Latest news with #L&D
Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
It's Time For Agentic L&D
Getty If there's room for Agentic AI in the headlines, there is room for something else these days: Agentic Learning and Development or Agentic L&D for short. Over the years, organizations have allowed the Learning and Development function to become too polite. L&D is overly eager to serve at the edge of business instead of operating at the center. This situation is no longer acceptable in an era dominated by AI. The L&D function doesn't have to get rude, but it should get ready to start swinging. Agentic L&D is a necessary new term for an essential new way of thinking, one that positions Learning and Development not as content delivery, but as a capability sherpa. It sits inside the work, not around it. It influences business outcomes, not just training metrics. It behaves as though it's part of the business strategy, not simply trying to keep up with it. If you've seen the recent job description for Microsoft's Director of AI-Era Skilling Transformation, you've already seen what is coming. The job doesn't mention instructional design. Not at all. It talks about embedding learning into the systems, sprints, and day-to-day moments that define real work. "This role exists to deliver transformative skilling experiences that intrinsically motivate individuals and teams to skill through exploration, demonstration, and real-world experiences," states the posting. In other words, it's calling for Agentic L&D, whether the company uses the term or not. EY's GenAI Academy is already doing it: contextual learning embedded into role-based journeys. Not bolted on nor tucked away in an LMS. It's lived, applied, and then measured. If organizations are serious about preparing teams and people for what's next—and for what's already arrived—then the days of learning as an accessory are over. It's time to stop reporting on completions, taking orders, or just offering content. It's time for L&D to move from passive support to active influence. It's time for Agentic L&D. From Around the Work to Inside It L&D has trained an entire profession to operate like instructional caterers. Stakeholders place the order, L&D delivers a menu of options, and everyone gets their post-course certificate. Meanwhile, the real work—the problems, the decisions, the friction—keeps happening elsewhere. Agentic L&D doesn't hover at the margins. It embeds and operates at the source, at the point of the work. As author Harold Jarche wrote back in 2013, "Work is learning and learning is the work." Agentic L&D takes that idea seriously and operationalizes it at scale. EY's GenAI Talent Academy, as mentioned earlier, pushes in this direction. Their role-based pathways don't require sign-up. They shadow actual workflows, adapting to projects in motion. L&D stops being an interruption (or outpost) and becomes an enabler inside the work. From Content to Context People do not necessarily need more learning content. It's available at the fingertips of your next AI prompt. The digital shelves are now full of content, let alone what already exists in the various learning and content portals. What's missing is context; learning that lands where the friction actually lives. Agentic L&D begins with a different brief. Not "build a course," but "find the pain." Where are employees struggling to act? Where are decisions being delayed or reversed? Where are teams improvising because the current system no longer fits? Where are the skills or role gaps? Microsoft's recently released AI-Era Skilling job brief is clear. Don't upload content; instead, embed and then align to capability. Change how work is accomplished, not just how it's taught. "Champion the shift from episodic learning to continuous, AI-augmented skilling embedded directly into the flow of work through business aligned co creation," also states the job brief. This change means there will be a need to rewrite default behaviors and expectations for L&D practitioners. More in-line decision trees. Fewer generic case studies. More job-embedded prompts and "what do you think" open-ended questions in the flow of work. And yes, that potentially also means fewer formal courses and more short-form AI nudges that help to change and calibrate behavior. Both AI and human L&D performance coaches are going to crush it. Agentic L&D does not try to keep up with the business; instead, it walks beside it, listening, adapting, and building learning directly into the flow of work. While content may be present—and it should—it also starts with context. What is the business context of the performance gap? From Input to Outcome If the L&D function is still reporting on attendance and satisfaction, they have missed the point. It's not about participation; it's more about assisting in human potential transformation, which involves a better understanding not only of what goes into the learning (and the team member) but also of the outcome. Agentic L&D measures capability velocity, which is the time it takes to move from friction to fluency or from confusion to competence. At a minimum, it is about shifting from an in-role skill or task to the next level. According to Continu, organizations using data-driven L&D see retention increase by 46%, productivity by 37%, onboarding acceleration by 34%, and per-employee revenue jump by 29%. These are business outcomes! Ultimately, Agentic L&D ought to be tracking retention uplift, error reduction, skill uptake, competence gap analysis, and even career or role mobility optionality. LinkedIn's 2024 Workplace Learning Report suggests organizations that link learning to talent movement don't just keep people; they grow them. Isn't this the actual point of L&D? What Comes Next The thinking around Agentic L&D is not about a rebrand; it's a full-scale L&D reset. (And I don't have it all figured out yet. I'm still noodling.) Learning isn't solely a calendar of events or content on a platform. It isn't simply a set of course completions with colorful dashboards. It is an embedded 'guide on the side' agent who is woven into the culture, decisions, rituals, systems, and workflows of the organization. It is part AI and part human, but led by the humans. Agentic L&D consults, curates, and activates. It doesn't just take orders. It is the fulcrum of performance change across the organization. If AI has earned the adjective agentic, so should the L&D function. But the function itself needs to be reset—and led—accordingly. Because if L&D does not become 'agents in the business' (or Agentic L&D), the work will move on without it. And this time, it won't come back.
