Learning companions – Analysts – All-rounders: Personnel developers are expected to be all of these today. The changes are difficult to keep track of. What do companies really expect from L&D teams, and what will personnel developers have to achieve in the future? We give you an insight into the trends.
Today, personnel developers are not only expected to identify needs and develop strategies. Personnel developers are supposed to be learning companions, coaches, mentors, data analysts, digitalization experts, and miracle healers. And all of that, please, simultaneously and immediately, in order to meet the new requirements as quickly as possible! So it's no wonder that the slogan "HRD is dead! Long live HRD!" is being voiced loudly.
But what do companies and employees really expect from personnel developers? What must L&D teams deliver today and in the future to keep personnel development in step with the times? We summarize the findings from the eLearning Trends for you:
What do companies expect from L&D teams?
The costs of further education in Germany are horrendous: companies spend around 14.2 billion annually on trainer fees and learning materials, plus indirect costs for work absences and travel. Ultimately, these huge investments must also pay off for the companies.
Consequently, companies expect their L&D teams to develop training measures that guarantee demonstrable long-term improvements for the company. These worthwhile measures include:
Development of new and further development of existing competencies, aligned with the respective corporate objectives.
Permanent behavioral changes in employees for sustainable corporate success.
Development of skills for self-directed learning as a basis for increased "learning on the job".
Possibilities for measuring training success and employee performance with business-relevant KPIs.
The goal of companies is therefore clear: Sustainable training that engages the learners and supports the broader corporate goals with a broad database. What skills do you now have to offer as a personnel developer in order to meet the expectations of companies?
Personnel developers in L&D teams have to offer more and more, especially in the area of analysis and digital competence.
What must L&D teams deliver in the future?
The classic requirements for personnel developers are largely covered by corporate expectations: building new competencies, developing existing competencies further, identifying gaps and closing them through targeted measures – these are the tasks that personnel developers are familiar with.
Performance of L&D beyond formal training
However, formal training is now only part of the tasks of L&D teams. In addition, personnel developers must cover other areas:
Provide "Just-in-time" learning opportunities that are available to your employees at all times in their daily work, and not just in separate learning systems or training rooms.
Mentoring and coaching, not only for employees but also for managers who are supposed to accompany the learning processes.
Motivate employees through targeted challenges to learn continuously and to refresh and apply the new knowledge again and again.
Support employees in consolidating new knowledge in the long term – after all, in classic training sessions without further follow-up, over 90% of the content is forgotten after 60 days.
In summary, as a personnel developer, you will be responsible in the future for understanding, developing, and consolidating the learning culture in your company. Only through a learning culture in which learning is associated with positive feelings, sufficient time is planned for learning, and the motivation to learn is continuously maintained, can L&D teams achieve sustainable success.
Digital focus for personnel developers
However, the offering of modern L&D teams does not end here. In addition, as a personnel developer, you must also build up digital competencies and implement them for your employees:
Implement platforms to enable social and collaborative learning for your employees.
Provide curated learning content for the platforms that informs your employees and encourages them to look at more content.
Encourage employees to create their own content (user-generated content) and thus actively participate in digital learning.
Offer flexible online content that is available on all devices and tailored to your employees.
Conclusion
Learning & Development creates sustainable added value when training is strategically linked with corporate goals and learning is permanently anchored in daily work.
The tasks of your L&D team are therefore no longer just "analog" today, but also focus heavily on digital support. An LMS is a firm part of the tool kit in almost every company today, and the creation of custom content for your employees is becoming a standard task for personnel developers.
According to studies, classic face-to-face training will continue to play a major role in companies despite all digitalization. A perfect method for linking digital and classic training is blended learning, which is also increasingly used in companies.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
What tasks do L&D teams have today?
L&D teams develop skills, design learning offerings, and support employees in continuous learning. In addition, there are tasks related to learning culture, digital learning offerings, self-directed learning, and the measurement of training success.
Why is classic face-to-face training no longer sufficient for L&D?
Learning is increasingly taking place directly in the daily work routine. That is why L&D teams must also create flexible learning offerings, coaching, mentoring, and opportunities for self-directed learning.
What digital skills do L&D teams need?
L&D teams must be able to design digital learning offerings and use appropriate learning platforms. This also includes providing and curating digital learning content, as well as supporting employees in creating their own content.
What role does the learning culture play for Learning & Development?
A positive learning culture creates the conditions for employees to learn continuously, to be given sufficient time for this, and to apply new knowledge in the long term. Its further development is therefore one of the core tasks of L&D.
