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Make the shift from activity-based to results-based talent development programs by applying a comprehensive and scalable evaluation process

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Make the shift from activity-based to results-based talent development programs by applying a comprehensive and scalable evaluation process.

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Instructional Design: Experts Revisit Top Predictions in 2023

8 AI Predictions for 2024 That Stood the Test of Time

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Just a couple years ago, companies were conducting hiring sprees, scooping up a seemingly unlimited supply of talent. Today, however, more talent professionals are asked to do more with less, while facing intense competition for individuals with the most business-critical skills. But this reset has given rise to a new way of thinking about talent—the skills-based transformation, in which candidates are hired, and internal talent developed, based on their unique skills and strengths.To make the skills-based transition successful, companies must ensure their talent acquisition (TA) and learning and development (L&D) teams work more closely together. This will be especially important since talent with key skills is harder to find than ever. According to Randstad Enterprise’s latest in-demand skills research, global hiring complexity for AI and automation skills is two times higher than average, while data analytics skills are 2.3 times higher.In this landscape, rather than always turning to recruiting external talent, consider how individuals with key skills—or at least the potential to learn them—may already be in the organization. But without insights and development plans from L&D, those high-potential employees, and their skill sets, may remain hidden. Along the same lines, when new talent is brought in, L&D should be involved as well, helping to ensure they continually learn and grow to develop the skills needed for the future.But for TA and L&D to collaborate most effectively, they must leverage the right data to help guide their decisions. With access to up-to-date talent intelligence—about the supply of skills both within your organization and outside it—TA and L&D teams gain the insights to better work together and ultimately ensure the company acquires the right skills.Identify the skills you need.Due to the growing use of AI, the skills companies need are changing constantly. With access to the right talent intelligence, companies can better predict the skills that will be most critical for their organizations today and into the future. And if talent with those skills is too difficult to find internally or externally, the data can help identify talent with the adjacent or transferable skills most indicative of success in attaining those needed skills. Once those skills are identified, TA and L&D can work together to determine the best way to acquire those skills, whether hiring externally or developing internal—or even external—talent.Build a skilled and diverse workforce.As part of the skills-based transformation, many organizations leverage talent intelligence to conduct skills mapping or create skills ontologies to better understand the skills already in the organization. Such insights can also reveal the individuals who show strong potential to learn the new skills that TA may be struggling to find externally. This approach is also helpful for enhancing workforce diversity and creating equity. With female talent largely under-represented in some of the most in-demand skills, like AI and automation, providing promising female employees with the right training and development can improve diversity while ensuring the company gains those needed skills.Understand the external talent market.Strong talent intelligence can help you find the best sources for the skills your organization needs. It can also uncover essential data about what those individuals are looking for in their next role, like salary expectations and desire to work remotely, so TA can be better positioned to attract and engage them. If talent with the exact skills can’t be found, TA can still hire based on the potential and inherent skills of the top candidates, working with L&D to create the development paths to fill those crucial gaps.Make smarter decisions with talent intelligence.While finding talent with the most in-demand skills may be challenging, companies that drive collaboration between their TA and L&D teams will be better positioned to identify the right people, or nurture promising talent to help them learn those skills. When guided by robust talent intelligence, the result is a streamlined approach to acquiring the skills needed immediately, while providing the training that keeps up with the skills needed for the future.Download Randstad’s latest in-demand skills research. See the supply and demand of the skills you need with the in-demand skills dashboard.

Why Talent Acquisition and L&D Must Work Together to Find Talent With Key Skills

The talent leader role has evolved from a reactive role to a proactive, strategic partnership with business leaders.

Are We There Yet?