Hans India
08-07-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Nara Lokesh Announces Establishment of Quantum Valley in Six Months
Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh – Minister Nara Lokesh has declared that a Quantum Valley will be established in Amaravati, modelled after Silicon Valley, within the next six months. Speaking at a roadshow held at the Manyata Embassy Business Park in Bangalore, Lokesh urged investors to focus on Andhra Pradesh's burgeoning Global Capability Centers (GCC), which are rapidly advancing in areas such as artificial intelligence and quantum technology. "The entire world is now looking at Andhra Pradesh. This is the perfect time to invest in our state," Lokesh stated. He highlighted the involvement of major companies, including TCS, IBM, and L&D, in the initiative, asserting that the Quantum Valley will be a significant milestone in India's technological revolution. Additionally, Lokesh noted the growing status of Visakhapatnam as an emerging IT hub. Emphasising the state's investor-friendly policies under the guidance of visionary leader Chandrababu Naidu, he mentioned that Andhra Pradesh is offering subsidies unparalleled by any other state in the country. "Andhra Pradesh is becoming a home for advanced technologies, and we invite investments accordingly," he appealed.
The Independent
02-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
The C-Suite has a learning problem – here's how to fix it
Zensai is a Business Reporter client L&D's biggest challenge is connecting learning directly to business outcomes; here's how to bridge the gap. As the workplace has evolved through the Great Resignation and remote work shifts, learning and development has become a strategic priority – essential for retaining talent, closing skill gaps and driving performance in a fast-changing, hybrid world. Yet many organisations find themselves stuck in a vicious circle, where learning initiatives feel disconnected from the overarching business strategy. The latest Gallup report supports this: in 2024, the global number of engaged employees plummeted to a dismal 21 per cent. This figure represents more than low morale, burnout and emotional strain; it signifies a significant proportion of people feeling detached from their work and their company's mission. Bridge the gap to make learning matter to your business This also presents a profound challenge for L&D teams. From onboarding to continuous improvement efforts, the traditional approach – heavily reliant on old-school learning management systems (LMS) and fragmented tools – often reduces learning to a (rather boring) checkbox exercise. It focuses on churning out content and tracking who finished what course, rather than demonstrating how learning genuinely fuels business growth. For example, maybe a manufacturing company invests in a new safety training module. If the existing system only tracks completion rates and satisfaction scores, it will probably report 100 per cent of employees 'completed' the training and 'liked' it. But without a strategic link, it can't answer the key question: 'Did the training lead to a measurable reduction in workplace accidents?' This creates the perception that L&D is a cost centre, not a strategic asset. It also leads to missed opportunities and really limits what those teams are able to do. We understand the frustration: L&D leaders are under tons of pressure to prove their impact, yet they often lack the time and the right data to truly align learning with real business outcomes. This disconnect is the core problem hindering L&D's strategic influence. To overcome it, we need a better way to get people excited about learning and make sure it leads to substantial results for the business. Align strategy before you deliver The path forward is clear. L&D has to shift from content-delivery hamster wheel to strategic business partner. Zensai's recent ATD research highlights the depth here: a mere 4 per cent of organisations believe they are 'excellent' at using learning data for business decisions. This proves there's a huge gap preventing L&D from demonstrating its true value (and that L&D needs to step up its game beyond just checking if people liked a course or finished it). As Nina Carøe, Chief Human Success Officer at Zensai, explains: 'If learning is going to drive strategy, HR leaders need to stop thinking in terms of programs and start thinking in terms of outcomes. That shift starts at the top.' The solution lies in what we call rigorous strategic alignment. If your learning initiatives are directly tied to your company's key performance indicators (KPIs), L&D stops being a background character and becomes a star player in achieving organisational success. Instead of rolling out generic 'customer service skills' training, a strategically aligned L&D team would work with sales and operations leaders to spot specific metrics such as first-call resolution, average handling time and repeat customer rates. The learning program would then be designed specifically to move these needles, and the success of training would be measured directly against improvements in those business KPIs. Strategic alignment is about proving to