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Also, companies can use employee engagement with a focus on return to work as well as outside-in measures such as employer brand value, he adds. And with that evolution comes some new considerations for those in the TD function curating and creating employee comeback curriculums. If you consider a cursory survey of randomly selected news headlines covering companies' return-to-work plans credible research, you would easily conclude that the previously popularized notion of an all-in-unison return to the office is nowhere on the menu. [Extracted from the article]

Specifically, Going Public: Iceland's Journey to a Shorter Working Week indicates that European workers have become increasingly vocal in recent years about their desire for an abbreviated workweek with the same pay - often framed as a four-day week. Trends ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT AND CULTURE Fed up with 100-hour-plus workweeks in the 19th century, labor rights organizations popularized the slogan "Eight hours for work, eight hours for rest, and eight hours for what you will" to energize their fight for a shorter workweek. They add that the common denominator of a shorter workweek "is that you're not cramming your previous work span into a shorter timeframe, like working 40 hours in four days; you are removing a portion of your total work time for the week.". [Extracted from the article]

Using elements from the certification program's criteria, the IPO developed a data analytics curriculum and training program for staff. As a starting point for curriculum development, IPO staff revisited criteria in three of the eight certification categories: data governance, open data, and performance and analytics. [Extracted from the article]

Employee experience leading the way Employee needs - rather than the organization's desires - appear to be in the driver's seat on the working world's journey toward the next normal. Pardon the talent development industry's progress as tech leaders construct tools to best support the new ways workers collaborate, communicate, and learn. [Extracted from the article]

While employers can offer a smorgasbord of self-care services, benefits, and resources for employee well-being, that does not necessarily mean employees will take advantage of them. "Employee safety is at risk anytime a worker isn't feeling 100 percent, which is why NSC recommends employers prioritize both workers' physical and mental well-being", Martin explains. As the world emerges from one of the most significant disruptions seen in generations and society at large continues to redefine "normal", employers are having to rethink the role they have in worker well-being. [Extracted from the article]

Prior to the pandemic, women made up a little more than half of the US workforce, and representation of women in senior roles had been experiencing slow but steady progress. Mason notes that it's important for employers to pay attention when women exit the workforce en masse because not only do families lose, businesses lose - they lose talent and productivity. [Extracted from the article]

A late 2021 Myers-Briggs blog post points out that more than half of people in the world have a preference for introversion. The Myers-Briggs Company likewise encourages introverted employees to own their preferences and speak up about what they need. As companies move forward with return-to-office and hybrid work plans, the Myers-Briggs Company encourages leaders to support introverted employees and advises introverted employees to speak up about where they work best. [Extracted from the article]

According to DDI, employers that give rising leaders opportunities to practice and then hear feedback on their skills are nearly five times more likely to have a high-quality pipeline of future leaders. DDI researchers asked respondents about the learning modalities they want the most, and external coaching and developmental assignments topped the list. One method Hall proposes is implementing manager rotations. [Extracted from the article]

38% of state and local government HR managers say the racial/ethnic composition of their workforce is reflective of the community. MissionSquare confirms in its Survey Findings: State and Local Government Workforce 2021 report that more than half of them are clear that their workforces do not adequately reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. NOW YOU KNOW Government organizations that lack diversity in professional, manager, and chief administrative officer positions are more prone to trust issues in the communities they serve, according to MissionSquare Research Institute's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Public Service Workforce report. [Extracted from the article]

In 2018, it launched the Kuwait's Engineer Girls program to move the needle on gender parity in STEM and help young females succeed in the private sector. Also in this issue Around the world, gender disparity is prevalent in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), not only in education but also in employment and career guidance. [Extracted from the article]

To sharpen accent recognition skills, Hansen says leaders must first recognize that everyone has an accent. In the Quartz article "Accent Bias Is an Unchecked Sign of Racism in the Workplace", Heather Hansen makes the case that communication is a two-way street. The accent modification specialist and American communications advisor based in Singapore urges leaders to work on developing their accent recognition skills. [Extracted from the article]