November 2024 - TD Magazine

As 2024 unfolds, the HR and L&D landscape has transformed significantly, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). Earlier in the year, CYPHER Learning made key predictions for 2024 about AI’s role in shaping the future of work and learning. Now, many of those predictions have become a reality. The AI trends that have emerged are not just speculative but practical shifts in how we work and learn.Here are eight AI predictions for 2024 that have stood the test of time and are shaping the HR and L&D market today.1. Proactive AIOne major prediction was that AI would become more proactive, and that’s exactly what we’re seeing. AI now anticipates user needs rather than waiting for input. Tools like Microsoft’s Copilot and Google’s Gemini have taken proactive AI mainstream, streamlining workflows across industries by predicting actions and suggesting content.In HR, this has translated into AI tools that automatically recommend training courses based on employee roles and skills gaps, making it easier for L&D teams to stay ahead of workforce needs and ensuring more tailored learning experiences.2. Refined vs. Raw AI2024 saw a shift from experimental AI models to more polished and reliable tools. The refinement of AI systems, driven by improved oversight and cross-checking mechanisms, ensures accuracy and reduces the risk of errors or biases. OpenAI and Google, for example, have refined their models to deliver more dependable results.In L&D, this refinement is critical. AI Crosscheck from CYPHER plays a key role in ensuring the accuracy of AI-generated content, particularly for training programs, making sure employees receive high-quality, validated learning experiences.3. Remote Training for ManagersThe prediction that AI would help managers lead distributed teams has also proven true. With remote and hybrid work becoming the norm, AI tools are being used to support managers in training and managing teams from a distance.Platforms like Zoom and Salesforce now integrate AI to enhance communication, track employee progress, and provide real-time feedback, ensuring that remote teams stay productive and engaged. This has helped bridge the gap between remote workers and in-office teams, offering personalized training and support.4. Workforce VersatilityAI has become a key driver in creating a versatile workforce. Platforms like Udemy and CYPHER Learning use AI to help employees build both hard and soft skills, offering personalized learning paths based on individual goals and performance.This shift is essential in today’s rapidly evolving work environment. AI-driven tools ensure that employees remain adaptable and versatile, ready to meet the challenges of a changing job market.5. Upskilling and ReskillingAs industries rapidly change, the need for upskilling and reskilling has become more urgent. AI has played a crucial role in helping organizations address these challenges by identifying skills gaps and recommending tailored training solutions. For example, the CYPHER Learning platform automates the mapping of course content to skills and assessments, enabling employees to quickly develop and master the competencies required to keep pace with technological advancements.This automation makes L&D efforts more scalable and efficient, allowing companies to better align employee development with their business objectives.6. Improving Daily LifeAI is now embedded in both personal and professional settings, streamlining tasks and improving daily workflows. From virtual assistants like Alexa to AI-powered learning platforms, technology is making everyday processes more manageable.In the HR and L&D space, AI is being used to personalize learning experiences, ensuring that employees receive content that is relevant to their needs. AI-driven tools are making it easier for workers to acquire new skills, contributing to more dynamic and adaptable learning environments.7. Job Market ShiftsAI is transforming the job market, just as predicted. New roles focusing on AI management, data analysis, and oversight have emerged, while traditional roles are being redefined to include AI-based skills. This shift is being felt globally; for example, a survey reveals that 78 percent of workers believe AI will affect their roles within the next two years.In HR, AI tools are being used to assess workforce readiness and match candidates to roles more precisely. Meanwhile, L&D teams are leveraging AI to guide employees toward the skills they need to stay competitive in an ever-changing job market.8. Addressing AI BiasThe increased focus on addressing AI bias in 2024 has proven essential. Companies like Google and Microsoft are investing in reducing bias in AI systems, ensuring that AI models are more inclusive and representative of diverse perspectives.In the L&D space, AI-generated content and recommendations must be equitable to ensure that all employees, regardless of background, have access to learning opportunities. This focus on fairness is critical as AI continues to evolve, ensuring that AI systems benefit everyone and promote inclusive growth across organizations.2024 and BeyondWhether it’s refining AI tools, supporting remote work, or addressing bias, the industry has moved in the direction that was forecasted. At CYPHER Learning, we’re proud to have contributed to these advancements, particularly with innovations like AI Crosscheck and AI-enabled skills development, which are helping organizations create smarter, more efficient learning environments.Stay tuned for our 2025 predictions—they’ll provide insight into the next phase of AI’s impact on HR and L&D, helping you stay ahead of the curve.

