UK Training Industry Press Releases

The organisation development (OD) consultancy Echelon has welcomed the findings of a recent CIPD survey of 4,500 respondents within the HR arena. Among other things, the survey suggested that the boundaries between learning and development (L&D) and OD will continue to blur as learning is embedded into the way organisations work.

Jackie Orme, the CIPD's CEO, discussed the survey's findings in her closing address to the recent Training Journal conference, held in central London. She observed that, in this recession, redundancies are being undertaken on a much more considered basis and spare capacity is being used to develop employees and operating processes. 

It is the capability of the organisation's people that will drive it out of recession, she argued.  Retention of key staff is critical to being prepared to benefit from the upturn.

The conference highlighted the increasing importance of L&D to organisational success in the current economic downturn. In addition to the importance of investing in people to build their competence, L&D is essential to driving employee engagement and sustained performance.