The authors add that without any guidance, employees aren't as likely to connect their volunteer experience with skill development. Amanda Shantz and Kiera Dempsey-Brench write in an April 2021 MIT Sloan Management Review article that companies face criticism when they pro-mote skills-development volunteer programs solely as give-back opportunities but really have underlying professional development goals. Shantz and Dempsey-Brench advise being up front about the program's purposes, which may include community rein-vestment or giving back, employee skill development, and meeting corporate responsibility goals. [Extracted from the article]

Researchers also discovered that more than half of job seekers in this age group, regardless of gender, will not apply for jobs at companies that lack gender diversity. Juxtapose those findings with the National Women's Law Center data that women accounted for more than 5.4 million job losses in the US during the pandemic, and that presents a real gender diversity dilemma for employers seeking to recruit young professionals. [Extracted from the article]

IN PRACTICE Employers are looking ahead to the future, but so are many employees. According to Eagle Hill Consulting's The Employee Turnover Tsunami Is Coming report, many workers are making postpandemic plans that soon could result in significant turnover. The Eagle Hill study outlines several steps talent development professionals and their organizations - regardless of industry - can take immediately to keep employees from leaving. [Extracted from the article]

Also in this issue NOW YOU KNOW The business world remains in flux as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to fuel unprecedented changes in the workplace. By coupling survey responses with qualitative data they obtained through additional panel discussions and stakeholder interviews, researchers offer recommendations for a learning ecosystem that matches today's pandemic-influenced business needs. In addition, companies can offer experiential learning opportunities, where young professionals can shadow leaders and take an active role in the problem-solving process. [Extracted from the article]

The financial industry is rich with examples of how technology can threaten jobs that were previously thought to be indispensable. With technological advances and other outside forces, such as the pandemic threatening jobs, institutions may need a talent development solution. [Extracted from the article]

IN PRACTICE When 2020 ushered in a need for workers to refresh their skills and that need transcended position or industry, Strada Education Network researchers became curious about the role education would play in US workers' go-forward plans. Certificates, certifications, badges, licenses, and other nondegree credentialing paths offer learners a more targeted, personalized experience, he explained. [Extracted from the article]

While the majority of respondents have a dedicated HR or talent development team, only one-quarter said they currently have a formal talent management strategy or plan. IN PRACTICE News about talent wars, skill shortages, and retention challenges are of concern to all organizations - including nonprofits. [Extracted from the article]

According to customer onboarding platform Rocketlane's The State of Customer Onboarding 2022 survey, "The customer onboarding phase is your customer's first brush with your product and brand. NOW YOU KNOW Many consumer goods today include a link to a video or online content to orient users to the product or service. To retain customers, Rocketlane notes that customers "need to have their "wow" moments through their first brush with the product and after that too. [Extracted from the article]

Laura Baldwin and Adam Witwer with learning company O'Reilly highlight some of the key differences in Hands-on Learning Is Crucial to Building and Sustaining Technical Skills. Baldwin and Witwer point out that linear learning has its place and is especially useful for engaging learners with content with which they have no familiarity. Organizations that have employees satisfy a mandate of required learning, which may include watching a specific amount of videos, reading a book, or earning a certificate, are rooted in linear learning requirements. [Extracted from the article]

TREND WATCH Is media training part of your learning ecosystem? "A media trainer should focus on building the confidence of spokespersons while teaching them building-block skills that help them make the most of every media opportunity", Brown advised. In an era where on-camera opportunities have exponentially increased, talent development professionals and communications professionals may consider teaming to expand the reach of any media training programs. [Extracted from the article]

Also in this issue Virtual reality could be a good method for delivering training on sensitive topics. The report indicates that "While VR training will not replace classroom or e-learn modalities anytime soon, it should be considered as part of a blended learning curriculum when training specific types of skills.". [Extracted from the article]

Employee relations professionals say lacking such skills can negatively affect employee morale, trust, and productivity. For The People Leaders and the Gap in Managing Employee Issues report, HR Acuity surveyed almost 800 people leaders and employee relations professionals and found that 98 percent of employee relations practitioners don't think managers have all the skills required to properly document and manage employee issues. [Extracted from the article]

