Third Global L&D Knowledge Forum Wrap-Up

On June 15, 2022, getAbstract held its third Global L&D Knowledge Forum. The virtual event brought together thought leaders and industry professionals from around the world to discuss challenges related to learning and development.

Keynote speakers included industry thought leader Donald H Taylor; author and consultant Dr. Karen Sobel Lojeski; and long-time getAbstract customers Peter Yarrow from abrdn, and Paul Sahota and Mary Farsalas from ivari.

Download the conference summary here.

Here are the top take-aways from the conference:

1. People Are Yearning for Face-to-Face Interaction.

Donald H Taylor, author of the annual “Learning and Development Global Sentiment Survey,” has observed a renewed focus on tried-and-true L&D methods, especially social learning/collaboration and coaching/mentoring. He attributes the renewed popularity of these methods to people craving person-to-person interaction following two years of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Report Summary

Learning and Development Global Sentiment Survey 2022

L&D is situated at an inflection point: It must prove its value to stakeholders at a time when employee skill development matters more than ever.

Donald H. Taylor Donald H. Taylor

Read Summary

Find more on coaching and mentoring in the getAbstract Journal:

2. L&D Can Play a Key Role in Managing Virtual Distance.

Dr. Karen Sobel Lojeski has pioneered research on Virtual Distance, a measurable set of unintended consequences when people rely heavily on computer-mediated communication. Virtual Distance is not a new phenomenon but a continuing challenge as many organizations are adopting hybrid work arrangements. Sobel Lojeski believes that L&D can and must take a leading role in managing Virtual Distance in hybrid settings. For one, L&D can offer programs that build skills and competencies to offer shared context and enhanced perspectives. For another, L&D can train people to help others expand their social circles and promote a profound sense of belonging.

Book Summary

The Power of Virtual Distance

Identify and reverse Virtual Distance’s negative effects on employee engagement, innovation and productivity.

Karen Sobel Lojeski and Richard R. Reilly Wiley

Read Summary

Find more on overcoming Virtual Distance in the getAbstract Journal:

3. L&D Must Align with Corporate Strategy.

Donald H Taylor reiterated the need for L&D to reposition itself as a strategic partner to organizations seeking to build future workforce capacity. L&D at abrdn has been doing just that, Peter Yarrow explained in his keynote. abrdn had been going through a lot of change and transformation in the past five years, prompting Yarrow’s team to launch a variety of initiatives to help the workforce cope with change and become future-ready. To support the company’s strategic objectives, L&D set up academies focusing on three high-priority future skills: data, digital and change management.

Read Customer Success Story here.

The outcomes of L&D have to be in tandem with the outcome the business is looking for.

Donald H Taylor

4. L&D Must Find Ways to Show How It Adds Value.

As organizations are tightening their budgets, L&D will need to find ways to demonstrate the impact of their learning initiatives on their companies’ success and performance metrics. Paul Sahota and Mary Farsalas, learning consultants at ivari, presented a case study of how they went about measuring the training results of one of their soft skills training initiatives. The training involved a one-hour group discussion based on a getAbstract summary and reading guide. Two follow-up surveys offered strong indications that discussion participants successfully adopted some of the resilience strategies they have learned about.

Read Customer Success Story here.

Find more on fostering engagement and measuring training results in the getAbstract Journal:

Download the conference summary here.
Learn about getAbstract’s first and second Global L&D Knowledge Forum.
Stay tuned for future L&D forums!