By tapping into these four categories, learning leaders can shift from transactional order-takers to strategic business partners. 

Elevating Your Approach as a Strategic Business Partner

In the talent development field, we talk a lot about “getting a seat at the table.” The idea is that the talent development function of an organization should be aligned strategically with the mission of the business or organization, and its head (such as the chief learning officer, or CLO) should be at the same level as other senior executives (like the chief information officer and the chief marketing officer). Regardless of the title used, the head of talent development needs to be a part of the strategic leadership team.But every executive “seat” needs to be filled with a strategic leader in its respective discipline. So, how do you make the leap from training manager to CLO? Well, there are three areas you should pay particular attention to as you plan for your development and your leap into the executive suite: technical skills, business savvy, and strategic leadership. Let’s look at each.Technical SkillsEach person in the “c-suite” brings to the table their professional background and expertise. And even at the highest levels of executive leadership, they’re still called on to provide that expertise in leading the enterprise. In talent development, that means the CLO needs to have a clear understanding of—and experience in—the various functions of that department, including assessment, design and development, andragogy, measurement, knowledge management, and more. You probably won’t be an expert in every aspect of the talent development field, but having a good handle on each one is vital to your role as an executive.So, how do you get this expertise? Here are some questions to ask yourself. Have you done a professional credential like ATD’s Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD®) or the Associate Professional in Talent Development (APTD®)? Or perhaps a certificate program? Are you engaged with your local ATD chapter? Do you keep up to date with the latest trends in the field found in magazines, journals, and books? In short, how engaged are you with the profession’s body of knowledge?Technical skills are one piece of the developmental ladder to the executive suite. Let’s look at the others.Business SavvyWhat do you call a member of the US Air Force who spends their entire career on the ground, never setting foot in a plane? Airman. Everyone is an “airman,” regardless of what specialty they hold and perform. Why? Because a key to cohesiveness and mission performance is that everyone understands the mission and embraces the organizational culture.What do you know about your enterprise’s mission beyond your own contribution to it? For example, if you are a leadership trainer for a nationwide homebuilder, do you understand the dynamics of that field? Do you know how land is acquired and planned, how homes are constructed and financed, how they’re sold, and how customers are serviced? If you’re going to move into an executive role, you will need to understand the context in which you operate—and understand the people and culture surrounding you—if you’re going to make meaningful contributions to the leadership of the business.Strategic LeadershipLeadership comes in two varieties: interpersonal and strategic. Interpersonal leadership centers on employee engagement, performance management, interpersonal communications, and more. It is a management function. Strategic leadership, on the other hand, is focused on the direction of the business or organization into the future—into the unknown. Strategic leaders need to be able to anticipate new trends and developments, create new solutions and innovations, and situate the business into the greater society. Effective strategic leaders relate to people, are highly self-aware, embrace authenticity, examine issues systemically (not in a vacuum), and achieve results.How do you develop your strategic leadership skills? The first step is awareness—what are your strengths and weaknesses? Where do you excel and in which areas do you need to improve? Evaluations—for example, a 360-degree assessment—can give you insights and help you to create a development plan. Universities, companies, and professional organizations offer training in strategic development skills. And, books specifically written for the developing executive are all means you can use to elevate your strategic leadership game.SummaryIt’s easy to get trapped in our technical expertise as we grow into our profession. After all, that’s what we get paid to do, right? But if we want to move beyond growing and we want to develop to later career stages, we also need to ensure our understanding of the business environment (business savvy) and strategic leadership skills are highly developed, as well. As Marshall Goldsmith reminds us, “What got you here won’t get you there.”

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