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Article 1 – The top 5 L&D trends to watch for in 2021

(Adapted from Forbes, Published on December 23, 2020)

L&D functions catapulted to the top of any business agenda in 2020 with many avenues coming into focus including the need of digitization. 2020 has been a revolutionary year for many learning leaders! Will this overdrive continue in 2021 too?

What is expected from 2021 with the backdrop of the accelerated transformation of learning and the forever changes developed in the industry?

1.      Rapid Reskilling

• The catastrophic shift to remote work called for the immediate upskilling and reskilling of entire workforces, often disparately located and speaking multiple languages.
• The pandemic has removed the luxury of time, and with new knowledge being created faster than ever, it's also deterred leaders from spending months creating learning experiences that have a short sell-by date.
• The order of the day is agility, and it is this — not forward planning alone — that will dominate L&D conversations in 2021.
• Agile learning methodologies that focus on speed, flexibility and collaboration are the future of L&D. This is the approach that will enable leaders to better manage the revolving door of perpetual skills gaps by ensuring people are rapidly reskilled for the benefit of work and business performance.

2.      Performance Over Skills

• L&D has finally taken its rightful seat at the head of the table, but not without creating increased pressure on Chief Learning Officers and others who hold responsibility for learning to demonstrate its tangible impact on the bottom line.
• It's a growing trend that will see learning design become increasingly scrutinized for its ability to drive business performance, with a welcome secondary consequence being the end of reskilling for the sake of reskilling.
• In line with this, we can also expect to see a continued rise in the number of transformer CLOs as the traditional remit of skills development is replaced with a longer lens focusing on overall business performance. Although this is still an emerging trend, it will soon become a deafening drumbeat as L&D programs are widely redesigned to drive performance ahead of skills.

3.      Corporate Learning Will Be An Everyday Thing

• There will also be a marked uptick in learning "on the job" or "in the flow of work" next year as more and more business leaders realize the significance of integrating learning into people's everyday work as a means of developing applicable skills.
• This is the beginning of L&D becoming an everyday activity where people are actively engaged in searching for the trusted answers and knowledge they need to satisfy their curiosity and perform better at work. 

4.      Integrating Virtual With Digital

• When the first wave of Covid hit, some L&D teams went into reactive mode as they scrambled to make the transition from classroom learning to a digital-first model
• The transformation to digital has been rapid in all areas, but the progression in L&D over the past 10 months is arguably greater than that seen over the last 10 years.
• So with the L&D department now having more time to take stock, the key question is this: What should holistic learning look like next year?
• The answer is combining the best of a reimagined virtual L&D with the best of digital learning — and striking the right balance in these terms will feature high on the business priority list next year.
• There is more to this than just achieving the optimum blend, however, because any integration of virtual with digital must also be underpinned by learning in context and inflow and, crucially, it must support remote learners' heightened demand for value and social interaction.

5.      Learning Designed By Data

• Perhaps the biggest — and most far-reaching — L&D trend for 2021 will be the mainstream adoption of data in corporate learning design. As, progressive companies have been doing this for some time, but next year this will become the standard approach.
• The overarching benefits? Business leaders will be empowered to ask the right questions at the right time in order to understand what matters most and design learning solutions with both learner and organizational outcomes in mind.
• At the same time, and armed with data-driven insight for the first time, more and more organizations will swap stand-alone learning for a culture of continuous learning for the benefit of work — as characterized by active engagement and tapping into tacit organizational knowledge. The result? A self-perpetuating cycle of learning success that can be iterated when needed and which will positively transform the world of corporate learning

Read more at - https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2020/12/23/five-learning-and-development-trends-to-watch-for-in-2021/?sh=565c1f8c4d2f

Article 2 – Why Organizational Development will be considered as Startup’s secret weapon?

(Adapted from Entrepreneur India, Published on January 13, 2021)

Organizational Development (OD) – a dull sounding word can transform the startups!!! 

It is now a proven fact that instead of doubling down on past triumphs, companies that realize they need to evolve – and have the tools, systems, and people in place to do so – enjoy a deep market advantage. The examples are endless to learn from including failed giants like Kodak, Blockbuster, Pan Am and many more…

What is OD and why it matters?

In his classic 1969 book, Organization Development: Strategies and Models, Richard Beckhard said OD initiatives should be planned across the company, managed from the top, and increase the organization’s health and effectiveness. “OD professionals focus on enhancing organization capacity,” writes Beckhard, “through alignment of strategy, structure, management processes, people, and rewards and metrics.”

OD initiatives might include hiring a sustainability consultant, hosting a learning session on personality types in the workplace, enrolling employees in technical classes, or anything else that strengthens a company from the inside out.  

Developing skilled, engaged staff and efficient systems is always a good business strategy. Below are the three reasons to consider a structured OD program –

1.       It boosts emotional intelligence

For healthy work culture, it is mandatory in today’s time that both people and companies have emotional intelligence. Emotionally intelligent companies help their employees develop skills and become better, more productive people. “The best companies have mentoring programs or their equivalent, where new employees learn from more senior ones,” writes leadership consultant Judith Humphrey. “More broadly, talent development should be embedded in the organizational DNA.”

2.      You’ll attract and retain upcoming talent

Millennials and Gen Z currently comprise 38% of the U.S. workforce – a number that’s expected to reach 58% over the next decade. Experts say young workers expect more frequent and formal professional development from their employers than previous generations. “They believe that training should be focused, customized, and directed toward their career advancement and personal development,” authors Robert Cummings, Sheila Grice, and Nicole Modzelewski write in Fast Company.  

3.      OD can reinforce your purpose

Knowing why you’re in business – beyond making profits – is essential for both success and satisfaction. Purpose clarifies tough decisions. It also filters everything from marketing messages to hiring. As you develop a cohesive OD program, the purpose is the guiding light; it determines what your company needs to effectively navigate change.

Weaving your WHY into learning, development, training, and onboarding will ensure your company pursues the right opportunities, and it encourages teams to connect the dots between their day-to-day activities and the company’s vision.

In addition to a formalized OD program, look for the people who naturally spread ideas, while encouraging others to embrace new possibilities. Harness this important group, and you’ll amplify your company’s ability to manage, and even maximize, the power of change.

Read more at - https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/362895