CIPD Annual Survey 2015: Top 7 Challenges for L&D Managers

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CIPD publishes a report each year based on a survey of L&D professionals. And it aims to help us understand the trends, challenges, as well as changes in L&D.

Indeed, CIPD has been collecting this data for over 17 years. And it has over 135,000 members and arguably sets the benchmark for excellence in people and organisational development. For these reasons, we have digested and identified; ‘The Top 7 Challenges for L&D Managers from the CIPD Annual Survey Report 2015’. And that is so that you can further improve what you do for your learners:

1. The continued shift towards integration with business strategy

On page 14; the report tells us that the ‘…next two years will focus on closer alignment with the business strategy.
Challenge: But how well does your L&D plan align with the business strategy?

2. Assessing the impact of learning and development activity

Also, the report tells us that 14% of L&D professionals do not evaluate the majority of their L&D activities. And 33% limit their evaluations to the learners’ satisfaction.
Challenge: Do you use a training provider that evaluates on 5 levels?

3. Understanding how to enhance learner engagement

Then on page 23, the report shows us areas that most contribute to the success of an L&D professional. And the first area is ‘business and commercial awareness’. And the second is ‘understanding of how to enhance learner engagement’. Interestingly, our unique ‘Sticky Learning ®’ method has increased learner engagement. Specifically, learners retain knowledge by over 400% more.
Challenge: How do your learners rate their engagement? And how can you improve it?

Purple bar graph shows survey rankings of the areas of knowledge and experience that add to the success of an L&D/OD professional
Get learners to rate their engagement to know where you can improve

 

4. Little or no encouragement of the L&D capability

It turns out over 20% felt that there was little or no encouragement. In particular, of the L&D professional to become more capable. And this might be a ‘sick doctor’ syndrome where the L&D professional is neglecting their own development.
Challenge: How much are you practising what you preach? Do you have a personal development plan?

5. Using learning technologies to improve the intervention of L&D

It turns out most L&D professionals are not confident of the effect of using learning technologies on L&D interventions. On page 16; the report shows us the impact of learning technology in the next 5 years. Furthermore, it discloses the level of our confidence in making them effective.
Challenge: But how can you make your learning technology more effective?

 

Purple bar graph shows survey results for L&D professional's technology
Using learning technologies to improve the intervention of L&D

 

6. Decreasing of the L&D resources

The majority of L&D professionals share, in the report, that their spending is likely to be cut. And indeed without cost justification, an organisation can easily get rid of ‘the training budget’.
Challenge: How prepared are you for the budget discussion, armed with your ROI?

7. Line manager engagement needs improvement

The report does not mention line manager engagement. We believe that this is a huge challenge for L&D professionals, which is why we designed ‘Sticky Learning ®’ to include the line manager. The initial ‘Learning to Learn’ training course buys in the line manager at the start, and then we continue to keep them involved through the ‘Manager Pieces’.
Challenge: How can you increase the engagement of the line managers?

The full report is available online.

About the CIPD

The CIPD is the professional body for HR and people development. Over 100 years old. The not-for-profit organisation champions better work and working lives and has been setting the benchmark for excellence in people and organisation development for more than 100 years. It has more than 135,000 members across the world, provides thought leadership through independent research on the world of work, and offers professional training and accreditation for those working in HR and learning and development. You can feedback or ask questions of the research adviser Ruth Stuart by emailing r.stuart@cipd.co.uk

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