As the world continues finding its new normal, colleagues everywhere are getting more comfortable voicing their engagement needs and wants while demanding that organizations pay attention.

What do they want? According to most research measuring engagement, it can be boiled down to:

• Better work-life integration.
• Career transparency and mobility.
• Skills training.
• An inclusive and accessible work environment.

HRO today’s 2023 L&D trend watch tells us that L&D driven organizations are focused on upskilling and that this trend allows colleagues to be “integral in the trajectory of their own careers.”

People are demanding work environments and leaders that value all of the things that make us human, whether in person, remote or hybrid. While this is a lot of information for organizational leaders to unpack and digest, learning and development (L&D) leaders are well positioned to showcase their value proposition now. This is the moment where we can elevate the value of our teams in driving engagement and culture.

We have the keys to the castle and our leaders are willing to listen because the benchmarks and news they are following are telling them that training and upskilling matter in this very moment. They have to do something about it before people leave and find it elsewhere.

We have the programs that align with organizational culture and strategic goals, and we have the ability to foster a culture of continuous learning, skill improvement and personal development that is measurable in ways that matter to the C-suite.

We have the tools, resources and talent that help colleagues prioritize their own development and propel themselves forward. We prepare front-line leaders to give them guidance and continued development back on the job through great coaching and measurable, observable metrics and methods.

We have the process for creating learning journeys, tying into performance support structures, and mobilizing feedback loops. All of these pieces of the puzzle connect to solidify and secure a culture of learning while motivating colleagues to confidently contribute to their own roles and development paths.

We know we have the goods but how do we “tell it to sell it?”

1. Look through the lens of change management.

L&D can create partnership opportunities that help with adoption of organizational change by providing tools, resources, communications and learning that help colleagues adapt to new processes, strategies, programs and technologies. As the world becomes more digitally agile, we can help pinpoint gaps, create success measures and help colleagues adopt change quickly. When people feel confident about their ability to shift into change, they are more satisfied at work, have a sense of purpose and are ready to perform.

2. Consult on the career development aspect.

According to McKinsey, 90% of organizations are looking at employee skills gaps emerging on a consistent basis. To be profitable, they must stay ahead of trends and shifts in skills within the marketplace. Current colleagues may need to change what they do and how they do it. In addition, there has been a recent upsurge in the need for soft skills training: consulting, relationship management, critical thinking and time management. Improving these skills as well as the technical skills will allow people to be internally mobile. These skills are transferrable.

While technology drives much of this change, artificial intelligence (AI) does not have the ability to scope the work and the processes or outputs as deeply as a strong L&D partner. It also cannot connect L&D opportunities that tie to both role needs and personal career aspirations. Engaging our expertise is a win-win for stakeholders. Their people seek out ways to apply newfound competencies and skills and when given the opportunity to do it, drive organization performance higher. If talent mobility culture is attached to this process, colleagues will be more satisfied with roles, more motivated to learn and contribute, and engagement goes up.  Happy people spread happiness and go the extra mile.

3. Discuss the value of investing in development from a talent acquisition perspective.

Strong learning culture will enhance both the reputation and the market value of the organization. It may even impact positions as an employer of choice. When people like where they work, get the development and feedback they need and are happy, they stay, and they bring their friends along. A report from Degreed shows a link between employers who offer upskilling and reskilling and overall retention. The report also states that 46% of those surveyed would leave if they thought their employer was not focused on professional development. In addition, we have the skills to design for inclusion and can build it into every aspect of content used from onboarding to offboarding. This increases a sense of belonging across all groups the organization represents, both internally and externally.

4. Stakeholders like an agile workforce with an innovation mindset.

When a workforce is agile, they are more capable of embracing new technologies, ideas, initiatives, experiences and are more open to innovative thinking. If people are constantly seeking out ways to improve the organization’s capabilities, the organization is better able to remain competitive and respond to market demands quickly.

5. Showcase ROI and provide available data.

Increases in productivity, time to contribution, time to proficiency, time to transition, increased satisfaction scores and accelerated innovation are all measurable and can be tied to the business’s financial results.

6. Plan for short- and long-term strategies.

Acknowledge concerns about any short-term disruption and/or investments of time required to create programs. Emphasize the long-term benefits of engaged and skilled colleagues. Pinpoint how investing in development now has the opportunity to drive sustainable and long-term success and impacts in the future.

7. Flexibility is key.

Collaborate with leadership teams to find ways to implement initiatives that are specific to their concerns. Consider what already exists including leveraging internal expertise, customizing programs to align with budget specifications or constraints and show willingness to solution together to find the right result for the right population for the right reason and the right timing. Consider pilots and proof of concepts as a starting point. Consider specific areas or teams to focus on first. If there is benchmarking data or research showing what similarly sized organizations have done, with success metrics, share those to key into the positive impacts. This will build your credibility and help you gain support.

Finally, remember that you are the L&D expert, and the stakeholder is the business expert. You have to use their jargon and their terminology, not vice versa.  If you aren’t speaking the language of the business, the business will not have ears. The power is in your hands — use it wisely, L&D.