eLearning - December 2008/January 2009 - (Page 24) Learning and Development Trends for the New Year retain high-potential top talent and create a workforce that adapts quickly and competitively to business change. An effective learning program also strengthens leadership competencies and makes human capital a competitive differentiator. Meeting internal and external macro pressures via learning and development is no easy task. However, according to a recent benchmark research study published by Aberdeen Group “Achieving Real Business Value with Learning and Development” (a study of 535 human resources, learning / training, and line of business professionals, pertaining to the current and anticipated states of learning and development, its role within talent management, and the value organizations derive from it), the benefits of doing so can be enormous. To make this happen, an organization’s HR or learning executives must interpret and determine how learning can remove barriers to attain organizational and individual goals. Then, the appropriate learning programs must be developed and accepted by workers. Finally, a means to track, report on, and validate the results must be put in place. Of course, this is easier said than done. However, companies identified as “Best in Class” by Aberdeen Group share many commonalities that all organizations can pursue to produce greater success and advance in their ability to achieve Best-in-Class results; these include a mix of strategies, capabilities and technologies that turn learning into a strategic enabler. They are: >> Target learning to address specific organizational “pain” points as well as gaps in workforce competencies. >> Make learning available via multiple means to all stakeholders who can benefit from participating. >> Integrate learning with an individual’s specific development plan or career path. INTEGRATING LEARNING, TALENT MANAGEMENT Based on previous Aberdeen Group research, four out of five business executives prefer an integrated solution for their organizations’ overall human capital management needs. When it comes to learning and development — which has traditionally been siloed from human resources and talent management — the challenges pertaining to integration are magnified. However, the organizations that made “Best in Class” for learning and development understand that learning is not a one-time thing and view it as an ongoing process that serves a strategic purpose. In fact, a main factor that differentiates Best-in-Class organizations is their ability to integrate learning strategy with talent management strategies. This is a significant devel- ECONOMIC FACTORS ARE HAVING MORE IMPACT ON APPROACHES TO CORPORATE LEARNING. B Y K E V I N M A RT I N A N D J E R RY R O C H E The days of measuring an organization’s training department by classroom seats filled or courses taken are a thing of the past. Those metrics don’t speak to the business issues that matter to senior leadership or the operational performance results they strive to achieve. Enterprise learning historically has been isolated from human resources, which is the primary decision-influencer for organizational talent management. However, the importance of learning and development in the talent management value chain cannot be overlooked. Learning now finds itself at the epicenter of talent management. Certainly, the current economic climate is tightening budgets and forcing organizations to focus even more on getting the most from what they’ve got. Customers expect more, usually for less. Yet these factors are also driving the pursuit of learning and development, which can help 24 December 2008/January 2009 Elearning! Learning now finds itself at the epicenter of talent management.
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