L&G: Make learning frameworks suit you

Learning and development (L&D) is all the rage in the modern world of work. Many organizations have seen skills frameworks as an effective way to retain and develop employees.

We caught up with Gemma Paterson head of people development experiences and innovation at financial services giant Legal & General (L&G) ahead of her session on skill frameworks and the future of work at UNLEASH World.

The illuminating discussion covers everything from skills management to shifting attitudes, but before we dove into all that, we discussed how Paterson’s role intersects with a plethora of topics.

Paterson explains: “The way that I like to describe what I do to people who don’t work in learning and development is to say, ‘I’m on a mission to make work feel more like real life’.”

“By that, I mean that we have this experience in our own lives that we curate and create ourselves. We choose who to follow, what to listen to, which technology to interact with, and everybody’s lives and feeds are curated to suit them.”

Unfortunately, that’s not how work feels to many people, and so Paterson attempts to remove this friction and  “create a culture that drives growth and that people want to be part of”

Paterson adds that this kind of positive culture is essential in the war for talent.

Changing attitudes

The COVID-19 pandemic saw a shift in the workplace; not only did office workers go remote but they became increasingly reliant on technology.

Paterson notes that during the pandemic technology became an enabler while prior to that “I spent a lot of time trying to convince people that technology was the right approach; that technology could help us to do stuff; that there was a different way; that we didn’t have to all be in a classroom.”

However, “overnight, we went from me convincing people that it was a good idea to use technology for learning, to people knocking down my door to go, “Help. We need to use technology for learning.” 

Of course, there’s no point in using technology for the sake of it, and Paterson notes that there has to be a desired outcome.

Frameworks and outcomes

Paterson comments that there are many programs to improve digital skills in Legal and General and to manage these tasks she uses a methodology called 5Di which was developed by Nick Shackleton-Jones. 

This methodology has six steps: define, discover, design, develop, deploy, and improve.

Gemma Paterson head of people development experiences and innovation at Legal & General

Paterson explains: “It is built on design thinking and innovation methodology, and it all starts with that: looking at defining the problem in terms of business outcomes. 

“So we were able to say, ‘Okay, if our leaders have more of a digital mindset, that means that they are using data to make decisions. They are experimenting more and failing and learning from that failure. Their teams feel more empowered.’”

This has led to successful ventures for Legal and General, notably, the company has added more flexibility to its training programs so that employees are not restricted to a ladder and instead can move horizontally to areas of interest. 

In terms of getting investment in these kinds of programs, “it can be challenging. I think particularly where you’ve got stakeholders who are more used to working in that traditional way, they don’t always see another way”.

To overcome this Paterson recommends looking at the value that these programs add and taking “a minimum viable product approach”.

Unpacking how to get more investment from stakeholders, Paterson says it’s about having data that underpins decisions: “Taking that and saying, ‘How can we help people see a real clear path to progression, but also [that] a path’s not linear, and that there’s a series of experiences that they can access?’ And then when you tested that with that group, show the business and tell that story.”

Paterson adds that storytelling is vital in business cases for L&D, and as a result, “We’re seeing that snowball and gather momentum and people are becoming really interested in thinking about careers in quite a different way”. 

In terms of delivering new tools and frameworks, Paterson recommends using 5Di alongside an “agile and experimental approach too, so you’re not locking yourself into a corner”.

Challenges in L&D

Despite successes in L&G, like any organization, there are challenges to overcome like making sure that frameworks are adopted.

Developing curiosity and providing tangible benefits for employees is vital in getting employees on board with L&D programs.

L&G does this through mentoring programs and communities for learning that add a social component to upskilling. Encouraging input and participation also allows the company to see who wants to actively upskill. This means that it’s not the loudest voices that are considered for promotions but the most dedicated.

Undoubtedly, installing this philosophy and culture helps develop a more inclusive workplace. 

However, finding time to take part in learning programs can be difficult for employees. Paterson notes that in these instances managers need to step up. 

She explains: “There’s a number of key areas that we have, that we expect line managers to show up, and to really be clear that this is your job, and it’s a privilege to be a line manager. You get to shape someone’s career and help them shape their lives by doing this. 

“So we have a self-built tool called iManage, which is our line manager toolkit that we’ve built in-house.”

The program simply breaks down what has been completed day-to-day and helps inform development and wellbeing conversations. Within iManage are “tips, tricks, checklists, little videos, hints as to how they can start to free people up, create stretch opportunities, get people thinking about development as more than just courses..”

Paterson notes that HR professionals should be bold when establishing their own programs, and keep redefining what is needed with the direction of their business. 

UNLEASH World

Speaking of HR professionals and shared ideas, Paterson notes what she expects at UNLEASH World: “I’m looking forward to a bit of human connection. I really am looking forward to seeing people, to doing all of that in-person networking stuff that we’ve been a bit starved of for so long.”

On top of that, “whenever I’ve engaged with UNLEASH in the past, it’s where I’ve always come across those little gems of disruption”. “What’s the disruptive thinking that’s going to come and blow what I’ve just said out of the water? That’s what I want to see.” 

It sounds like we have plenty to look forward to in Paris this year.

The world’s HR conference and expo is back! Don’t miss out on UNLEASH World in Paris this October.