Businesses are always looking to gain a competitive edge, especially given the recent economic difficulty. Investing in training is one way that companies can look to develop their people and become more efficient. However, where should you be allocating your time? Let’s take a look at the top focus areas of L&D for businesses in 2023!
Aligning learning programmes to business goals
According to the LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report, aligning learning programmes to business goals was ranked as the top priority in 2023. For those looking to become more proficient, it’s a great place to start.
Setting objectives which aim to develop employees while contributing to meeting business goals is good for everybody. It gives people more opportunities for career development and helps them achieve promotions. Positive employees actively looking to develop is better for business as they perform more effectively.
For example, If a business objective of yours is to increase revenue growth by an extra 10% this year, allocating a sales training programme to your consultants might be a good idea. This is an example of how to align the two perfectly, as their development will contribute towards improving sales figures and directly correlate to this objective
Upskilling employees
Ranking second in the focus areas of L&D was “upskilling employees”, which is hardly surprising given over a third of people feel they are lacking skills needed for internal promotions.
Upskilling is a process which aims to target areas of improvement and equip people with additional skills to build a more rounded employee. It’s one of the best methods to develop people and can help you meet skill gaps across your business too.
When done properly, upskilling has a number of benefits. It can lead to increased productivity, improved efficiency levels and is an effective tool for retaining employees.
An example of effective upskilling is to set your marketing manager an objective of showing their junior how to complete a campaign. Your manager will refresh their skillset while allowing the less senior team member to develop campaign management skills which can be used in the future.
Related: Focus on upskilling employees for success in 2023
Creating a culture of learning
We’re happy to see “creating a culture of learning” ranking third in the focus areas of L&D for businesses. 83% of organisations want to build a more people-centric culture in recognition that company success relies on your people.
How can you create this within your business? Achieve senior level buy-in. Start with your directors and people at the top, identifying areas they want to improve in. Once you have achieved this, it will naturally filter down.
Encourage all employees to share best practice with one another and empower them to be responsible for their collective learning. When you create this culture, your business will truly thrive.
Improving employee retention
Organisations stated that they were prioritising employee retention as a focus too. The expense of recruiting a new employee combined with recent economic restraints mean businesses need to keep costs to a minimum, so it’s not surprising to see retention on this list.
How can you do this? Focusing on development through a combination of factors listed previously and more can help. Spend time having career conversations with your people and demonstrate the value they have for your business.
Provide people with opportunities to develop themselves and create loyalty through investing in them. Nurture and support your employees and they will stay with you for the long-term!
Related: How can managers support with career development
After identifying the top focus areas of L&D for businesses in 2023, do they align with yours? If you need help building an L&D programme, we can help. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help you meet your business needs!
