What are the biggest priorities for Chief Learning and Talent officers in 2024?

What are the priorities driving global Heads of Learning, Talent, and Leadership? Before every iVentiv event, we ask you to tell us what areas you’re focusing on, and what questions you want to ask your fellow participants.

In the iVentiv Pulse Report we’ve brought together the views of 824 Global Heads of L&D, Talent, and Executive Development to understand the key trends and priorities that are driving Learning and Talent in 2024.

Learning and Talent leaders are grappling with creating learning cultures, adapting to AI, and developing leaders who can manage the changes and challenges that their businesses face. Above all, what this data shows, is that Learning teams are prepared to be at the forefront of the change. As one Head of Learning at a major airline put it, “I’d like to discuss everything.”

The report also pulls in exclusive insights from leading experts including:

Jonathan Donner, Former Unilever, UN World Food Programme, Amazon
Gary Kildare, Former CHRO, IBM
David Watkins, SVP, Group Talent, Transformation & Engagement, Oerlikon
Charles Jennings, Co-Founder, 70:20:10 Institute
Jay Moore, Chief Learning Officer, GE

Who was surveyed for the iVentiv Pulse?

A total of 824 respondents completed the surveys from 594 companies, ahead of events in 17 cities around the world and online.

Each one of those respondents is a Global Head, VP/Director or equivalent, working in Learning and Development, Talent Management, or Executive Development. That means every viewpoint in this report is that of a senior decision maker.

What topics are Global Heads of L&D, Talent and Leadership focusing on?

Across all territories and job functions, the topics that the most leaders in HR said they were prioritising were:

Leadership and executive development: 56%
Reskilling and Upskilling: 45%
Learning Culture: 39%
Learning platforms (LMS/LXP) & tech (VR, AR, AI): 27%
People data/insights, measurement & ROI: 27%

The full report delves into the quantitative and qualitative data to suggest why those themes have predominated, how the different areas interact, and what businesses are doing to address them. It includes insights around coaching, hybrid working, and learning culture, with commentary from experts and examples of the challenges that C-suite executives have raised.

Read the full report for free.

More Insights

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Adam Lacey, Co-Founder of Assemble You and Host of the L&D Challenges Podcast took the time to join us for those discussions, and got into the thick it with key thought-leaders in his most recent podcast episode: How Roche and STMicroelectronics are Harnessing the Power of Data and AI in L&D.

Sam Zalcman, Global Head of Learning & Development at STMicroelectronics, Priyakumar Nair, Global Head of Learning Services at Roche, and Professor Peter Fisher, Associate Professor of Marketing & Academic Director of Creative Destruction Labs’ AI stream at HEC Paris made up this episode’s panel of distinguished leaders, and the discussions illuminated cutting-edge strategies in L&D and their implications for organisational transformation.

Join us as we listen in on a podcast that provides a wealth of insights for C-suite executives in multinational organisations, focusing on how L&D leaders are leveraging data, AI, and cultural shifts to address modern challenges.

The Future of Learning, Leadership, and AI: with HEC Paris, Akkodis, Reckitt and The Learning Hack Podcast

In a dynamic and transformative era, the Learning & Development sector is grappling with profound questions about innovation, technology, and leadership. The Learning Hack Podcast, hosted by John Helmer, offers rich insights into these themes through candid conversations with global leaders.

In a recent episode inspired by conversations at iVentiv’s Learning Futures Basel Executive Knowledge Exchange, three thought leaders — Anne-Valérie Corboz (Dean, HEC Paris), Jane Underwood (Global Head of Learning, Reckitt), and Sarah Otley (SVP, Global Head of Akkodis Academy) — came together to share their perspectives on navigating the future of L&D, with discussions covering the evolving nature of leadership, the role of generative AI in L&D, and the enduring challenges of aligning learning strategies with business goals.

The advent of generative AI has sparked widespread discussions across industries, but for Learning and Development, its potential remains a double-edged sword.

On the one hand, for many leaders, AI promises to revolutionise the way learning is designed and delivered. On the other, it risks reinforcing old habits and hindering meaningful change.

In a recent episode of The Learning Hack Podcast, hosted by John Helmer, guest Charles Jennings— iVentiv Advisory Board member, regular iVentiv Event Chair, pioneer in L&D transformation, and Co-Founder of the 70:20:10 framework—offered deep insights into these challenges.

This blog unpacks the key themes from their conversation and asks how can L&D leaders avoid complacency? How can they leverage AI responsibly? How can they refocus on performance improvement over outdated methodologies?

