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Half of L&D professionals say their workload has increased, CIPD report finds

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Summary

The CIPD's Learning at Work 2023 survey found that more than half of L&D professionals reported that their workload had increased in the past 12 months despite increasing resources. Tackling skills gaps was the top priority, but they faced many challenges in achieving this. Digital learning was on the rise, but the adoption of AI tools was not progressing as quickly. Experts warned that the L&D function was in a difficult place as organisations began to recognise it could help tackle skills gaps. The CIPD suggested that practitioners use data and insights to drive change, experiment with digital solutions, prioritize building skills, and create opportunities for those with less experience.

Q&As

What is the main finding of the CIPD's Learning at Work 2023 survey?
The main finding of the CIPD's Learning at Work 2023 survey is that more than half (53 per cent) of L&D professionals say their team’s workload has risen over the past 12 months, despite an increase in resources.

What challenges did L&D professionals face in tackling skills gaps?
L&D professionals faced challenges “across the board” in tackling skills gaps, including a lack of capacity and priority from the business.

What are the CIPD's recommendations for L&D professionals to support strategy and deliver impact?
The CIPD's recommendations for L&D professionals to support strategy and deliver impact include using the lessons learned from the pandemic, implementing evidence-informed practices, embracing digital experimentation, prioritizing building skills to retain talent, and evolving the profession by creating opportunities for those with less experience.

How can HR and L&D help employees find a balance between training and workload?
HR and L&D can help employees find a balance between training and workload by providing them with the necessary tools and skills to excel without hindering their job performance, and by teaching them to understand the value of learning and giving them the time, work cover and resources to develop their skills.

How successful are L&D teams in using learning technologies and AI tools?
L&D teams are successful in using learning technologies, with more than half (55 per cent) of L&D leaders saying their teams were innovative in their use of learning technologies, and two thirds (68 per cent) agreeing they were successful at using the learning technologies available. However, only 5 per cent of all respondents were using AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to support learning, with a further 6 per cent planning to do so in the next 12 months.

AI Comments

👍 This article provides great insight and advice on how L&D professionals can work with their organisation to deliver positive outcomes. It also highlights the importance of investing in learning technologies and AI tools to keep up with the changing needs of the workforce.

👎 This article fails to address the lack of resources and budget that many L&D teams struggle with when it comes to tackling skills gaps. It also neglects to mention the potential issues that arise when HR and L&D teams work in silos due to conflicting priorities.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about how half of Learning and Development professionals say their workload has increased even with an increase in resources. Experts are now warning that the function is in a difficult place as organizations begin to recognize its potential to help tackle burgeoning skills gaps.

Friend: Wow, that's quite concerning. It sounds like organizations are recognizing the importance of L&D, but they're not providing the resources and support needed for it to be successful.

Me: Exactly. It's a tricky situation because organizations need to invest in L&D if they want to fill those skills gaps, but they don't have the capacity or budget to do so. The article highlights the need for data and insights to drive change, as well as encouraging digital experimentation and prioritizing skills development. It also mentions the importance of collaboration across the business to deliver business-critical priorities.

Friend: That makes sense. It sounds like L&D teams need to find ways to be more efficient and strategic in order to make the most of their resources. It's going to be a challenge, but it's an important one if organizations want to remain competitive.

Action items

Develop a strategy to use data and insights to drive change in L&D.
Create opportunities for those with less experience in L&D to help retain talent.
Implement evidence-informed practices to help prioritize activities that contribute to positive organizational outcomes.

Technical terms

L&D: Learning and Development - the process of improving skills, knowledge and abilities of employees in an organization.
CIPD: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development - a professional body for those working in human resources and people development.
Skills gaps: Areas where an organization lacks the necessary skills and knowledge to achieve its goals.
Agilely: The ability to quickly and easily adapt to changing circumstances.
Data and insights: Information gathered from research and analysis that can be used to make decisions.
Covid: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) - a contagious respiratory illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Consultative discussions: Conversations between two or more people to discuss a particular issue or problem.
Digital experimentation: The use of technology to explore new ways of doing things.
Evidence-informed practice: The use of research and evidence to inform decision-making.
AI tools: Artificial Intelligence tools - computer programs that can learn and make decisions on their own.
ChatGPT: A natural language processing tool that can be used to generate conversations.
EDI: Electronic Data Interchange - the electronic exchange of business documents between two or more organizations.