Research

This discussion paper aims to stimulate and encourage debate about the challenges of achieving alignment.

The first 'provocation' in our Tomorrow's adaptive organisation series is a call to arms for business leaders to establish sustainable competitive advantage through building employee commitment.

The 2009 Learning and Development survey provides data on current and future learning and development issues and trends. It explores the areas of employee skills, talent management, coaching and technology as well as economic influences and training spend.

This year's report looks at talent management, leadership development, coaching, development for managers with international responsibilities, UK skills policy, the economic situation and training spend, the perceived effectiveness of learning and talent development practices and how learning is evaluated.

This research explores the areas of employer support for learning, talent management, managing and evaluating coaching as well as economic circumstances and training spend.

This report draws on wide-ranging research to: offer a new perspective on the way in which learning, training and development can contribute to organisational objectives; present a view of the role of the learning, training and development professional, and the mind-set and approach required to do their job effectively; identify some key barriers and enablers that surround training and learning.

There is much more to effective performance in the workplace than can be achieved with cognitive intelligence, academic qualifications or hard technical skills alone.This report demonstrates the business case for putting soft skills at the heart of the learning and talent development agenda.