Coursera researchers confirm a global wave of women building their skill sets through engagement with online learning activities. Jeff Maggioncalda, Coursera CEO, notes that "While education is not a panacea, the Women and Skills Report indicates the gender gap in online learning narrowed during the pandemic, even as the gender employment gap widened." GLOBAL OUTLOOK The pandemic-induced exodus of women from the workforce isn't stopping them from learning and gaining new skills. [Extracted from the article]

Of note, Meikle says that employees don't short sell themselves by amplifying others - that is, amplification is a mutually beneficial act. HOT TOPIC Many companies are taking significant strides to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. [Extracted from the article]

In September, Target announced that all team members would have the option to take part in the backup training program and confirmed plans to provide 5 million additional hours to employees for the 2021 holiday season. IN PRACTICE The holidays are here, and Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Target Corporation has been well prepared for the season. [Extracted from the article]

NOW YOU KNOW It's inevitable that employees and leaders will leave a company, and employers should be prepared with a succession management program to fill those vacated roles. However, according to HR.com's The State of Internal Mobility, Succession, and Career Development report, which surveyed roughly 300 HR professionals, only two out of five respondents agree or strongly agree that their organization's succession management initiatives are effective. Researchers uncovered that succession leaders - those who agree their organization has an effective succession plan - place a higher importance on succession planning initiatives than succession laggards, or those that disagree that their company has an effective succession program. [Extracted from the article]

For the 2021 Study: The State of Employee Sexual Harassment Training, researchers asked 1,200 people, divided equally between men and women, whether they've experienced any inappropriate sexual conduct while working remotely during the pandemic. HOT TOPIC You look *really* good today Despite reduced face-to-face contact among colleagues, sexual harassment cases have increased, according to new research that TalentLMS released in partnership with the Purple Campaign. BONUS APP CONTENT 4/5of workers say sexual harassment training makes them feel safer at work. [Extracted from the article]

From the front line to the C-suite, most - if not all - of the workforce will require training to acclimate to the new way the world works, with special attention paid to remote work life. Spear expects training to rise to the top of most talent development experts' lists as an area experiencing a permanent shift, suggesting technology-fueled learning opportunities as a solution to help maintain employee engagement and productivity. [Extracted from the article]

SPECIAL AD SECTION Leadership development is a rising priority for organizations, as evidenced by findings in the Brandon Hall Group's latest Impact of Leadership Development Study. According to Jessica Brannigan, senior people scientist at Culture Amp - a technology startup that helps companies with employee feedback - inspiring critical thinking requires time to understand the mentee's thought process. Brannigan says that Culture Amp encourages organizations to measure their coaching culture through the amount and quality of given feedback, with a goal to increase both over time. [Extracted from the article]

TREND WATCH Whether you attribute challenges in finding skilled professionals to a talent war or labor shortage, researchers say now is the time for employers to rethink how to attract young workers. According to Pew Research, millennials are the largest generational cohort in the US at 72 million, and a Bloomberg report this year projects that the number of Gen Z workers will triple over the next nine years. Researchers contend that those findings not only indicate a generational shift in worker values but also highlight the high-stakes significance of workplace interactions. [Extracted from the article]

With technology driving much of the workplace transformation efforts today, new research suggests senior workers' status can be threatened by training efforts if they believe only their junior colleagues will benefit. "Workplace training initiatives that involve training employees in new technologies such as sophisticated analytics, AI [artificial intelligence], or robotics are likely to create friction between senior employees and more junior employees with greater skills in information technology or computer science", Kellogg explains in an interview with TD magazine. [Extracted from the article]

Also in this issue As technological advancements continue to influence and affect today's business world, experts are forecasting a countertrend that may bring more human elements back to work. According to the 2021 Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends report, many organizations concluded during the pandemic that employees - not technology - were the most critical factors to sustainability. Superteams demonstrate how employees and technology can work best together to achieve organizational goals. [Extracted from the article]

