What a great summer it’s been so far! As I’m based in Scotland, you can guess I’m not talking about the weather. I am, in fact, talking about the world of learning and development at Spence & Partners.
I’ve been reflecting on the different opportunities that hybrid working brings to learning and development. The best part for me has been getting back into training I.R.L. (In Real Life).
Don’t get me wrong there is still a great value in training sessions being held using the Teams platform, it’s a quick and easy way to pull different people from various locations into one space to learn – not to mention how environmentally friendly that is. However, to be in one space with real interaction to learn in an enjoyable and collaborative way is so fruitful, and by that I mean bearing the fruits of effective networking, engagement and communication. If you’re not convinced, this fascinating study explains the significant increase in neural synchronisation during face-to-face communication.
Apart from the science, in person training is more fun! I’ve been fortunate to work with different groups over the last few months such as the 10K Black Interns Programme, our own Graduate Development Programme, cross functional groups for Feedback Training and with Pensions Delivery looking at how we can provide the best customer care and call handling for our customers. No matter what the subject, being together in one space has accelerated the learning and built understanding and camaraderie amongst the delegates.
Looking forward to the autumn, I will be seeking more opportunities to bring people to learn and develop their skills in person. And to keep us warm in the colder days ahead - anyone for a role-play? 😊