stakeholders, with data, that investing in employee development directly contributes to profitability, fresh ideas and staying ahead of the competition. Only when learning demonstrates a clear, measurable link to business outcomes can it finally earn its rightful seat at the C-suite table. Make HR whole: from fragmented metrics to unified strategy This deep alignment starts with robust data and integrated systems. Our findings show that only 43 per cent of organisations report their learning and business goals are 'very aligned'. We know that when this alignment is made, the impact can be transformative. If company leadership sees a clear connection between learning programs and key business objectives, they are far more likely to champion L&D's efforts and invest in better tools, content and experiences for employees. This increased support gives L&D the power to adopt innovative technologies and dream up more impactful (and less tedious) learning programs. Here's where the concept of 'human success' comes into play. As Rasmus Holst, CEO at Zensai, puts it: 'Human success isn't just an HR initiative – it's a business imperative and part of how we create a high-performance team in the age of AI. When learning, engagement and performance are integrated, the entire organisation wins.' It means evolving from splintered HR metrics to a unified strategic approach where employee growth is easily measurable and, most importantly, directly linked to overall business outcomes. What high-performing organisations are doing differently As noted by the ATD report, organisations that thoroughly excel in measurement and evaluation do more than just talk about aligning their learning with strategy. They make it happen by first pulling data from at least four different sources, including performance reviews, business figures, employee surveys and customer feedback. This gives them a crystal-clear, 360-degree picture of learning's company-wide impact. Then, they turn that data into something useful and visually engaging. High-performing organisations are the ones leveraging dashboards and metrics to communicate their insights with stakeholders and clearly demonstrate the return on investment so they can secure further support. Most importantly, top organisations don't just throw together training programs and hope for the best. They work backwards from their business goals to figure out what training they need to fulfil them. If the goal is to raise retention rates, employee training might focus on conflict resolution techniques or personalised communication strategies. Or, if the KPI is to get things done faster, training could involve streamlining processes, introducing new software or strengthening cross-departmental collaboration. This way, training programs are based on real data and target specific things the organisation wants to improve. This makes it easier to get the resources required, and teams can keep improving by tracking their progress, analysing the results and making adjustments along the way to ensure employees stay engaged and perform at their best. The future of learning means fostering meaningful progress, providing clarity for individuals and building an adaptable workforce. Success isn't simply about numbers; it's about empowering people to grow, which in turn grows the business. This is precisely where solutions such as Zensai's Learn365 play a powerful role. As Emma Taylor, Phoenix Software Talent and Development Manager, puts it, 'Any goals that require training can be linked directly to a course in Learn365, streamlining the process for the employee.' By being natively embedded within your existing Microsoft 365 ecosystem – including platforms such as Teams, Outlook, and Power BI – Learn365 transforms training from a disjointed, scheduled activity into an ongoing, measurable and intrinsically motivated part of everyday work. It enables a seamless flow of data that powers the human success approach, providing the future-ready model needed to connect learning directly to business outcomes and drive major transformation. Zensai understands the complexities L&D faces and offers a platform designed to simplify administration, accelerate ROI and enhance user adoption by putting learning where work already happens Is your organisation's learning strategy truly fuelling real business outcomes? If not, it might be time to move beyond traditional training programs and HR metrics to embrace a more strategic approach to your employee development. Don't worry – we can help. Download the Zensai + ATD report to explore what top organisations are doing to align learning with performance and drive sustainable success that actually hits. Rasmus Holst is Chief Executive Officer at Zensai, where he leads with a clear mission: to empower organisations to unlock their full potential through people-first technology and purpose-driven culture. With a career spanning leadership roles across high-growth SaaS companies, Rasmus brings deep operational expertise and a global perspective to Zensai's vision. His leadership is grounded in a belief that sustainable success comes from aligning business strategy with human success – where culture, clarity and capability converge.