In an age of constant change, Zurich Insurance has embraced a skills-based approach as a core strategy to future-proof its workforce and drive business success.

In an interview with iVentiv, Adrian Stäubli, Group Head of Skills Development Solutions at Zurich Insurance, highlighted Zurich’s commitment to identifying, developing, and deploying skills across its global workforce.

This model isn’t just a tool— to Adrian it’s a "secret ingredient" that touches every aspect of employee development, from career progression to job design, setting Zurich apart as a truly agile and resilient organisation.

Watch our interview now to see how Adrian has embraced skills, and how it’s transforming Zurich’s employee experience.

The power of partnership: how iVentiv and HEC Paris drive Executive Development together

In the ever-evolving world of executive education and corporate learning, partnerships are key to success. iVentiv has nurtured a long-standing relationship with HEC Paris, a prestigious European business school that was founded in 1888, since 2010 and has become a leading institution in Executive Development. Through this collaboration, HEC Paris has not only elevated its presence within the corporate learning community but has also provided valuable insights and support to iVentiv’s events worldwide.

Join us as we dive into the partnership between iVentiv and HEC Paris, how it's bloomed over the years, and where it will go next.

Change Ecosystems, Rapid Reskilling, and Leaders of the Future with Majid Al Futtaim

In this insightful interview, Jay Moore, former Chief Learning Officer at GE, and Jo O'Driscoll-Kearney, Global Head of Learning & Leadership Development at Majid Al Futtaim, delve into the strategies that organisations can adopt to stay competitive in a rapidly changing world.

In a conversation with iVentiv's Hannah Hoey ahead of Learning Futures Dubai Jo and Jay discuss how to create ecosystems that continuously re-qualify employees, the role of marketing in Learning & Development, and the importance of fostering a growth-oriented culture.

Watch and read more here.

Mindfulness as a Core Executive Leadership Skill, with Matthias Birk

In today's fast-paced business environment, the importance of mindfulness in leadership cannot be overstated. As leaders navigate the complexities of decision-making and relationship-building, mindfulness serves as a crucial tool for maintaining focus, fostering empathy, and enhancing executive presence. In this blog, we explore the insights of Matthias Birk, Global Director of Partner Development at White & Case, on how mindfulness can transform leadership. With decades of experience in leadership development, Matthias shares practical strategies for integrating mindfulness into daily routines, its impact on organisational culture, and the vital role of community in sustaining these practices.

Join us as we delve into the power of mindfulness to elevate leadership effectiveness and create more compassionate, connected workplaces.

Tech, Talent and Transformation with Expedia and Microsoft

In today's rapidly evolving tech landscape, companies like Expedia and Microsoft are harnessing the power of new technologies to drive learning, talent, and business objectives. Leveraging AI, including generative AI and tools like Microsoft's Copilot, these companies personalise learning experiences, enhance performance management, and streamline operations. Led by iVentiv's Hannah Hoey, we interviewed Liz Moran (VP of Global Talent Management, Expedia), Manasi Joshi (Senior Director, Learning & Development, Expedia), and Brian Murphy (Senior Director, Employee Skilling, Microsoft), to talk about new and emerging tech, transformation, and the power of learning and talent partnerships.

Watch now to learn how new tech is transforming corporate learning, improving operational efficiency, and supporting Talent Management to meet business objectives.

What are the Top Priorities for Chief Learning and Talent Officers in the First Half of 2024?

iVentiv has spent the first six months of 2024 asking Global Heads of Learning, Talent, and Leadership to share the top priorities and challenges for their function right now. At the end of 2023, the most popular area highlighted by respondents was Leadership and Executive Development. So far in 2024, more than 300 C-suite executives, all leading L&D and Talent functions for Global organisations, have responded. We can now reveal the results of the 2024 surveys so far.

In this blog, we explore the top priorities, with some preliminary exploration of what the figures tell us about the work of L&D teams across the world right now.

AI and the Future of L&D with Trish Uhl, Senior AI Specialist, Keynote, Advisor, and author of Learning AI

In our recent interview with Trish Uhl, Senior AI Specialist, we explored the transformative potential of AI within the Learning & Development (L&D) functions of organisations.

Trish, an expert in AI and technology, shared her insights on how AI is reshaping professional development and learning processes. Trish's insights underscore the urgent need for L&D to catch up with technological advancements and leverage AI tools to remain relevant in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. The future of AI in L&D promises exciting possibilities, provided human creativity and critical thinking remain at the forefront of this transformation.