LinkedIn is one of the first go-tos for employers and jobseekers alike when trying to find and fill open positions. This professional social media platform has branched out beyond its initial roots to offer a wide range of content creation on an array of topics related to career advancement, recruitment, and employee development.
Recently, LinkedIn published its 51-page “2018 Workplace Learning Report” focusing on “the rise and responsibility of talent development in the new labor market.” Based on survey results and other research, the report identifies a number of insights and trends in the area of workplace development. One area in particular was of interest to us: top priorities for L&D programs in 2018. Over three posts, we’ll look at the six top priorities identified by L&D professionals surveyed by LinkedIn for this report. The first two we’ll review are training for soft skills and global training.
Training for Soft Skills
Training for soft skills was identified as the number one priority for L&D professionals. While hard skills (i.e., technical competencies) are obviously important, it’s clear that the more personal skills—dealing with actual people—are still seen as crucial for a company’s human capital.
Even the most technically astute employees may struggle in their careers if they are unable to effectively work with coworkers, customers, subordinates, and superiors. This type of training, though, has often been overlooked as organizations focus more on task-specific or mandated training activities. As this report suggests, though, L&D professionals are increasingly realizing the importance of training for soft skills.
Global Training
It’s no secret that we work in an increasingly global environment. As developing economies continue to grow, more and more of a company’s potential market is likely to be abroad. Training employees on the nuances and strategies for doing business abroad is key to develop a successful, globally competent workforce.
Even employees who are not physically located in global areas that your organization serves can benefit from a greater understanding of each market’s nuances and a greater understanding of the consumers served in these markets.
Learning and development are understandably top priorities for companies around the nation and around the world. The LinkedIn report gives some insights into the specific elements L&D professionals are focusing on. Here, we reviewed training for soft skills and global training. In the next post on this topic, we’ll take a look at delivering insights on skill gaps and tracking skill development.