Philip Atkinson
  • Home
    • Philip Atkinson
    • Delivering Your Change Agenda
    • Who are we and what do we do?
    • Our Core Competencies
    • Research & Publications >
      • Books: Become a Change Master
      • Books: Shaping Customer Focus
      • Books: Creating Culture Change
      • Books: The Iceberg Agenda
      • Books: Achieving Results through Time Management
    • Videos >
      • Vouchers
    • Legal Notices & Privacy Registration details
    • Contact Form
  • Research
    • Pure Research
    • Cultural Audit
    • Robust Performance Culture
    • Organization Development
  • Culture Change
    • Strategic Analysis >
      • Articles on Culture & Strategic Change
    • Strategy Review
    • Channeling 'Disruption' >
      • M&A - Soft Due Dilgence
    • Soft Due Diligence
    • Create Change Capability >
      • Post CoVid Flexible Working
      • Articles on Managing Change Capability
    • Matrix Management >
      • Politics of Matrix Organisation & the External Change Maker >
        • CEO Concerns on Matrix Management
        • Articles on Matrix Management & Post Acqusition Integration
      • Creating the Culture for Matrix Management
      • Measuring Improvement in the Matrix Culture
  • Mentoring
    • Resilient & Bulletproof
    • Process Consultation
    • Project Mentoring
    • Self Facilitation >
      • Lean Video
    • Lean Business Transformation
    • Rapid Improvement Events
    • Lean Curriculum >
      • Articles Business Transformation
  • Leadership
    • Leadership Video
    • Change Leadership
    • Transformational Leadership >
      • Organisational Change - Agricultural & Construction Equipment
      • Post Acquisition Integration, Leadership - Financial Services
      • Management of Reputation & Complexity - Motor FinanceUntitled
      • Conservation & Wildlife Charity Creates a Culture of Transformational Leadership & Change
      • Change Management – Biotechnology
    • Tangible Business Coaching >
      • FAQ's in Coaching
      • Flexibility in Using Psychometrics
      • Training in Coaching
      • Articles on Coaching & Leadership
  • Influence
    • The Power to Influence >
      • Influencing Strategies Video
      • Articles on Influence & Persuasion >
        • Influencing Video
    • Professional Influencing Skills
    • Mastering Self Discipline
    • Persuasion & Presentation
    • Psychology of Selling 'Ideas'
    • Psychometrics
    • 'Brand You'
    • Achieving Your Goals
    • Mastering Potential
  • FAQs
    • Leadership & Behaviour Change
    • Business Transformation
    • Implement & Sustain Change
    • Build Readiness for Change
    • Creating Culture Change
  • Blog

Hard Decisions on the ROI of Learning & Development

5/12/2021

 
Picture
Just when we thought we were getting over COVID and taking steps to get back to business as usual, we have a new strain of the virus threatening the population and the organisations that comprise our economy.  
 
In the old days, any threat of uncertainty to continuing business was met with a harsh budget-slashing process impacting people development.  Your mantra was that you have to save money, which means you cannot afford to invest in people.  Never mind the alternative mantra of 'you cannot afford not to do so' because no one is listening, no matter how often or how loud you say it. 
 
Mid-COVID business impact
 
Now, forget post-COVID scenarios and consider Mid-COVID realities. As we move towards the festive season, it is tough for many organisations to create a viable business and prepare people for the challenges of 2022.
 
So, how tough will it be to equip organisations with the right people, attitude, and skills to shape things for 2022?  It is going to be a challenge, and we need to develop a new business for all L&D activities. That starts with business planning and risk assessments.
 
It does not matter what type of business or organisation you run or manage.  This is true for not for profits, charities, large state public-sector bureaucracies, the commercial sector and social enterprises.
 
What is the bottom line of investing in our people?
 
The thesis is to be careful where you invest your scarce energies and resources.  Above all, ensure that investment generates a positive ROI (return on investment) for your organisation.
 
In tough times, organisations slash training budgets, and so-called essential L&D activities are delayed, postponed or dropped.  It does not have be the case if those organising and delivering L&D prove their value.
 
Invest your energies with positive returns 
 
Ask yourself, why would anyone commit people and resources to 'activities' that do not meaningfully make business achievement easier? 
 
Does it not make more sense to focus on those things that add tangible value.  Our understanding is that every L&D activity should be appraised quickly by asking, 'does this enable business results to be achieved quicker, easier and more efficiently?' 
 
If the answer is vague and unsubstantiated, then discontinue activity in that area.  In a competitive world, we should prove a robust causal link between 'L&D delivered' and 'business improvement'. Any activity that fails to fulfil this equation is a 'nice to have' rather than an 'essential' activity. 
 
Gone are the days when the average organisation could experiment by committing unlimited resources to non-tangible development processes, hoping that these would positively impact morale and productivity.  Now, most businesses are appraising their L&D activities along simple 'value-added'.
 
We coach managers to add credibility to their HRD activities by challenging them to assess what they should do 'more of' and 'less of…'.

  • What two areas of 'technical' knowledge would, if were they delivered effectively, quickly improve the performance of each business process or unit?
  • How can we reduce the time taken to master those things that immediately impact speed, customer delivery, effectiveness, quality, safety, and team performance?​
  • What do we need to do to ensure that people move quickly along the 'competence curve' to doing, rather than just knowing?
  • ​
Philip Atkinson regularly consults on Organisational Development.  Author of seven books on change management, he can be contacted at [email protected] or by telephone on 07779-799286


Comments are closed.

    Author

    Philip Atkinson is a strategic advisor, trainer, mentor and author of books and articles on organizational change and leadership

    Archives

    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Picture
Picture