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PRESS INFORMATION
ISSUED ON BEHALF OF:
Echelon Learning Ltd
Darwin House, 236 South Ealing Road,
LONDON W5 4RP
Tel: 020 8568 1500; Fax: 020 8560 6612;
Web:
http://www.echelonlearning.co.uk
2nd July 2009
Echelon's Alistair Morrison supports the CIPD view of learning &
development
The organisation development (OD) consultancy Echelon has welcomed the
findings of a recent CIPD survey of 4,500 respondents within the HR
arena. Among other things, the survey suggested that the boundaries
between learning and development (L&D) and OD will continue to blur as
learning is embedded into the way organisations work.
Jackie Orme, the CIPD's CEO, discussed the survey's findings in her
closing address to the recent Training Journal conference, held in
central London. She observed that, in this recession, redundancies are
being undertaken on a much more considered basis and spare capacity is
being used to develop employees and operating processes.
It is the capability of the organisation's people that will drive it
out of recession, she argued. Retention of key staff is critical to
being prepared to benefit from the upturn.
The conference highlighted the increasing importance of L&D to
organisational success in the current economic downturn. In addition to
the importance of investing in people to build their competence, L&D is
essential to driving employee engagement and sustained performance.
Taking up this theme, Ms Orme said that, in an era where change is the
norm, those designing and managing change should work hand-in-hand with
those responsible for skilling the workforce.
Alistair Morrison, Echelon's CEO, commented: "The general conclusion of
various recent reports and surveys, along with current practitioner
thinking is that organisations must put their money where their mouths
are in terms of recognising the capacity and criticality of their
organisation's 'most valuable asset'.
"L&D alone is not the answer. Instead, its integration with business
planning and organisational design - to shape the structure and
performance of the best practice organisation - is essential. The
growing role of HR in strategic planning is a welcome sign - and L&D
professionals must step up to the plate to ensure that training
delivers the competencies required by the organisation and that
training can be applied quickly in the context of the organisation, its
customers and its market.
"Jackie Orme is right that HR is no longer merely one discipline," he
continued. "Rather, it's an amalgam of sub-specialisms, within each of
which the level of skill required for success is continually growing.
"The contribution of HR to workforce planning in support of
organisational strategy is miles away from just being about
'recruitment and rations'. This highlights the growing importance of HR
as an agent of change and reflects a major shift in its purpose,"
Morrison added.
"The role of the HR practitioner is about supporting people managers to
achieve their objectives. HR is increasingly seen as a value-adding
function and an essential component in creating the sustained
capability and flexibility required for the organisation to achieve its
future vision."
In supporting this, Echelon sponsored the management of change award at
the event's accompanying TJ Awards - hosted by the broadcaster and
former high profile Lebanon hostage, John McCarthy. The prize went to
Safestore, represented by Avril Jones, who not only collected that
award but also the award for the best overall project.
-ENDS-
For further information please contact
Media contact: Bob Little Tel + 44 (0)1727 860405; Email:
bob.little@boblittlepr.com
Sales contact:
Alistair Morrison Tel + 44 (0)20 8568 1500; Email:
alistair@echelonlearning.co.uk
About the CIPD/ Training Journal research/ reports
Training Journal's recently published research, 'L&D 2020: Shaping
change in learning', has explored how Learning & Development (L&D) in
organisations might evolve over the next ?ve to ten years, and
considered the implications for L&D professionals. The report
identifies the trends and developments likely to impact the world of
L&D in the four areas of Society, Work & Business, Brain & Mind and
Technology. It goes on to outline a range of potential future scenarios
that might emerge for L&D:
-
L&D is queen - impact
of learning is clear and learning & well-being are highly important for
organisations, learning is for whole life not just work
-
Organisational
necessity - economy and competition are tough, learning is focused on
just immediate work issues and is seen as a cost to be contained
-
National learning - UK
Plc is struggling and the government is driving the learning and
well-being agenda, companies are reluctant to invest in training.
The report's emerging
conclusions include the predictions that:
-
The importance of
continuous, informal, social learning will continue to grow and will
require L&D professionals to become competent in creating the
conditions for this to occur
-
Individuals will
increasingly look for ways for their informal learning to be recognised
(accredited) to demonstrate their value in the market
-
The skill of learning
will become increasingly important and people will need to be helped to
become even more effective at learning for themselves and with others.
-
While individuals will
?nd ways to learn for themselves, the role of the line manager in
focusing and reinforcing learning will continue to be crucial.
-
New technologies are
not just ways of delivering the same content differently. They open up
new opportunities for people to learn.
-
The boundaries between
learning and development (L&D) and OD will continue to blur as learning
is embedded into the way organisations work.
-
There will be a shift
in balance of the L&D professionals' skillset towards greater business
understanding, change management, organisation development and use of
new technologies.
About Echelon
Learning Ltd
Echelon is an organisation development consultancy with a 20-year track
record of delivering targeted communication, training and performance
support solutions that really make a difference to corporate,
government and not-for-profit organisations and professional bodies.
The company helps its clients create and sustain improved operational
performance by developing high levels of employee engagement and
competence that leverage their ability to achieve outstanding results,
particularly in times of change.
Echelon publishes a wide range of business and management solutions
that offer job support and lifelong career development:
www.learningmatters.com
Clients include:
Channel Tunnel Rail Link
London Overground Rail (LOROL)
Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply
Department of Work and Pensions
Festival Housing Association
NHS
Royal Town Planning Institute
T-Mobile
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