SPECIAL FEATURE - TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
As I See It
13 practitioners share what they believe to be key trends in training and development for 2012.


JAN 2012 | Graham Elder shares :

My predictions for 2012?

Trend number 1 is that it’s going to be all about E. E technologies and resources will continue to transform and enrich the ways people learn, but the way they are employed is going to be critical.

Globally, many organisations recognise the key importance of engaging their people if they are to successfully negotiate transition and rationalisation, but lack the resources they previously applied to L&OD in more affluent times, and see the use of e technologies as a cost effective and innovative solution. The danger though is that e resources will be used simply to replace more traditional learning methods at reduced cost, rather than taking advantage of their unique characteristics to create something new and powerful.

In recent years we've seen a general move towards bite sized learning and short targeted interventions, either in a workshop format or via a webinar. I’ve encouraged organisations I have consulted with to resist this for two key reasons. Firstly although a short session might feel convenient, my concern has always been with the learning and asking managers "do you want people to be informed about the topic concerned or actually learn how to apply it and understand how they can do so?" The latter generally takes more than a "bite size" session.

However, the development of e-technologies in learning means that short targeted sessions are seeing their time finally arrive. At the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea I am launching an integrated approach for 2012, using e-technologies to support such sessions to create the learning required.

A manager at RBKC might attend a 1 or 2 hour training session, either face to face or on-line, as the core of the approach, but will have also have the chance to contribute to an on-line forum both before and after the event to discuss with other participants how they might put the techniques covered into practice. They will also be able to create their own wikis and read those created by others to gather related case studies.

They can add to this the study of e-reference resources (a virtual Ashridge learning portal is used at RBKC) and in doing so receive a rich learning experience that can both create behavioural change and fit around other commitments and busy schedules.

The learning can also be further supplemented with the intelligent use of social networking, tweeting links and tips and encouraging the creation of Facebook groups, Yammer networks and holding real-time on-line question and answer sessions with key professionals and people who have already successfully applied new approaches.

Trend number 2 is for small scale interventions. When organisations are faced with major change, they are apt to organise large events to bring people together and create team coherence and shared visions and ideologies. I believe that 2012 will see a return to more personal interventions, and I'm already seeing a greater demand on my time for coaching and mentoring as managers seek individual support with performance management and motivation in particular.

Managers are going to need more time to build their personal confidence and competence around their individual circumstances and be motivated to feel they are capable, they can do it and they will make changes to their behaviour to get the best from their teams. In practical terms, this means 1 to 1’s, small formal and informal discussions and personalised bespoke sessions for specific teams and groups.

My third and last trend is the accelerating emergence of videogame technology in learning. As people have come to realise that e-learning, if it is to actually change behaviours, needs to be far more interactive, the natural progression is to consider how videogames can provide the answer. Certainly they are now a dominant form of entertainment, and 20 or more years ago organisations like video arts recognised that the same actors who entertained on TV could also help people learn in training videos. It follows therefore that the techniques that keep people enthralled on their playstation can also be used as part of a learning experience.

The Economist reported on this in its 2011 December 10th edition, describing how the US Army is using online scenarios to help its troops make the right decisions on the ground in Afghanistan, as well as how the UK Department for Work and Pensions is using an online reward scheme to encourage innovation. The key is incorporating the challenge and competition people enjoy in their gaming, as well as the capability to immerse the learner in an experience that closely resembles real life.

In summary, In 2012 its going to be all about using new technologies to bring the learning to the learner, in a smaller scale, more intimate setting and allowing people to create their own personalised learning experience by accessing a range of integrated resources.

Graham Elder B.Ed (Hons) has been a Learning and Development professional and coach for the past twenty years, with extensive experience in the UK retail sector. He has also worked with clients as diverse as the UK Government and National Health Service, law firms and media organisations, engineering and social services. Currently contracted to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, he has been responsible for re-developing the key engagement offer, focussing on the provision of effectively targeted, strategically relevant learning. His current key project is the development and use of e-technologies in learning, working at the cutting edge of the profession. Twitter: @GrahamElder

Abdallah Al Jurf shares :

In the field of training and development, there are some trends that would be the hot issues for 2012, especially in the Middle East region:

1. Coaching and mentoring
Mentoring is applied to newcomers and fresh graduates in many organisations. However, professional 'coaching' is still new in the region but professional HR leaders are trying to spread a coaching-friendly culture in their organisations. This would help organisations to achieve their strategic objectives in the long run.

