a supportive people function. Many things piqued my interest, and one in particular stayed with me: it was the statement that HR is unique in the business, in it’s challenges and responsibilities. We can appropriately…

Boot Camp  - fluorescent Neon Sign on brickwall Front view

Are digital bootcamps the answer to lifelong learning?

Stewart Watts

Early career staff need different skillsets and support, so skills bootcamps might be the answer. Stewart Watts tells us more In the technology sector, while the total number of advertised job vacancies may have seen a decline last year, the demand for junior and entry-level roles is at an all-time high. Many organisations are having trouble finding enough young professionals to keep up with their growth plans. In response, Science and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan launched a campaign to get…