Staffing During the Recovery

A large number of firms changed their spending patterns between 2008 and 2010 in reaction to the global financial crisis. However, learning and development investments increased in 2011 and are expected to rise again this year.

Investment in technology continues to be a priority compared to other learning initiatives. Content development and learning strategy are also returning to the top of CLOs’ investment priorities. Enterprises expect to continue their investments in learning management systems, assessment systems and performance management capabilities and are eager to try simulations, mobile learning and collaboration and social tools. However, economic uncertainty has learning budgets under pressure.

In spite of the increase in the benefits organizations receive from learning technology investments, the largest expense for most learning and development organizations remains staff spend. To maximize learning spending, and to ensure flexibility and capacity for the economic recovery, learning organizations must properly allocate and deploy their staff. While learning relevance has increased steadily since 2006, many enterprises must still find a way to have more impact on organizational objectives.

Every other month, IDC surveys Chief Learning Officer magazine’s Business Intelligence Board (BIB) on a variety of topics to gauge the issues, opportunities and attitudes important to senior learning executives. This month’s analysis of how learning and development organizations allocate staff, in addition to how much staff they deploy, can help jumpstart a process to better apply existing resources. While some organizations find it appropriate to become an organizational adviser or change consultant, others continue to improve delivery efficiency. Either way, CLOs must evaluate their ability to help the enterprise rebound during the recovery and align their staff to that goal.

Learning and Enterprise Strategy
While the global economic outlook and, in many cases, the local economic outlook remains murky, enterprises continue to invest to improve key functional areas such as the supply chain or finance function. For some, this maintains market share against competitive pressures; in other cases, it’s an attempt to take market share from struggling competitors. But regardless of the reason for the investment, enterprises also must not forget to focus on their employees’ performance. Learning and development has never been more important to organizational success than now as companies tentatively transition from crisis to re-growth.