2. Certifying internal trainers
Training managers are having a paradigm shift from bringing experts and keynote speakers whenever training is needed, to certifying internal trainers who are employees that have certain characteristics such as

• being Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) in their fields
• having the willing and ability to train others, and
• having the ability to deliver training to their colleagues without affecting the other business needs in their organisation.

3. Focus on OJT
External training is usually expensive and its results are not up to the expectations of training managers and line managers. Therefore, many organisations would be focusing more on the “on- job- training” (OJT), which is more cost effective and results oriented.

4. Knowledge Management
Many organisations in the Middle East region would expect a crisis if their expert employees leave, taking their knowledge, skills, networks, and experiences away with them. To avoid this crisis, many organisations are starting to implement the concept of knowledge management.

	Abdallah Al-Jurf is the Training and Development Senior Specialist at National Water Company in Saudi Arabia.Abdallah has delivered training as a Professional Trainer for many organisations and specialises in training delivery, design and training needs analysis (TNA). Abdallah also specialises in coaching and competencies-based HRM.

Clayton Tan shares :

Much have changes since the early days of classroom training till today's blended learning approach. Here are some significant changes I see today:

- Learning is no longer industry specific: Gone were the days when tried and tested formulas are being learnt. Recognising that skills could be obsolete as soon as learnt, the next wave of learning focuses on the curiosity of what works and what doesn't in other industries.

- Learning on the go: With limited time and often remote work assignments, mobile learning and short clips is fast gaining popularity over classroom training and assignments.

- More knowledgeable workforce, less fundamental training: Entry level employees today are different from the past. The number of graduates are rising, and technology has made employees more well-informed. Thus, the need for fundamental training (i.e: MS-Office applications / basic communications) is likely to be reduced. The focus shall be shifted to the moulding of a learning / thinking culture; which will in turn create a self-learning environment while further encouraging social learning.

- Measurement of Learning ROI: The cost/benefit of conducting such measurements is still highly debatable. However, learning today is more focused on business needs compared to the past. For example, the measurement of training hours should be history, while the role mentoring / coaching has in people development should be given more recognition.

- Managers as trainers: Organisations' internal training team is likely to be reduced in size and replaced with a team of executive coaches. The role of these executive coaches is to guide the managers into making themselves the best trainers to their team. The development of a team is a process in which managers who work with the team daily have the best form of influence over them. Thus, managers who walk the talk are the best trainers to be on the team.

Moving into the future, social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google+ have been dominating the Internet for the last couple of years. As such, my believe is that 'Social Learning' shall be the next generation of people development. So what should 'Social Learning' encompass?

• The element of simulation: On-the-job learning may have been the most effective manner of learning in the past but that comes with the risk factor of learners making mistakes on the job. However, if it was just another simulation / role-playing game (RPG), that would make the difference. RPGs have evolved into MMORPGs (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games) in recent years with the introduction of World of Warcraft - do expect the next generation of learning to be somewhat MMORPG. Afterall, it is the game that the new generation of learners are addicted to!
• Network first, learn on-demand later: The motivation to learn only comes when there's a real need to use the skill. Therefore, the fast-changing world today has made "knowing where to obtain the skills / knowledge fast" more important than "knowing everything under the sun". Thus, social learning involves learning about the people in our social network; and the ability to pick new skills / knowledge from them on-demand - when it's required. There goes the traditional method of workshop, seminars, eLearning where skills are taught before it's needed, and forgotten before they're used.

Clayton J C Tan is Head of Learning & Development at Chartis Malaysia Insurance Berhad. Clayton holds a First Class Honours in Computer Science and a Master of Business Administration. Being a Gen-Y, he is passionate about developing the next generation of HR professionals and ensuring that HR becomes a career of choice as well as be seen to be a value-add to business. Besides in-depth experience and personal passion in Corporate Strategies, Talent Management and Human Resource Development, Clayton possesses commendable skills in advanced technology implementation. Clayton believes in the synergy between people and machines in enhancing the value of Human Resources functions.

