Wow, what a year we’ve had with our research study!
Early in 2021, the eLN partnered with Jane Daly from PeopleStar to launch a longitudinal research study to uncover proven ways that learning professionals thrive in a disruptive, learning hungry and digital first world.
We designed the research to give learning professionals a voice and worked hard to compliment other studies, not duplicate them. This proved to be a very successful move because learning professionals felt our study provided a safe space for them to reflect, share and let off steam, and the insights that flooded in revealed several valuable and critical elements.
The research revealed 5 Supercharging elements of Self-compassion, Personal impact, Professional impact, Evidence-based Learning and Adaptability. These elements were common traits amongst learning professionals who continue to deliver high value, even in turbulent times.
The 5 Supercharging elements, along with the supporting guides and resources, are proven to guide professionals to cope with the overwhelming L&D environment and turn their growing demands into an advantage.
As well as the 5 Supercharging elements, our analysis revealed several additional insights that outline how professionals are transforming their craft, expertise and what’s holding them back in a post covid world of work. Three highlights are:
Firstly, learning processionals have significantly increased their spectrum of professional expertise. Participants in our study now design/manage over 23 different types of Learning technology, as you can see from the visual below:
Secondly, 88% of respondents said that they strongly agree/agree that professionalising our industry will add value. It’s one of the key barriers that are holding us back and Research Director Dr. Hannah Gore and Jane Daly, PeopleStar, ran a live insight gathering session to discover what ‘professionalising’ looked like. I’m sure it comes as no surprise that being a more evidence-based professional was part of the conversation, but more will be revealed in the new year as we are determined to support our members increase their professional impact.
Thirdly, only 28% of learning professionals strongly agree/agree they felt it was easy to progress within the industry, and that only 35% strongly agree/agree that the industry openly drives equal opportunities for all. These insights mean we must approach these challenges differently as what we are doing today is not working. What we need is a systemic industry approach that is connected to professionalisation and one that attracts, builds, and retains the best talent as we think forward.
Supercharging Squads - Real case stories
As our research is evolving, it is gaining momentum, which is a positive signal of advocacy. Research that makes other people act is hard to achieve, but we are very excited to share that we have been contact by inspirational professionals that are supercharging and this is changing their work-lives and their reputation for adding value. These real case stories reveal people, teams and organisations are utilising the self-assessment tool and the resources which are supporting them to focus, transforming their approach and accelerate their impact.
In one such organisation we have been blown away by an inspirational professional whose ‘Supercharging’ impact has been so valuable that we are now partnering with the L&D team and wider organisation to create a ‘Supercharging Squad’. Early in the new year we will be creating a baseline and tracing and tracking the impact of the squad as they continue to Supercharge. Watch this space as we reveal more insights about this case story in the new year!
So…what’s next?
Well, we have learnt many lessons this year, with one of the most significant lessons being that we are better together than apart.
In 2022 we will build on the strong foundation we have laid and continue our longitudinal study to dig even deeper and share more stories that support the community to accelerate and amplify their impact.
Here are a few dates for your diary so that you can get involved:
- January – 2022 Research study opens
- Thursday 20th January – Supercharging webinar (Jane Daly, Hannah Gore, and an inspirational guest who reveals a real case story)
- March 2022 – Early results are shared
Calling all Members to join our Supercharging Squad!
Why not self-assess your value and impact against the 5 elements. Give yourself a gift that just keeps giving. It’s the perfect time of year to press pause, reflect and create your new year plan.
5 critical elements that Supercharge Learning Professionals
- Self-compassion – Fitting your own mask before helping others. Coaching self and others to manage energy, find balance and space to learn – innovate.
- Evidence-based learning – Integrating proven learning approaches and ‘testing’ new virtual/hybrid opportunities to drive a culture of learning that makes a measurable difference within your context.
- Personal impact – Business talk. Showcasing your story & influencing to drive advocation of the learning culture you are striving to embed.
- Professional Impact – Dynamic networking with a wide variety of people from both within your org, industry, and outside to add value to your practice.
- Adaptability – Distilling all the elements to track and trace that the levels of adaptability are aligned for today and for future generations.