The hybrid model expects the manager and employee to check in regularly, although it only requires one conversation dedicated to the employee's development in the performance year. They rely on a supervisor and employee having one - maybe two - performance conversations annually, and the manager acts as a judge who rates the employee's performance. Also in this issue For more than half of companies, it's time to update their performance management models to include coaching opportunities. [Extracted from the article]

According to the report, recognition programs are critical during times of change and transition to help "employees feel seen, valued, and connected." While recognition programs can fos-ter connections between employees and the organization, the report warns that inconsistent, random recognition that only celebrates a select group of employees will fail to make a long-term impact. According to the 2021 Global Culture Report from employee recognition company O.C. Tanner, 20 percent of organizations axed performance recognition initiatives, 17 percent canceled work anniversary programming, and 7 percent cut out everyday recognition opportunities. [Extracted from the article]

To combat insufficient training among frontline workers, YOOBIC suggests employers explore mobile solutions and seek ways to make training more accessible. As the pandemic ramped up, so did attention throughout the world on frontline workers, from healthcare professionals to grocery store clerks and restaurant and store managers. [Extracted from the article]

Widespread adoption of Microsoft Teams, Slack, Zoom, and other collaboration platforms in the workplace is just as pivotal as was the shift from landlines to mobile devices for personal use. Videoconferencing features can't fix conflict; instead, Scott says employees should provide direct, immediate feedback to resolve issues, whether virtually or in person. [Extracted from the article]

Given workplaces will continue to adopt new technologies, worker training must be a key consideration for businesses to get the most out of their tech investments and achieve the desired results. Employers note the challenges to providing that training include maintaining employee engagement and showing remote workers how to use the technology. However, research compiled by UK-based CW Jobs, an online job site for IT workers, highlights a glaring gap between technology use and training opportunities. [Extracted from the article]

The new critical care skills that nurses gained through the program will not only increase their effectiveness in general wards but, according to a recent World Health Organization article, will "contribute to a stronger health care system overall throughout the Caribbean." IN PRACTICE The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and a rise in virus cases exposed a shortage of critical care nurses across the Caribbean. [Extracted from the article]

NOW YOU KNOW Promoting a top seller to a manager position may seem logical, but it may not be wise - especially if the seller lacks the skills or training to effectively lead. "Ineffective sales leadership is the main reason why so many sales teams are failing", the report states, adding that the responsibility for developing the team lies with the sales leaders. [Extracted from the article]

Derrick Thompson is a writer/editor for ATD; dthompson@td.org PHOTO (COLOR): 1/2of federal workers believe diversity, equity, and inclusion training has been valuable to their agencies. Delving deeper, the council found that most federal workers support DEI training. [Extracted from the article]

By equipping employees with skills, companies can help displaced workers quickly procure stable employment. Those actions can decrease the skills gap, enable companies to build a more sustainable workforce, and help displaced employees find meaningful, stable employment. [Extracted from the article]

The L&D function was mission critical to helping organizations navigate the degree of change that hit the workplace. Ask employees to create learning goals, allocate time dedicated to learning, and provide workers with access to online platforms and learning experiences to help them grow. With 2021 now in full swing, organizations should look to prioritize L&D. Doing so will enable them to build a workforce that can readily adapt to new challenges and ongoing change. [Extracted from the article]

While some workers may be reluctant to take on new projects, believing that makes them seem discontent, "Experts say asking for new responsibilities demonstrates that an employee has professional direction, wants to expand their skill set, and is opening to contributing more to their company." "For employees who want to pursue the highest level of professional performance, hiring a career coach can be a worthy investment", the report states. Different from a mentor, a career coach is a paid professional who helps individuals plan for their overall career success. [Extracted from the article]

For the report, CarringtonCrisp surveyed 100 employers and unearthed noteworthy findings about both employer and employee perceptions of traditional business school education. Researchers discovered that a little more than half of employers use business schools to supplement their L&D needs, but there is a growing indication that business schools need to be retooled to remain relevant. [Extracted from the article]