Topics

Learning and development

Editor's message: Organisations will benefit from a competitive advantage if they develop their workforce - from apprentices through to future business leaders.

Access to learning and development opportunities not only enables employees to improve their knowledge and skills, but can also increase their engagement. It can also be a useful tool in retaining staff in a time of skills shortages.

Investing in learning and development to remain competitive, or to implement a specific initiative such as a programme of leadership development, are key reasons for organisations to increase spending in this area. For organisations seeking to cut back on training spend, there are alternatives to simply reducing the output of their training activities - including making more use of online and informal learning methods.

Whatever the learning and development initiative, don't forget to pay attention to the most appropriate method of learning delivery, and evaluate the outcomes to ensure that your organisation receives value for money and meets business needs.

New and updated

  • Date:
    1 May 2024
    Type:
    Commentary and insights

    Three themes HR is likely to ignore in 2024 - but shouldn't!

    Every year it's the same: January rolls around and suggested priorities for HR abound. But with teams increasingly stretched, important issues then get cast aside or neglected. Here, as organisations find themselves deep into Q2, we draw attention to three themes that HR professionals are likely to overlook, based on what they have told us in our surveys. But, for the reasons explained here, they really shouldn't!

  • Date:
    25 April 2024
    Type:
    Commentary and insights

    Four steps HR can take to help businesses and employees embrace the new "squiggly" careers era

    Careers are "squigglier" than ever. Where traditional professional development tended to be linear, individuals now often trace more zigzag-shaped paths as they acquire new skills to adapt to rapidly changing workplace needs. Career mentor and expert Laurie Macpherson sets out four ways in which HR can support employees to upskill, grow their network and track their achievements - so allowing organisations to retain talented members of their workforce rather than losing them to opportunities elsewhere.

  • Type:
    FAQs

    Are employers required to pay apprentices the national minimum wage?

    Updated to reflect the increase to the national minimum wage rate for apprentices in place from 1 April 2024.

  • Type:
    FAQs

    Are apprentices who are aged 21 or over entitled to the national living wage?

    Updated to reflect that the national living wage extends to workers aged 21 and over from 1 April 2024.

  • Type:
    How to

    How to employ an apprentice

    Updated to reflect changes in place from 1 April 2024: the increase to national minimum wage rates; that the Government will fund 100% of costs for apprentices aged 16 to 21 with non-levy paying employers; and the increase in the proportion of funding that can be transferred

  • Type:
    Survey analysis

    Global learning and development 2024: XpertHR survey report

    In this survey report, we explore the strategies and practices shaping professional development in the workplace today. We discuss how leading organisations approach learning, with details about professional development strategies, leadership involvement in the learning process, metrics for measuring success in learning, and the tools or technology organisations use to support learning.

  • Date:
    31 January 2024
    Type:
    Podcasts and webinars

    Podcast: How to prepare for Generation Alpha joining the workforce

    Rebekah Martin, senior vice president of reward, inclusion and talent acquisition at AstraZeneca, joins us to talk about the changing motivations and requirements of the workforce - connection to purpose, skills-based learning, recognition and more.

  • Date:
    13 November 2023
    Type:
    Commentary and insights

    Six key takeaways from the 2023 CIPD conference

    The people profession is operating in a "VUCA world on steroids" (VUCA = volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity). So said CEO Peter Cheese as he welcomed around 1,300 delegates to the 2023 CIPD conference in Manchester.

  • Date:
    26 October 2023
    Type:
    Podcasts and webinars

    Podcast: Empowering HR - tactics and tools for building confidence

    In this edition of the podcast we are joined by Fay Wallis to discuss growth mindsets, the power of small steps and other strategies to build your confidence as you develop your career.

  • Type:
    Editor's choice

    Quick reference: The complete list

    Our quick references provide key employment law facts on a wide range of topics.