Forbes
25-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
5 Ways L&D Leaders Can Turn Economic Uncertainty Into Opportunity
Omer Glass is the Co-Founder and CEO at Growthspace. We're entering another wave of economic uncertainty marked by slowdown fears, growing pressure to cut costs and an instinct to prepare for the worst. More and more companies are flattening structures and streamlining teams in an attempt to find some relief. But this is only a temporary solution that fails to address the bigger challenge: how to do more with less, faster and better. When budgets are under pressure and executives are looking for places to cut, learning and development (L&D) programs are often an easy target. We saw this firsthand at Growthspace back in 2023, when clients began scrutinizing their development budgets in the midst of uncertainty. However, organizations that succeed in moments like these aren't the ones that cut the deepest. They're the ones that realign fast. Warren Buffett once said, "Be greedy when others are fearful," and I believe that means making smarter investments in talent. Because when resources shrink and expectations rise, skill development isn't a luxury; it's essential. As an L&D leader, you have to prove that you can help build the capabilities needed to adapt, compete and grow—no matter the conditions. So here are five ways to help accomplish that. 1. Focus on the skills that move the business. Now's not the time for broad, feel-good programming. You need to get surgical and focus on the business needs you need to solve. Start by partnering closely with business leaders to find out their biggest blockers or friction points. Where are they feeling pressure to deliver, and what capabilities are missing? When you align directly with business needs, the real skill gaps become clear. And more often than not, solving them requires building precision programming to help a few key people unlock a new level of performance. That's where momentum starts. 2. Cut the fluff from your programming. L&D isn't always about offering more. It's about getting more from what you're offering. During the 2023 downturn, many Growthspace clients realized they couldn't justify investing in license-based models that had low utilization rates and inconsistent outcomes. What they needed was targeted programming that could truly drive performance and align with business goals. So we had to focus on precision, not the ambiguity that can come with traditional coaching programs. What areas of development can clearly demonstrate ROI, scale across teams and deliver relevant, expert-led experiences to your organization? Understanding this will allow you to figure out who needs what kind of support, establish clarity around skill outcomes and bake accountability into every experience. 3. Gather the data that proves L&D is a growth machine. We've all heard that 'If you can't measure it, you can't manage it.' In L&D, if you can't connect your programs to outcomes, you can't justify them. In tough times, the smartest thing you can do is reposition yourself as an enabler of business outcomes. Your CFO doesn't care about the number of workshops delivered. They care about whether you're retaining top performers, how quickly new managers are ramping up and whether technology is improving performance and outcomes. When you can answer key questions with real data, you can defend your budget, adjust your strategy and showcase how you can deliver impact that matters. Here are some key metrics that connect learning to business. • Time-To-Productivity: How quickly are employees getting up to speed, contributing and justifying their role? • Promotion Readiness: Are employees prepared to take on more? • Skill Proficiency: Are employees actively getting more proficient? • Manager-Reported Impact: Are managers noticing changed behavior and improved results within their teams? 4. Share your story often. When you speak the language of the business, the business listens. So, it's vital to package your story the right way and share it often. Here are some strategies to do this effectively. • Lead with outcomes, not activities. Focusing on before and after metrics helps you showcase business value. • Use real voices. A short quote from a manager about positive change in their team's performance carries more weight than a long summary. So, let the people closest to the results speak. • Connect your efforts to current priorities. Tie every development success back to what the business is trying to achieve. When you make development part of the strategy, it stops being seen as a cost. • Build credibility with repetition. Share bite-sized stories as often as possible. Effective channels include leadership meetings, QBRs and internal newsletters. 5. Stay agile and ready to scale. The best programs are the ones you can scale up or down based on what the business needs. To stay relevant, you should start small, pilot fast and then measure the impact. Don't build a 12-month plan locked in stone. Instead, develop a system that evolves with your people and your priorities. For example, when we began working with a major cybersecurity company a few years ago, the initial rollout fell flat. Engagement was low, and participants weren't clear on what the program was, why they were included or how it connected to their development. So, we quickly pivoted, bringing in local HR business partners and business leaders to clarify the messaging and ensure alignment. We also set clear, measurable goals for the next cohort. Engagement surged, outcomes improved and the program became a success model we scaled to thousands of employees across regions. Five years later, they're still a customer, and that wouldn't have been possible without listening, adapting and designing a strategy that worked at scale. Final Thoughts Look, I get it. Budgets are real, pressures are mounting and not every program will survive this cycle. But budget cuts aren't a success strategy. Skill building is. If we want our companies to move faster, adapt quicker and perform better, we have to show that L&D is a worthy investment. The companies that figure this out will be the ones still standing when the economy rebounds. And they won't just be standing. They'll be leading. Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify?