Jocelyn Rise Ong Secarro shares : -

2011’s training path proved to be conservative and signified very little growth. As we turn into another year of digital frenzy, training and development will continue to face tougher challenges in 2012 both in spend and practice.

Technology made learning accessible to everyone so much so that it lessened the interest for formal training, discussions and moreso, capacity for spend. Thus, we in the training field and particularly those in Corporate Training need to show proactivity to the fullest.

I see blended learning will remain a strong practice for 2012 - to capture and maintain learner interest as well as tapping social networks and platforms to make learning more interesting and fun; making it available for self-directed learning.

While all these will be strong practices for the current year, experiential learning is still irreplaceable. Training professionals should leverage on this and continue to design and deliver development interventions and programmes that are relevant, customised and flavoured with rich hands-on experience and powerful discussions.

Well-designed experiential learning programmes can be cost-effective yet provide the best environment for things to be learned throughout their careers/leadership journey. Lastly, I believe each and everyone should remember that development should be owned. Even with the vast resource for learning, one can only fully unleash greatness if one is open to development.

	Jocelyn Rise Ong Secarro is Talent Development and HR Business Partner at Diageo Philippines, Supply Group. A seasoned HR professional, Jocelyn possesses a good blend of corporate work and consulting practice with various multinationals. She carries with her, a strategic mindset with strong frontline experience.

Joy Wilson shares : -

During 2011 my business had experienced a significant increase in demand from our European clients for specific competency based training – development solutions that correlate with performance required on the job and that are aligned with performance management processes.

There is an increase in requests for blended learning approaches combining elements of both Synchronous Training where specific teams learn together and Asynchronous Training where individuals continue to develop remotely with coaching/mentor support. Amongst European clients, I notice a decrease in requests for traditional tutor led courses supported by workbooks and an increase in combining learning that is initiated by the tutor but is directed by the learners who via the internet research and solve business problems using articles, white papers, and research reports.

Of course this approach requires closer collaboration between the designer of the corporate development initiative, and the organisation.

I notice that, in the private sector, corporate training managers/heads of training are increasingly building relationships with independent providers of training to commission bespoke solutions linked to future organisation strategy.

Recently, I successfully collaborated with a group in a public sector tendering process where contracts were awarded on the basis of the most economically advantageous tender with the evaluation criteria weighted 60% on price. What was noticeable was that the majority of those competing for the contract were colleges and universities with a focus on the corporate training market to generate new income streams. It will be interesting to see whether the educational institutions can make the shift from the academic to the vocational and practical.

Our work in the Middle East is diverse and incredibly rewarding. We work with organisations in both developing /transitional countries and with organisations in countries very rich in petroleum and natural gas. These organisations are heavily regulated, with a significant proportion of the training budget dedicated to compliance and safety initiatives.

However, nationalisation also plays a significant part of each country’s economic vision and this combined with shifts in workforce demographics, the impact of an aging workforce and changing job/ technology requirements as well as the failure of educational establishments in the region to respond to or anticipate these trends has necessitated a strategic view of resource deployment and talent management, and therefore a surprising level of investment in training.

Joy Wilson of Spectrum Training Services is an experienced Organisation Development Specialist with significant international operational and strategic change management experience. Joy has been at the forefront of change inside commercial and developing organisations based in Europe and the Middle East, who have been faced with the requirement for increased competitiveness, economic change and reform. Joy is a Certified Learning Practitioner, accredited by The Learning Practitioners Association, a member of CIPD, a Fellow of The British Institute of Learning & Development and a Recognised ILM provider of Learning & Development Solutions.

Karen Sieczka shares : -

Since most training departments will still be running “lean” in 2012, one of the trends I see is that training programmes will need to be even more targeted and relevant to the job skills your organisation’s workforce needs.

For example, we plan to continue to concentrate prolonged efforts on front-line employees who work directly with customers. Over the course of eight weeks, we provide them with self-study opportunities about organisational and product knowledge and then begin the assessment process to make sure they are on track. Then, as they work in the field, they are evaluated and take a final assessment to become certified. Each phase allows managers to give feedback and correction as necessary.

