Dive Brief:
- There are two overriding themes that are putting HR practitioners under more stress lately: increased shortages of qualified talent and the willingness of talent to jump ship for other opportunities if they don't feel their needs are being met. Nearly 40% of employers are struggling to find enough talent to fill vital jobs, based on a McKinsey and Co. report.
- Learning is a bigger incentive for employees who want to improve their skills and move up the corporate ladder, Chief Learning Officer reports. Mika Nash, academic dean for Champlain College Online’s Continuing Professional Studies told CLO that it's "critical that corporate learning takes on this stance," adding that HR leaders are evolving into learning officers.
- Jean Roque, founder and president of Trupp HR, told CLO that the problem is many HR professionals don't tie corporate culture and engagement into learning.
Dive Insight:
One thing that is highlighted here is that the HR officer's role is changing dramatically with the inclusion of learning as a core talent management objective. Not only are HR pros tasked with locating talent, attracting them using a strong brand campaign, and onboarding them, but things are coming full circle as they are then responsible for setting new hires up for long term success through structured training efforts.
Employees left to their own devices have statistically looked outside their organizations for learning support. This can tempt them to move onto other companies with better learning benefits. What can HR do to retain employees and fill skill gaps? They need to step up and be willing to direct learning initiatives in their organizations that produce real business results.