National Post
24-06-2025
- Business
- National Post
10KC Launches Mentorship Reporting and Analytics to Power Strategic Talent Initiatives for Enterprise HR Teams
Article content Leading mentorship software trusted by global corporations now includes Impact and Pathways Dashboards to measure program ROI. Article content TORONTO — Ten Thousand Coffees (10KC), a mentorship software solution that enables organizations to deliver strategic mentoring programs across key talent segments, announced the launch of powerful new Reporting and Analytics capabilities, featuring an updated Pathways Dashboard and a first-of-its-kind Impact Dashboard. Article content With these enhancements, organizations can now quantify the true impact of mentorship on key talent outcomes. The Impact Dashboard gives HR, Talent, and Learning & Development teams clear visibility into how mentoring drives business-critical results, including increased engagement, development, internal mobility, and retention. The Pathways Dashboard makes it easy to track program participation in real-time and highlights the specific skills employees are building through participation. Article content Historically, mentorship programs have struggled to move beyond anecdotal success stories. 10KC's Reporting and Analytics tools have now changed that, putting actionable, real-time insights directly into the hands of HR and Talent leaders. Article content For the first time, HR, L&D, and Talent leaders can: Article content Track impact of mentorship against key talent metrics like engagement, development, mobility, and retention. See what skills and competencies employees are building through mentoring, and where there are gaps. Elevate HR's role with proactive, self-serve data—no more hours wasted crunching numbers. Article content As part of this release, 10KC has introduced an interactive Mentorship ROI Calculator designed to help HR professionals estimate the potential business impact of their mentorship programs. By entering a few key company figures, leaders can immediately quantify potential returns of mentorship in areas like reduced turnover, more efficient internal talent deployment, and overall productivity gains. Article content Alexandra Paquette, Senior Vice President of Product & Engineering at 10KC, says the new dashboards are designed to elevate the role of HR and Talent leaders across organizations. 'We're making it easier for HR and Talent teams to be seen as the strategic leaders they truly are. Mentorship has long been underestimated because it lacked measurable proof points. With our new Reporting and Analytics capabilities, HR, Talent, and L&D leaders have the data they need to make mentorship a cornerstone of strategic talent initiatives and drive proven impact across their organizations.' Article content This launch follows the recent release of 10KC's Mentoring Pathways, a suite of pre-built social-learning journeys that embed mentorship across every stage of the employee lifecycle. Article content Pathways are uniquely designed for specific employee needs, whether someone is early in their career, growing into management, or in a leadership position. With ready-to-launch templates that blend mentorship, group learning, and networking, HR teams can easily run targeted, high-impact programs without starting from scratch. Everything happens in one platform, so there is no need to juggle tools or manage multiple spreadsheets. Article content 'Talent leaders have always known mentorship matters but showing tangible ROI can no longer be an afterthought,' notes Dave Wilkin, Co-Founder of 10KC. 'Like all things in talent development, mentoring should be structured, personalized, and data-driven. With our new Impact and Engagement Dashboards, 10KC is furthering our mission to help organizations connect, develop, and elevate their top talent through best-in-class mentoring experience—while driving measurable outcomes for the business.' Article content Together, Reporting and Analytics + Mentoring Pathways create a powerful, end-to-end solution for organizations looking to develop the talent they have into the talent they need. Article content About 10KC Article content mentorship software redefines workplace mentoring, making it easy to connect employees at all levels to share knowledge and grow together—because people learn best from people. Article content Early talent, high potentials, and managers alike can make meaningful progress at every step of their career journey, improving key talent outcomes like retention, engagement, mobility, and development. With smart-matching technology, expert guidance, and flexible formats, 10KC delivers a truly engaging mentoring experience. Leading organizations trust 10KC to transform how they develop their people, build stronger teams, and drive exceptional results. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
