Founder & Chairman @Edflex | Learning and development enthusiast | Innovator | Entrepreneur | Speaker.
getty
Today, businesses face fierce competition in an ever-evolving world. To remain competitive, they must anticipate new needs, innovate and adapt quickly. This means that skills obsolescence—a phenomenon where certain job-related skills are no longer relevant—is happening at an increasingly rapid pace. A recent Forbes article outlined that, in a two-year period, around half of current professional skills become outdated. Additionally, the transformation of professions and the increased importance of digital and environmental considerations have had a direct impact on skills.
This virtuous circle reduces the labor pool, which can lead companies to pay less attention to skills and initial training in favor of hiring more automatically. Because the requirements for the position stayed the same, though, this means companies have to bring new employees up to speed and train them in the skills needed. Paired with the alarming pace of skills obsolescence, this is a pressing concern. But it actually presents an opportunity for organizations to proactively address these challenges.
If we want to transform organizations, we must build a genuine skill development plan that integrates into a learning culture. This means bridging the gap between the C-suite and our companies' learning and development (L&D) efforts. One effective strategy for this is establishing the role of a chief learning officer (CLO).
The CLO is a strategic position for successful businesses.
As skills rapidly evolve and become obsolete, having an executive who can connect a company's strategic concerns with the shifting landscape of employee development may be a necessity. Recognizing the importance of training can help organizations capture more of the market share, and a CLO's role within a company is to make this happen successfully.
A position that first appeared in 1989 when General Electric hired Steve Kerr, the CLO is the master of skills. Positioned within the executive committee, they have decision-making authority to strategically align employee development with organizational goals, foster a culture of continuous learning and ensure the effective use of resources for talent growth and performance enhancement. The CLO is also a key influence on talent management. For example, if an employee at a banking company independently learns about blockchain technology, the CLO will encourage this knowledge pursuit because it will be a valuable asset for the organization.
This executive position goes beyond the standard roles and responsibilities of human resources or strategic departments. It's not simply a support function. A CLO's function involves a comprehensive understanding of business challenges, knowledge of on-the-ground realities and the ability to define strategies, communicate and solve the most complex problems.
Businesses must determine how this role will work for them.
Though it's been more than 30 years since the introduction of this role, its adoption across industries has been slow. This is, in part, because there's no concrete answer to the question, "Who trains the CLO?" There's currently no standardized training for this role. After all, have you heard of a degree program that educates and develops these professionals?
This doesn't mean there will never be formal education in this field. For example, when cybersecurity experts became an integral role for businesses, many universities began offering degree programs in this discipline. If more companies embrace the chief learning officer as a key member of the executive team, it's highly likely that higher education institutions will develop coursework and programs for these professionals. But until then, it's up to companies to determine what makes a qualified CLO.
Today, many Fortune 500 organizations have welcomed chief learning officers to their executive teams, and the return on investment is clear. These professionals drive employee engagement, performance and talent retention. In the coming years, companies' competitive advantage and job sustainability will be directly linked to how teams are trained. Without a CLO position, businesses may quickly find themselves falling behind.
Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify?