Another trend we are moving toward is to keep it short--whenever possible training should give great, relevant information in the shortest possible format. For managers, who don’t have much time to sit down in a training session, we are planning short, easily digestible bits of information such as emails with management tips and 10-minute training sessions with a myriad of topics that managers need to deal with field employees.

Karen Sieczka is a training specialist for a media servicing company, Creativity@Work expert, and founder of Growing Great Ideas.com, a training resources website. Karen has designed, facilitated, and managed a variety of training programs including technology, soft skills, customer service, leadership, and business communications. She also trains organisations of all sizes to be more creative and innovative in the workplace using micro-steps from her 2011 e-book Growing Great Ideas: Unleashing More Creativity@Work

Keri Williamson shares : -

Each year that passes brings about new cultural shifts that dramatically impact the workforce to take new shape. The impression of 2011 is no different; 2012 will be an entirely new type of workforce characterised by various events, creating a chain of human element effects resulting in changes in how Training and Development is conducted worldwide.

Based on the economic and global struggles of the past few years, two shifts occurred; one in the type of employee that will be hired and the other is in the type of workforce that will be doing the hiring. The three major areas that will be important to pay attention to in 2012 to stay ahead of the training curve: Mobile Training, Multi-Generational Training, and one of the newest topics of discussion: Veteran Training.

Due to economic conditions and unemployment rates, many individuals have resorted to going back to school or continuing on with their education. For the hiring workplace, it will be important to realise that the elevated levels of education and exposure to technological elements of learning will put pressure on workplace Training Departments to adapt to the same design, quality, and speed as what is being offered in educational institutions now.

While there will never be a true replacement for ‘in classroom’ learning, the expectation of newly graduated students will be that a top development programme includes a quality mobile learning/virtual learning element.

Due to the same economic reasons, many workplaces started branching out virtually to shared workspace, work-from-home programmes, or simply connected more tightly to offices afar for maximum utilization of resources. For the hired employee, it is important to realise that many companies have taken a shift to a more virtual workplace. This means training is offered and managed online through synchronous and asynchronous distance-learning programmes that including webinars, e-learning, podcasts, and mobile devices.

This shifts the accountability from the learner simply “showing up to class” and splits it between the learner and the workforce, resulting in learners pulling more information than is pushed to them in a traditional classroom environment. It also will require that learners and training professionals take into account that the characteristics of the ‘old way of learning’ will be missing and need to be manufactured; for example, trust. Building trust is one of the most important steps of a successful virtual team. Identification-based trust (the kind of trust you develop after meeting someone and building a rapport) is a much longer process when operating in a virtual world.

At such a unique time when all four generations are in the workforce at once, this type of shift into a blended learning atmosphere will be incredibly welcomed and also incredibly feared – depending on the learner’s generation.

Today where two-year-olds are learning through the iPad and their grandparents are still going into the bank versus using ATMS, there is a clear difference in generational related technological comfort. As a training and development professional, it is more important than ever to realize how virtual learning will impact the motivations of our more senior generations in the workplace, as well as their retention of what is being taught.

In order to be successful, there are two options: trainers will either need to be prepared to be flexible in their delivery means and offer both virtual and classroom solutions (which can be time consuming and costly) - or prepare to train the generations on the knowledge gap of how to utilise virtual learning programs.

This initial investment of training takes time; however it is the most effective way to raise the workforce to the same technological level. To simply create a virtual training programme without anticipation of the generational differences will leave trainers amiss of a key element to success... like trying to walk without tying your shoe.

While both of these topics have been brought to light in small doses as the economy has shifted, one major emerging trend never before faced is that of acclimating Veterans to the workforce. With an estimated 50,000 troops being released at the end of 2011, the programmes and methods of training worldwide will need to shift in order to absorb these newly unemployed. Veterans will face an uphill battle returning to the civilian workforce, right at one of the highest rates of unemployment. While this is a highly talented pool of candidates, the vast differences in skillset, knowledge, work culture, and generational differences compared to non-veterans presents a significant knowledge management challenge.

