Learning & Development Trends Summary Report - March 12, 2009

LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT TREND SUMMARY _______________________________________ Matthew R. Redmond, PhD Redmond Leadership Consulting, LLC March 12, 2009 Redmond Leadership Consulting, LLC matt@redmondleadership.net 914-843-8848

LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT TREND SUMMARY __________________________ Matthew R. Redmond, PhD Redmond Leadership Consulting, LLC March 12, 2009 This Learning & Development Trend Summary is based on 15 interviews conducted with L&D leaders from a variety of industries including: pharmaceuticals, insurance, financial services, professional services, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, fitness, consumer products, engineering, etc. Interviews were conducted between February and March 2009 and included the following questions: 1. What major changes are you seeing in your business? 2. How has the role and structure of L&D in your organization evolved to enable these changes? 3. What is L&D doing to meet your current needs with fewer resources? 4. What are the biggest challenges moving forward and how should L&D respond? 5. How can L&D best advocate the continuing importance of talent development? Interpretations are derived from the interview content and are consistent with capturing insights and protecting interviewee confidentiality. Unless noted, themes were consistent across a majority of the interviews. Redmond Leadership Consulting, LLC 1

LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT TREND SUMMARY March 12, 2009 What Major Changes Are You Seeing in Your Business? • Overall Revenue Decline – Most L&D leaders reported a major decline in key business metrics (i.e., lower revenue, less demand, etc.). However, several reported modest overall growth and/or rapid growth in select lines of business. • Focus on Costs – Many reported major changes to business structures and processes focused on lowering costs, improving efficiency, and reducing resources in lower performing markets/lines of business. • Shifts in Strategy – Some described large internal shifts in strategy, resources, priorities, and processes to enable the organization to better identify and capitalize on new or expanding revenue streams. • Constant Change – Many reported their businesses were experiencing accelerating rates of change that often felt “constant.” To adapt, some reported focusing on improving individual accountability and speed of decision making • Some Are Cautious – For the organizations not impacted as hard as others, many reported that their business leaders were taking a more cautious approach focused on minimizing costs, banking revenue, and looking for modest ways to improve and/or protect market share in case the economy gets worse. • Others Are Uncertain – Particularly in the financial sector, many reported that their business leaders were dealing with high levels of uncertainty as they work to better understand and predict fundamental shifts or evolutions in their marketplace. • Talent Still Core – Many reported that their organizations still plan to invest in “talent” – particularly if it has been a core business strategy. However, overall investment will decrease and/or be limited to high growth/high return areas. Further, some reported lower demand due to lower staffing and voluntary turnover. Redmond Leadership Consulting, LLC 2

LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT TREND SUMMARY March 12, 2009 How Has the Role and Structure of L&D in Your Organization Evolved to Enable These Changes? • Be in the “Here and Now” – Some L&D leaders mentioned that L&D’s role has changed to focus more on “here and now” issues/problems versus helping leaders prepare for important, strategic, long-term issues/goals. While many felt that in many cases this is “the right thing” to do, they worry about its long-term impact on the organization’s future success. • Embed in the Business – Most have continued to move away from a separate corporate university framework. Instead, they reported changing their structure and focus to become even more integrated within the core businesses – keeping up to speed on business challenges and what is happening in the channels and actively partnering with business leaders. Further, many reported working even more closely and collaboratively with business leaders to confirm and re-confirm ongoing L&D priorities and plans. • Make a “Business” Impact – Many reported an increased focus on demonstrating a direct impact on business success. In the current environment, many “important programs” without demonstrated ROI are unfortunately at risk. Further, business leaders are beginning to demand “higher quality” ROI and business case data prior to agreeing to fund new efforts. • Be Broad & Business Partner Focused – Many reported that L&D professionals need a broader set of skills and competencies to effectively partner with business leaders to quickly and relatively independently design, pilot, run, roll out, and evaluate new programming. As a result, several mentioned that they had worked/were working to upgrade their team with stronger professionals. • Role Expansion – Many reported that their L&D roles have significantly expanded well beyond traditional L&D domains to include Talent Management, Talent Planning & Assessment, Organizational Development, Organizational Culture & Measurement, and/or Change Management. While for many this change was informal and gradual in nature, some experienced organizational restructuring efforts that combined/streamlined the traditional L&D function with other HR functions. Several mentioned efforts to integrate, streamline, and optimize talent development processes to further improve efficiency and overall impact. • Reduce Costs – In response to the business environment, many reported pulling back on any new programming and making modest to significant reductions in the level of L&D resources (depending on business results). Often these reductions were obtained by reducing external L&D resources, the number and frequency of programs, per program costs, and reducing/restructuring existing L&D staff. Redmond Leadership Consulting, LLC 3

LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT TREND SUMMARY March 12, 2009 What Is L&D Doing to Meet Your Current Needs with Fewer Resources? • Reducing Workload – Almost all L&D leaders reported working more closely with business leaders to help choose and confirm the top priorities and programs, and also to help “say no” to other important, but not critical work. • Leveraging Technology – Almost all discussed better leveraging “existing technology” to support individual, self-directed, or distance learning (i.e., portals, LMS, emails, web casts, and social networking sites). However, many noted that new investments in technology would be minimal unless the program was core to the business and a significant ROI could be proven. • Less Travel – Almost all reported making major changes in the frequency, length, and structure of their programming to reduce or eliminate travel expenses. Besides reducing the actual number of “off-site” programs, many have incorporated e-learning, mixed learning, and distance learning into their traditional “off-site” programs to reduce travel. • Focusing on Key Talent – About half mentioned that they were further prioritizing their efforts and resources to further develop, motivate, and retain “key or pivotal” talent. Often this means finding them new challenging roles. • Learning from Experience – Some mentioned working with leaders to “reframe” job moves, role changes, and restructuring as important developmental experiences that will provide new organizational and leadership capabilities. They further emphasized the need to re-think how we can better leverage and capitalize on these new business challenges to accelerate development on the job. • Maximizing L&D Staff – Almost all reported looking for ways to better use and leverage existing L&D staff to develop and roll out programs (without the assistance of external resources). Many reported efforts to upgrade and build broader internal capability – through training and hiring. Some mentioned they were working to better align and hold L&D staff more accountable for individual performance. Others were broadening and streamlining L&D roles and streamlining processes to improve efficiency. • Leveraging Contractors – On the other hand, a few reported “hedging their bets” on the economy by leveraging stringers and hiring external contractors to backfill internals (for the short-term). • Promoting Internal Best Practices – Several reported success working more collaboratively across the various internal HR and L&D professionals to identify and immediately leverage internal best practices and programming – versus investing time to build or tailor content for a particular function or group. • Counting on Managers – Without classroom training, many reported focusing on broader, strategic communication efforts, training- lite content, and leader-led programs that would be distributed to and leveraged by front-line managers. • Learning from Leaders – Many focused on finding better ways to leverage their leadership base by creating informal, leader-led training programs, internal discussion groups, or functional leadership seminars (versus L&D-designed/facilitated programs). • JIT/Modular Development – Instead of larger programs, many mentioned creating a series of shorter, modular, elective programs. This change provides the L&D team with greater flexibility to address short-term, specific training needs and/or convert the content to web-based or mixed learning format. Redmond Leadership Consulting, LLC 4

LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT TREND SUMMARY March 12, 2009 What Are the Biggest Challenges Moving Forward and How Should L&D Respond? • Business Partnership – Almost all L&D leaders mentioned strengthening their alignment and partnership with the businesses within their organization. Focus here should be on getting in front of business needs (versus reacting to them), quickly and effectively confirming business priorities, re-contracting with business leaders throughout the year, and measuring impact frequently. • Business Impact – Many mentioned that a key challenge would be showing value in hard dollars to justifying new and ongoing costs. This will often require more in-depth needs analysis, benchmarking, and a strong business case up front. While Level 4 evaluations are preferred, many felt that Level 2 (knowledge) and Level 3 (behavior change) will be minimum standards going forward. • Cost Management – Almost all mentioned the need to help reduce costs by improving financial controls and measures, improving efficiency, increasing L&D workload, and focusing L&D on confirmed business priorities. • Economic Picture – Some had a cautious eye for what will/should happen if the economy worsens. They discussed identifying one or two core L&D capabilities that would take “too long” to rebuild, building flexibility to quickly “turn off” programs, looking at basic, cheaper delivery mechanisms, and leverage short-term contractors. They also mentioned staffing/planning fewer programs to “build up” a consistent demand. • New Business Models – Some were concerned that their current focus and the uncertainty in the marketplace may limit their organization’s ability to identify, plan for, and meet future needs/demands. They suggested leveraging internal and external resources (as they become available) to identify future needs and plan a broader, multi-skilled effort that will build a stronger foundation of leadership and functional skills. • Expanding Diversity – A few mentioned that they have associates from different generations, cultures, and businesses, etc, and fewer resources to tailor content to engage them. Developing new skills as program innovators and leveraging technology in new ways is going to be critical. • High Bar for Talent – A few worried that the lack of new hiring and increased retention meant that managers could be holding onto a higher percentage of “sub-par talent.” L&D should facilitate business performance by making sure managers hold associates accountable for effective performance and keep a high bar for talent – even in tough economic times. • Leveraging the Best – Several noted that “sub-par talent” will not be able to help businesses survive and succeed in the current marketplace. L&D should be driving and facilitating the placement of high potentials and top talent into key/pivotal leadership roles. Redmond Leadership Consulting, LLC 5

LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT TREND SUMMARY March 12, 2009 How Can L&D Best Advocate the Continuing Importance of Talent Development? L&D leaders mentioned a variety of suggestions for advocating talent development: • Show More Value – Consistently and repeatedly demonstrate ROI (Level 2 and 3, at a minimum) for all programs and efforts. Try to include pre- and post-measures to show impact. Leverage data to confirm and cement stakeholder support. • Better Partnership – Provide business leaders with relevant and proactive solutions to their key business problems in a timely and effective manner. Engage senior leaders in discussions regarding what they need, its importance, its potential impact on the business, and core program content. • Talent Gaps – Leverage business planning discussions to confirm the need for a robust pool of talent for critical functional and leadership positions (via retention, succession planning, and staffing data). Then communicate L&D’s role in filling these talent gaps. • Talent Strength – In conversations with business leaders, continue to draw a distinction between the value brought by the very best talent versus talent that is just average, and focus L&D efforts on identifying and developing the very best talent. • Victor versus Victim – To be viewed as credible business partners, L&D professionals need to take a stronger, more proactive, and more action-based approach (versus being reactive and passive). Take a stand and be relevant! • Don’t Waste a Good Problem – During challenging times, the best talent and the most innovative thinking can emerge. L&D professionals should help businesses leverage this opportunity to make major improvements to talent, structure, and process. • HR Role Integration – Show how L&D strategy and programs fully align and integrate with Talent Management and Organizational Development efforts and priorities. • Leadership Communication – Continually remind leaders throughout the organization of the importance of talent and leadership development to the organization’s success. Leverage senior executive messaging, meetings, success stories, and ongoing metrics and reporting to get the message out. Redmond Leadership Consulting, LLC 6

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Learning & Development Trends Summary Report - March 12, 2009

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