Chief Learning Officer - January 2009 - (Page 24) THE BREAKFAST CLUB High-Impact Learning for Lean Times 7:30AM Registration Opens & Breakfast Buffet 8:15AM Panel Discussion Moderated by a Local CLO: Effective workforce learning is more important than ever in tough economic times. When aligned with organizational objectives, innovative learning and development solutions can create tremendous measurable value for the enterprise. In the 2009 Breakfast Club series, our panel of industry experts will lead conversations in cities across the United States about the role the learning organization plays in leading growth and innovation, even in tough economic times. have learned, and they need to be held accountable for improvement. These strategies can help drive effective integration of new skills. They’re also another example of a reaction to an economic downturn that can have a lasting positive effect on the company long after the economy has improved. Learning professionals can seize the moment to drive best practices into place. Foster Dialogue About How Competitive Advantage Can Be Maintained or Enhanced An economic recession is like any other type of organizational change, only this one is imposed from the outside. Employees and management can’t hide their heads in the sand waiting for the recession to pass or for the “other shoe to drop.” The challenge needs to be faced head-on. Learning and development leaders can help foster dialogue among employees about what the business needs to do to be more competitive than the next company. After all, the whole industry is in the same situation. Issues need to be addressed with emotional engagement, not just a set of dispassionate adjustments. This is the time to increase communication in all directions and encourage employees to respond thoughtfully. Ask them to help prioritize how development dollars get spent. Such discussions often yield surprising and valuable insights. Set the Stage for Increased Competitive Advantage Recently, Personnel Decisions International conducted a survey of human resources professionals and other business leaders around the globe to uncover organizational approaches to retention of key employees in the slowed economy and what tactics they have found to be most successful. Among the 530 respondents, 93 percent said retaining key employees is even more important during an economic downturn. Perhaps counterintuitively, the survey found “accelerating the development of key employees” to be a more effective tactic to retain these individuals than “competitive pay and benefits.” These responses offer real-world evidence that employees want development opportunities and will stay with the company that offers them. Skillful learning and development leaders can foster a common vision of what it looks like to be successful, even in a recession. Those who do so will mobilize and focus energy across their organizations, both for today and tomorrow, as they become catalysts for action and learning. CLO Marc Sokol is the senior vice president and global practice leader of development solutions at Personnel Decisions International. He can be reached at editor@clomedia.com. 10:30AM Close (Stay for networking and refreshments.) Join us for this unique forum. Take advantage of the opportunity to meet other learning leaders in your area while benchmarking your initiatives and discovering new ways to reach your organization’s learners. Coming soon to the following cities: March 12 – Chicago The University of Chicago Gleacher Center March 26 – Atlanta Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead April 23 – Philadelphia Loews Philadelphia Hotel May 7 – Dallas Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas Registration is limited and will fill quickly! Advanced registration is $49.95. On-site registration is $54.95. For more info visit: www.clomedia.com/events http://www.clomedia.com/events http://www.clomedia.com/events
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