A Training and Development professional faces quite the interesting year in 2012. With so many learner knowledge levels, expectations, skills, and behaviors, the industry is no longer simply about delivering information. It is about walking the tightrope of intellectual capital while balancing virtual, generational, and cultural differences that come with today’s blended workforce. There is one certainty: it is not a boring time to be in training, and no one will starve to gain deeply valued experience.

Keri Williamson is Manager of Training and Development for Digital Risk, a leading mortgage risk management solutions provider. She has a strong background in leadership development, designing learning, delivering training, improving human performance, and managing organizational knowledge. Keri is a member of Society for Human Resources and American Society for Training and Development. Keri also serves on the Alumni Board of Directors for Rollins College. Keri can be reached at keri@kerilaine.com.

Laurence Yap shares : -

The trends for training and development are :-

a. Linking talent development to training
Retaining talent has become an issue to employers in megacities like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Shanghai. People are changing jobs every two to three years. The grooming of talent has the attention of top leaders by utilising coaching, training and assignment to give talent broader responsibilities. The training department plays an important role to identify the individual and corporate needs of the talent. Then, they select effective channels to implement the development process for the talent.

b. action learning based training
Corporates need to improve business performance which is essential. Training departments can deploy action learning based training for effective changes like lean manufacturing, six sigma, FMEA etc.
Training personnel identify experts to train and consult projects. The participants will carry out projects after training. The results will be measured and shared.

c. e-learning
E-learning is here to stay. More and more of the Gen Y are getting used to getting things done online. Training needs to find creative ways to implement learning online.

	Laurence Yap is Senior Manager of Learning and Organisational Development (APAC), Paypal. Laurence was formerly with Carsem Malaysia.

Natalie Goldman shares : -

One of the key trends is the shift from formal learning to informal learning. Traditionally, formal learning is classroom based and “teacher” led whilst informal learning is learner led where the learner seeks out the information and is the leader of their own learning journey - they are in control and responsible for the entire process.

There are a number of reasons for this, namely, an ever increasing amount of information accessible to learners whether online, in books or articles and so on. Further, there is better technology to access this information and a shift to a “self-service” mentality where employees are expected to manage themselves more and managers are becoming coaches and guides to the learning journey.

However, it is important to note that not everyone nor every topic should be delivered via informal learning. It is necessary to be aware of the learning outcomes and assess individual learning requirements via a learning styles assessment (VARK) to understand how people like to learn. Thus, the next trend is also about blended learning – although this has been around for quite some time, it hasn’t been implemented to its full capacity – as technology advances and workplaces become more open and flexible, blended learning becomes even more prevalent.

The next trend is around Mobile Learning – as mentioned above with increased flexibility in the workplace, this flexibility extends to learning as well. As more and more people have smart phones/ internet enabled phones plus more access to free quality downloadable podcasts/ videos (such as Harvard Business Review and the Harvard Business Channel on YouTube, learning on the go is becoming very easy. You can learn whilst commuting, travelling to a client, on your lunch break or at home in the evenings.

The one area that I am yet to see happen but I can see the potential is around the use of social networks for learning – internally within companies and across the world too. Maybe soon?

There will be no major surprises here but more of an evolution towards individuals driving their learning journey whilst managers providing coaching and support to ensure that KPIs (work and learning related) are met. With a clear understanding of learning outcomes and including learning styles, the right learning format will be created. The beauty of informal learning is that individuals will gravitate to the learning style that they prefer (reading, watching, doing or listening) and be actively encouraged to engage with others around them to achieve their learning goals.

Natalie Goldman is the National Learning and Development Manager at Peoplebank, an IT Recruiter in Australia with offices across the country and in Asia. Natalie has over 15 years professional experience in L&D/ O&D in a broad range of sectors including professional services, telecommunications, retail, government, not-for profit and hospitality.

