The Workforce Development Community at ASTD 2013

The ASTD International Conference & Exposition (ICE) is just three months away! As the manager for ASTD's newest (and most unique) community of practice, Workforce Development, I'm very excited to see so many sessions dedicated to helping managers—and those who train them—improve their employee engagement skills, so they can more effectively increase employee productivity and retention.

There are so many key issues professionals are facing in the workplace today that ICE will address. For example, as we continue to discuss the impact millennials have on the workplace, the U.S. workforce is actually aging, as today’s most experienced workers have been forced to retire later in their careers due to economic issues. How do managers and trainers address these two divergent groups so they can leverage their strengths—and avoid conflicts—to create greater opportunities for success?

And those economic issues are causing major shifts in the way our workforces are structured. Everyone is expected to do more with less. Improving productivity is essential to get the most from every employee, so identifying which strategies will have the greatest impact on engagement and productivity is a key concern for every manager and trainer.

And of course, the increased impact of technology affects us all. How can managers best handle workforces spread out now over multiple locations and devices?

So, how do we address all of these issues at ICE? With focused sessions on topics like:

• team building

• coaching

• managing workforces across multiple locations

• conflict resolution

• choosing the right engagement plan for your organization

• change management

• employee recognition strategies

• managing multi-generational workforces.

These are all offered by some of the leading experts in the industry today, and all with practical takeaways so they can be implemented quickly upon your return.

That's the approach we're taking with the Workforce Development Community. Content, tools, and resources to help you improve staff engagement and productivity, where the "rubber meets the road".

Want to learn more about the Workforce Development Community? You can sign up for our free newsletter or visit our home page.

Best,

Ron Lippock

Community Manager

@ASTDManagement

PS. Don't forget to visit the community managers at each of our booths on the expo floor at ICE!

The ASTD 2013 International Conference & Exposition is the premier event for training and development professionals. This year's event will take place in Dallas, Texas, USA from May 19-22, 2013. Learn more about ASTD 2013's keynote speakers_,_ educational sessions_, and_ exposition at www.astdconference.org.