How to develop efficient learning and development strategies

Training is a constant feature that accompanies hospitality professionals throughout their working life, promoting the acquisition of 21st century competencies ranging from communication, leadership, IT, service design to the all-important green skills. If on the one hand the pandemic has shown us the limits of traditional learning, on the other it has revealed the potential and enormous opportunities of educational technology, which is today a sector in massive expansion.

Implementing a learning and development strategy should consider the following:

The future talent pipeline

• Organizations should establish strategic skills mapping within jobs to have a clear idea of what competencies will be needed in the future. For example, in today’s hospitality landscape, it is imperative that training in sustainable practices and data-driven technologies is made a priority.

Use of technology

• Technology will play a critical role in the future of learning in hospitality. Virtual reality, augmented reality and other digital tools can provide immersive and engaging learning experiences that complement traditional classroom-based training. Hospitality businesses investing in tech and offering access to various innovative resources will help foster a dynamic, modern environment for learning and upskilling.

Use of data

• Personalized learning will be essential in the future of learning in hospitality. By leveraging data analytics and artificial intelligence, organizations can create customized learning paths for individual employees based on their learning styles, availability, preferences, and job roles.

Continuous training

• Organizations should encourage employees to take ownership of their learning and development by providing them with opportunities to increase their know-how on the job at suitable times during their schedules. This could include participating in mentorship programs, attending conferences and industry events, and exploring their industry’s ecosystem. Emphasizing these participative opportunities at the hiring phase is key in helping to attract new talents.

Learning assessment

• While the potential gain is significant, it’s important to ensure the money spent on continuous learning leads to real return. To consolidate stakeholder, buy-in and employee satisfaction, training program outcomes need to be effectively assessed. This can be achieved by using data analytics and the creation of learning KPIs, surveys and dashboards for course assessment. Metrics should include not only people, productivity, and profitability, but also the impact on the organizational culture.