Stephen Roberts shares : -

Trends that are visible in the workplace are:

• More and more learning will be delivered via apps and cloud computing to smartphones and tablet computers as these become standard workplace tools
• Staff are no longer prepared to wait for their company to supply cutting edge technology to do their work. As long as the technology gives them status and competitive edge (for example iPads), the staff are prepared to fund the purchased of this technology themselves, for use at work. Company funded access to this technology or company technology loan schemes could be important for attracting and retaining talent, and to encourage just-in-time learning
• Increasing use of video for the learning using YouTube and intranet platforms
• The use of games to promote learning is becoming more and more important
• Features of social media platforms need to be built into elearning such as the “like” button in Facebook
• Product learning should be designed for use by sales staff and customers using just-in-time technologies and tablet computing
• Corporates are establishing internal social networking platforms (instead of using social networking platforms such as Facebook) which facilitate learning due to security concerns
• Increasing use of Twitter back channels for conferences
• Learning professionals need to focus on competencies related to learning design and the application of learning
• The ability to write code is becoming more and more important for learning professionals (a competitive edge competency?)
• Increased role for learning professionals to convert learning into workplace action (instead of delivering initial learning)
• Decrease in ROI measurement, and increase in return-on-expectation measurement
  

	Stephen Roberts CPLP is currently the Head of Learning and Development for a major Commercial Bank in South Africa. He has over 24 years of experience in the training and development field having worked with a wide range of stakeholders, ranging from tribal leaders, corporate executives, government and company employees, teachers, community groups and scholars.

Suriahni Abdul Hamid shares : -

More often than not, when we talk about key trends in the training and development arena, we make reference to leadership and competency development. The arena that we hardly hear or speak about is the strategic development framework. This framework is the anchor to driving key people processes such as performance management and rewards. I believe this is the in-thing in this era and beyond.

So, what is it? It's simply about building capabilities. The process starts with understanding what capabilities an organisation needs to continue to capture revenue growth now and sustain the organisation for years to come. Then, it goes on to identifying key critical competence, the distribution of these competence across the organisation and to what extent the people have on these competences. The final outcome of this process defines the interventions needed to fulfill these needs. Primary intervention is the development of these capabilities, which includes aspects of education, experiences and exposures for key people in the organisation. With this, decisions surrounding training and development can be better managed and cost effective. As for the individuals' training and development needs, they are more targeted, relevant and motivating.

	Suriahni Abdul Hamid, aka Coach Su, is inspired by individuals who want to continue learning and growing. Suriahni is Head of HR Development at DiGi Telecommunications, based in Selangor, Malaysia.

Ted Baluca Jr shares : -

I always see to it that each of my training sessions is fun and interactive. I have different ways in presenting a specific module to my trainees and yet achieving the learning objectives. However, a training method or platform known as “gamification” is something that I need to explore further and realise its potential. Gamification is expected to be one of the hot trends in Training & Development for 2012.

“Gamification” or the use of game play elements such as videogames or digital games for training can help in presenting information in an engaging, challenging and fun manner. Currently, there are companies starting to employ gamified learning applications, such as IBM, which uses a variety of game-like strategies throughout much of the company including video games to simulate various business scenarios.

A study has proven that employees trained on video games learned more factual information, achieved a higher skill level and retained information longer than workers who learned in less interactive environments.

We must view games as engaging vehicles for learning; however, training professionals must select games that will achieve desired learning results and contribute and impact the bottom line.

Ted Baluca Jr is a Training Professional with Spa Esprit Pte Ltd., Singapore and is a member of the Singapore Training and Development Association (STADA). Ted has many years of exposure and background in the area of Training and Organisational Development. His work experience includes a diverse spectrum of industries, where he has a proven track record of significant contribution in the learning processes, productivity, quality and customer satisfaction. Ted completed his Post Baccalaureate Diploma in Training Development and Management from De La Salle- College of Saint Benilde with honours. He is currently completing his Advanced Certificate in Training and Assessment (ACTA) under Singapore Training & Development Association.

Tom Schafer shares : -

I am delighted to be seeing at least six trends driving Learning & Development to new levels of success.

1. L&D leaders are working much closer with HR and the organisation’s top leaders in identifying knowledge and skills for development based on such competency development’s link to the larger organisation’s objectives, business strategy and desired culture, along with normal technical/functional skills. Needs analyses are not being left to the T&D members merely asking line managers what their people need to know. Rather, such assessments are being seen as complementary to more macro analyses of what is needed to drive fulfillment of the business model and goals.

