On 14 July, the Learning Technologies Webinar Season kicked off for 2022. Mind Tools for Business started the webinar series looking at the future of workplace learning, talent investment and how organisations can embed a learning culture. This webinar explored the possible answers to a key question: ‘Can rapid digitalization survive without cultural innovation?’

 

Two weeks later, Learning Pool delivered the second episode in the 2022 Learning Technologies Webinar Season. Ben Betts, CEO of Learning Pool, hosted an hour session on the ‘Journey to Extraordinary: developing skills to improve performance and retention across your organisation.’ The ongoing online engagement in the Learning Technologies webinars continued, with an hour never enough time for all the insightful questions and discussions.

 

The Learning Technologies webinar season is still ongoing with two webinars every month, giving you the latest in L&D hot topics from speakers experienced in the industry. Read for our overview for the first two in the series with a chance to watch the webinars on-demand for free below.

 

Nahdia Khan: is it still 'people first, technology second'?

Nahdia Khan, Chief Impact Officer at Mind Tools for Business, delivered this Learning Technologies webinar. The session featured insights into the Mind Tools for Business Annual L&D Benchmarking Report, with Nahdia driving an interactive hour about reimagining the future of L&D. Nahdia’s sharing of the report sparked conversation amongst the many attendees, with allocated times for question-based tasks for the audience. Nahdia’s first question to the audience was as relevant post-pandemic as ever: ‘Have you reflected on your digital implementation?’ People mostly agreed that ‘Virtual training had exploded’ and some organisations were ‘rapidly digitalising before the pandemic’, but that it takes time to adjust. Someone pointed out that their organisation ‘…are launching from scratch so it’s a large element’. Almost everyone had challenges to share, but with every challenge came an insightful solution.

 

Advice was coming in all its forms. The desire to ‘…move people’s mindsets, as some really do love face-to-face, but they need to consider the scalability and reach…’ when looking at an organisation as a whole was brought up. Someone in the chat pointed out the ‘Need to streamline the different channels a bit and use best practices…’ so they can work for everyone.

 

The Mind Tools for Business Annual L&D Benchmarking Report provides longitudinal research in the L&D community. Nahdia showcased some of the organisation’s findings from this report in the webinar, sharing slides packed with information. The session uncovered the truth about whether organisations are still putting people first, or if the pandemic has caused L&D to shift digitally. Nahdia commented that ‘Tech allows us to do so much, but rapid digitalisation as a whole, but without bringing your people along with you, is not going to deliver the impact you’re looking for.’ To hear the full discussion on what Mind Tools for Business have found, watch the webinar for free below.

 

Watch on-demand

 

 

Ben Betts: how can L&D drive organisational strategy beyond implementation?

On 28 July, Learning Pool hosted an investigative webinar - with Ben determined to uncover the secrets behind successful organisational strategy. Attendants were intrigued to discover how L&D can move from just implementing their organisation's strategy, to actively help in driving it. Conversation soon began flowing, with people mostly agreeing that it is the individuals in your organisation that are at the core of how the entire system works. Ben stated that 'As CEO of a tech business...I think the act of improving yourself, having the opportunity to invest in yourself improving, it doesn't matter if it's knitting or coding. I think the act of somebody being on a journey to improve themselves will put them in the right frame of mind to think about how flexible, how open to change they are, and how they might apply those ideas back to the organisation'. 

 

Ben's presentation sparked many discussions and powerful statements from everyone. One person alluded to someone's else notion that L&D professionals do what they do because they transform people's lives - and ‘This is why everyone has a story of a great teacher in their life’. People in attendance were inspired by Ben's enthusiasm for learning and every individual's development, which was seen as 'Very powerful, coming from a CEO'. Attendants were also keen to share their own research with Ben and everyone else, leading on from the ideas about why L&D professionals do what they do. Someone dropped in the community chat that they '...did a survey about what makes us passionate about L&D and, no surprise, biggest thing was helping people...' (more on IHG Skills Academy). There's even more inspirational quotes and useful resources from Ben, and you can discover these by watching the webinar for free below.

 

Watch on-demand