The antiquated view that learning is designed to solely support traditional corporate ladder pathways is no longer effective in organizations. Employees want flexibility and agility in not only how, when and where they learn, but also how this learning will impact their career opportunities regardless of whether their goal is to move up, move sideways or even to take a step backward to get where they need to go.
In learning and development, as in life, plans and resources that are fluid and adaptable, that prepare us with applicable, targeted skills to help us along the lanes we choose, are most interesting and engaging for participants. Mapping multiple learning lane options, not just leadership development, is crucial for the skills development of any workforce.
As noted by Johnny C. Taylor Jr., president and CEO of SHRM and author of “Reset: A Leader’s Guide to Work in an Age of Upheaval,” he states that “to keep up with perpetual work reinvention and changing skill requirements, the HR leader must make continuous learning and reskilling a core component of the new employment deal.” Offering learning lanes versus solely focusing on leadership development or traditional corporate ladder progression provides employees with a more inclusive upskilling, reskilling and holistic development experience that is both a talent attraction and retention tool.
Leadership skills are an integral piece of any L&D portfolio. Regardless of one’s formal, positional authority or title as a leader, skills such as emotional intelligence, coaching, leading different personalities and influencing a culture of accountability (to name a few) can be valuable and applicable in any position and any industry. Certainly, these skills can be curated into a tangible and meaningful collection for formal leadership training and advancement, but we have to reflect on how our organizations are providing development and upskilling for those who have a desire to learn and grow their skillsets but have no plans or interest in moving to a formal leadership position.
Structured skills-building
At Bucknell University, our team has mapped out targeted learning lanes that incorporate paths for leadership skills and development but also positional advancement, lanes that offer tangible skills development for those wishing to move to new roles or departments, support for employees wanting to engage with L&D on an ad hoc basis but are perfectly content in their current roles and are simply seeking to upskill or reskill without pursuing advancement or a new position, and lanes that will provide opportunities for teams and leaders to build bench strength with high performing and high potential employees as part of succession planning.
This “learning lanes, not ladders” approach to L&D will be implemented in phases at Bucknell over the next one to three years, providing robust skills development that any employee can engage with—whether via a formal collection of courses and skills development opportunities or by selecting a more à la carte approach with individual learning interests as they arise. Our approach will allow for skills to scaffold in growth pathways, but skills can also be learned individually and at different career inflection points.
It is also crucial that when considering whether your organization is truly meeting a “lanes versus ladder” approach to L&D is if your offerings allow for variety in when, where, how and why employees engage with training and development opportunities. As our workforce needs change in response to employee, environmental and industry shifts, our learning approaches need to not only keep pace but innovate ahead of the demand.
Do your programs offer a variety of in-person, online, blended, micro-learning, simulations, gamification, mentoring, and more? If not, even if topically your program content aligns with skills needs, your employees may not be engaging with it in ways that meet their needs—thus, they cannot benefit from the value of the potential skills development.
Inclusion is key
Leveraging a “lanes, not ladders” approach should also include accessible, varied and engaging content that meets learners where they are in addition to where they want to be in the future. Ensuring your employees know from their first day that the organization offers a multitude of ways to support growth and development tailored to how their career goals shift over time is a way to immediately engage and retain talent, confirming your investment not only in future leaders, but also for the entire workforce as valued talent partners critical to the success of the organization.
Ensuring your learning lanes and pathways are not only accessible but genuinely inclusive and that participation is encouraged for all employees—regardless of role or title or time at the organization—lends to crafting a deeper sense of belonging for employees and is a tangible component of how L&D efforts lend to psychological safety in the workplace.
As you invite employees to participate and engage in new ways, remember that some may be feeling a sense of imposter syndrome and others may have never previously been encouraged to spend time or resources on their development. Also remember that L&D efforts should ideally transcend the workplace and offer holistic and whole-self growth and development that can be applied both in and outside of the organization.
Inclusion and belonging in L&D should be a bridge at the forefront of the employee experience to enable all employees to actively participate in learning lanes throughout their careers and to encourage employees to seek a growth mindset of continuous learning and upskilling.
