Training Industry Magazine - Summer 2024 - 3

FROM THE
EDITOR
MICHELLE EGGLESTON
SCHWARTZ, CPTM
THE ROLE OF L&D IN EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
We've all heard the reports: Employee
engagement rates are low, and
maintaining alignment between the
needs of the business and the personal
needs of employees is a struggle. While
this isn't new information, it's an ongoing
challenge that continues to plague
organizations globally - a challenge
that deserves our attention as learning
and development (L&D) professionals.
Low employee engagement can create
a domino effect of negative implications
for companies, contributing to reduced
productivity and motivation, increased
absenteeism and ultimately, turnover.
MAINTAINING A
BALANCE BETWEEN
MEETING THE NEEDS
OF LEARNERS AND
BUSINESS LEADERS
IS A CHALLENGE.
L&D can play a key role in improving
employee engagement. Research shows
that organizations are recognizing that
today's employee value professional
development and, in turn, are investing in
L&D initiatives to support and retain their
teams. Engaging learners necessitates a
multifaceted approach, requiring L&D to
deliver relevant information when and
where employees need it most.
Let's face it: Today's employees are
overwhelmed. Employees are juggling
a multitude of priorities stemming
from changing business goals, the
emergence of new technologies
and tools and meeting the rising
expectations of customers and
clients - all while completing their
daily work responsibilities. How can
organizations help cut through the
noise and support their workforce?
The answer: intentional learning.
This issue of Training Industry Magazine
examines how L&D can create relevant
and engaging learning experiences that
unlock creativity, motivation and purpose
for all employees. Articles in this edition
address many factors that contribute
toward learner engagement, including
mental health and employee well-being,
creating inclusive learning programs and
materials, using immersive technology
to bring training to life, making learning
more memorable through storytelling
and overcoming training fatigue.
As the role of L&D continues to evolve,
learning professionals must ensure that
their programs are not only engaging
but also lead to real behavior change
and business results. Maintaining a
balance between meeting the needs
of learners and business leaders is
a challenge. L&D professionals must
be strategic as they plan their training
programs, ensuring that they align their
programs with the goals of the business
and deliver it to learners in a way that
achieves the best outcomes.
I hope the articles in this magazine
provide you with some tips and insight
into how L&D can create intentional
learning experiences to nurture the
growth and development of your
workforce. As always, we love hearing
from you, so please send any comments
or feedback to our team and let us
know how you are leveraging training to
engage your workforce.
Michelle Eggleston Schwartz, CPTM, is
the editor in chief of Training Industry,
Inc., and co-host of " The Business of
Learning, " the Training Industry podcast.
Email Michelle.
TRAINING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE - SUMMER 2024 I WWW.TRAININGINDUSTRY.COM/MAGAZINE
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https://learning.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/learning/en-us/pdfs/workplace-learning-report/LinkedIn-Learning_Workplace-Learning-Report-2023-EN.pdf https://trainingindustry.com/training-industry-podcast/ https://trainingindustry.com/training-industry-podcast/ https://www.trainingindustry.com/magazine

Training Industry Magazine - Summer 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Magazine - Summer 2024