2. Application of one of two L&D function models [the American Society of Training and Development’s (ASTD) “Models for Workplace Learning and Performance”, and “The Schafer Consulting Network and Applied Learning Lab’s “The Quest: Aligning and Leveraging the Learning Function”] are being utilised by more top organisations to fully define, align and optimise the processes, roles and utilisation of associates for optimal human capital development. Each model can be extremely helpful in assessing what is needed, what’s in place and what needs to be added and developed, from a tactical and a strategic planning point of view.

3. Utilisation of the concept of individual learning preferences is being applied by more and more organisations to improve the speed, effectiveness and ROI of individual and group development. Some applications are being designed to optimise one style, or preference, of learning, based on a certain group of learners involved in an activity. Other organisations believe more progress and cost savings can be achieved when instructional design incorporates the “sweet spots” of the major types into a given activity.

4. Especially for mid-to-senior level managers, the principle of “adults learn-by-doing” is being applied in tailored learning activities. These may be short term assignments to projects, spending a day/week/month in a related department or function, assigning an assessment and recommendation report, etc. Attending a course or reading a book are now being combined with “roll your sleeves up and get involved” learning activities.

5. Utilisation of Internet webinars, social media and other new technology-enabled methods are making continuous learning easier, less expensive and a part of daily life. Such technology and cultural changes are allowing for learning to be moving in all directions of an organisation, i.e., down, horizontal and upwards. Thus, helping share one’s knowledge and new learning with others at various levels and in diverse roles, continues to be a part of everyone’s role and responsibility.

6. When the cost and the number of persons using a Learning Management System (LMS) can justify an LMS installation, new benefits are being realised. Associates can feel, and be, more in charge of their learning. Managers can oversee larger population needs, progress and career path development. Course “catalogues” can easily be seen by all persons. These are expensive systems, but the more features companies are putting onto their LMS and the more employees at all levels are involved, human development and organisational capabilities are enhanced.

These six trends are some which I believe will drive even additional enhancements to how we learn. Its exciting, and I’m enjoying the journey.

Tom Schafer is a highly experienced Organisation Design & Development, Learning & Leadership Development, Human Resources & Change Management professional and Executive Coach recognised for numerous "World Class", "Best Practice" and “Global Top 10” results. He combines West Point, two Masters Degrees, Procter & Gamble, VP of Learning & Organisational Effectiveness and international success with 75+ organisations in 37+ industries. In Training & Development, Tom was the VP, Learning & Organisational Effectiveness starting up the #3 Training Department in the U.S.A., #8 in the world and the #8 Leadership Development Programme in North America. He has created nine Leadership Development programmes, several shared globally for their innovation and effectiveness. Tom has created and/or facilitated over 115 learning programmes and has been a leader in three corporate universities. Tom has facilitated learning assessment, strategy & change management with 17 organisations. He co-led the creation of “The Quest: Aligning & Leveraging the Learning Function”, a world class business model for aligning Corporate strategy, Human Resources strategy and Learning strategy, along with assessing, designing, operating & measuring the organisational Learning & Development function. This acclaimed model was a contender for Best New T&D Product and has been showcased by the U.S.’s Corporate Executive Board to 27 leading companies (all agreeing it is the best L&D Function model they had ever seen). On the Organisation Design & Development side, he has led organisations in identifying a total of three-quarters-of-a-billion dollars ($775 million US) in organisational effectiveness & process improvement changes. He had led organisation-wide change initiatives for 32 companies, 17 start-ups/redesigns and 23 culture changes. His coaching experience includes 80+ leaders in roles of CEO, President, COO, CFO, EVP, VP, etc. Other areas of Tom’s experience include being a successful HR Business Partner within Procter & Gamble for 10 years, consultant to HR leaders in over 20 Fortune 1000 organisations, developer of diverse HR planning models, and designer and implementer of 20+ HR processes. He has led Corporate & Division strategy, HR strategy, Learning & Leadership Development strategy, OD strategy, Change Management strategy and Diversity & Inclusion strategy for various Fortune 500 & 1000 companies. In 2009 and 2011 Tom led three-day “Strategic Leadership for the 21st Century” workshops in Malaysia for Asia-Pacific leaders. Tom’s international experience includes North & South America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Tom Schafer is the CEO and Founder of the USA-based Schafer Consulting Network and can be reached at TCSchafer@aol.com and telephone 817-658-2763 in the USA.