New Trends in Employee Development Strategies

This week, I facilitated a manager workshop on how to grow and develop people and teams. One question sparked a great conversation: “How do you develop your people outside of formal programs?” It’s a great question. IMO, one of the highest leverage actions a leader can take is making small, but consistent actions to develop their people. While formal learning experiences absolutely a role, there are far more opportunities for growth outside of structured settings from an hours in the day perspective. Helping leaders recognize and embrace this is a major opportunity. I introduced the idea of Practices of Development (PODs) aka small, intentional activities integrated into everyday work that help employees build skills, flex new muscles, and increase their impact. Here are a few examples we discussed: 🌟 Paired Programming: Borrowed from software engineering, this involves pairing an employee with a peer to take on a new task—helping them ramp up quickly, cross-train, or learn by doing. 🌟 Learning Logs: Have team members track what they’re working on, learning, and questioning to encourage reflection. 🌟 Bullpen Sessions: Bring similar roles together for feedback, idea sharing, and collaborative problem-solving, where everyone both A) shares a deliverable they are working on, and B) gets feedback and suggestions for improvement 🌟 Each 1 Teach 1:  Give everyone a chance to teach one work-related skill or insight to the team. 🌟 I Do, We Do, You Do:Adapted from education, this scaffolding approach lets you model a task, then do it together, then hand it off. A simple and effective way to build confidence and skill. 🌟 Back Pocket Ideas:  During strategy/scoping work sessions, ask employees to submit ideas for initiatives tied to a customer problem or personal interest. Select the strongest ones and incorporate them into their role. These are a few examples that have worked well. If you’ve found creative ways to build development opportunities into your employees day to day work, I’d love to hear what’s worked for you!

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 🚀 Organizations today face the challenge of keeping up with the rapid evolution of Learning and Development (L&D) trends. Falling behind can result in outdated practices and a less competitive workforce. It's frustrating when your organization’s L&D efforts don’t align with the latest trends, leaving your employees underprepared and your company lagging behind. Neglecting to stay current with L&D trends can lead to several detrimental outcomes: outdated training methods, diminished employee engagement, and ultimately, reduced competitiveness in the market. Stay ahead of the curve by regularly researching and integrating the latest L&D trends into your strategy. Here are key trends to watch: 1️⃣ Artificial Intelligence: ☑️ Personalized Learning Paths: AI can analyze employee data to create tailored learning experiences, ensuring that training is relevant and impactful. ☑️ Automated Content Creation: AI tools can generate training content quickly, keeping materials up-to-date and aligned with current needs. 2️⃣ Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR & AR): ✳️ Immersive Training: VR and AR offer realistic simulations for complex tasks, enhancing hands-on learning without the risks associated with real-world practice. - Engagement Boost: These technologies make training more interactive and engaging, which can significantly improve retention and application of skills. ✳️ Microlearning: - Bite-Sized Content: Deliver training in short, focused segments that are easier to digest and fit into busy schedules. - On-Demand Access: Employees can access microlearning modules anytime, anywhere, promoting continuous learning. ✳️ Social Learning Platforms: - Collaborative Learning: Platforms that facilitate peer-to-peer interaction and knowledge sharing can enhance learning through collaboration. - Community Building: Social learning tools can help build a sense of community and shared purpose among employees. ✳️ Data-Driven Decision Making: - Learning Analytics: Use data to measure the effectiveness of training programs and identify areas for improvement. - Predictive Insights: Analytics can forecast future training needs based on trends and employee performance data. ✳️ Mobile Learning (mLearning): - Flexibility: Mobile learning allows employees to learn on the go, making training more accessible and convenient. ✳️ Gamification: - Motivation and Application: Incorporate game elements such as points, badges, and leaderboards to increase motivation and participation. Apply skills! By staying informed and integrating these emerging trends into your L&D strategy, you can ensure that its workforce remains skilled, engaged, and competitive.  How is your organization adapting to these L&D trends? Share your experiences and insights in the comments below! ⬇️ #LandD #LearningAndDevelopment #EdTech #TrainingInnovation #EmployeeEngagement #FutureOfWork

The Future of L&D Is Here—and It’s Skills-First. The old way? 🔹 Static roles 🔹 Rigid org charts 🔹 Promotions based on tenure The new way? ⚡ Skills-based ecosystems ⚡ Fluid career paths ⚡ Talent moving dynamically based on verified capabilities Here's how skills-based organizations are evolving—and how StackFactor is helping enterprises lead the change: 1️⃣ AI-Driven Skills Intelligence Assess skills. Spot gaps. Recommend learning. 🧠 Real-time insights = smarter workforce planning. 🎯 Personalized paths = higher engagement. 📉 35% hiring cost reduction? Yep—real example. 2️⃣ Career Architecture & Skills-Based Pathways Goodbye job titles. Hello transparent growth. 🔍 Employees know what to learn next. 📈 Companies boost internal mobility by 40%. 3️⃣ Internal Talent Marketplaces Projects. Gigs. Mentorships—matched by skills. 👥 Unlock agility and reduce churn. 💡 One company saw 30% more role transitions. 4️⃣ Agile Workforce Deployment Build high-performing teams on demand. 🚀 Fast execution. 🌐 Cross-functional collaboration. 📊 50% faster time-to-market? Check. 5️⃣ Verified Skills Portfolios Skills are the new résumé. 🔐 Secure. Portable. Trusted. 📌 20% increase in career transitions from micro-credentials alone. What this means for HR & L&D leaders: ✅ Invest in AI-powered skills intelligence ✅ Redesign career architectures ✅ Leverage internal talent marketplaces ✅ Adopt agile workforce deployment models ✅ Implement verified skills portfolios The companies who move now? They’ll be the ones who win the future of work. 💡 Want the full breakdown of these trends? ⬇️ Read the full article --- ♻️ Did you enjoy this post? Repost it so your network can learn from it, too. For more content like this, follow Christina Jones, StackFactor Inc.! #AI #FutureOfWork #SkillsFirst #LearningAndDevelopment #HRTech #TalentTransformation #StackFactor

As employers embrace more advanced, data-driven people operating systems, employees are seeing a powerful shift: one-size-fits-all approaches are giving way to tailored, human-centered experiences that reflect the unique characteristics of each individual within today’s workforce. A recent report from McKinsey & Company envisions this as a full transformation of the people operations model. One where gen AI enables what they call a “Strategic Triumvirate” that unlocks workplace experiences that feel more intuitive and aligned with each employee’s personal goals. At Google, we strive to create a workplace where our employees can reach their full potential. By taking a data-driven, human-centered approach we not only work to facilitate stronger team performance and psychological safety, informed by research like Project Aristotle which identified key dynamics of effective teams, but also empower individual career growth through internal mobility platforms that match Googlers' skills and aspirations with relevant opportunities across the company. Learn more about Project Aristotle here: https://lnkd.in/eff_QGqw Read more about McKinsey & Company’s vision for the next era of people management here: https://lnkd.in/ehbecaKc #PeopleFirst #FutureOfWork #HRTech #EmployeeExperience #LeadershipDevelopment