Key Takeaways from the LPI LEARNING LIVE event
We’ve all attended sessions that spark ideas, but what truly inspires us to rethink our approach to learning, development, and organizational change? Recently, we had the privilege of attending the latest LPI LEARNING LIVE event in London and delving into three distinct yet deeply connected areas that are shaping how we build more effective, inclusive, and adaptive workplaces. These sessions weren’t just informative; they were a powerful call to action that inspired and challenged our thinking.
1. Onboarding Excellence: A High-Stakes Masterclass from Frimley NHS Trust (Tammy Shikh-Bahaei, Isabel Jones, Iram Lodhi, Ben Howarth, and Maya Meng-Chieh)
The Gold Award-winning “SIMly Health” onboarding program at Frimley NHS Trust offered a profound lesson in preparing new talent, particularly FY1 doctors, for high-pressure environments. Their innovative approach to tackling the annual “Black Wednesday”—a time when NHS junior doctors are expected to make life-determining decisions without even basic operational guidance, such as how to operate hospital phone systems— wasn’t merely about orientation; it was about immersive, practical readiness delivered with a minimal budget and powered by over one hundred volunteers.
What truly resonated was their adoption of “human factors training,” inspired by the aviation industry’s rigorous safety protocols. The emphasis on communication, escalation, decision-making, and teamwork, even bringing in aviation experts for a quarter of a day’s training, highlighted a proactive, intelligent approach to risk mitigation. This demonstrates that for critical roles, onboarding isn’t just an HR process; it’s a strategic investment in safety and performance. The commitment to such depth sets a new benchmark for excellence. That it all stemmed from the lived experiences of junior doctors made the program’s intent and success even more powerful.
2. Diversity & Inclusion: Embedding Impact Beyond the Buzzwords (Aasha Tikoo and Kamran Kahn)
The “Beyond Buzzwords” session challenged us to move past superficial discussions and dive into real-world strategies for embedding Diversity & Inclusion (DE&I) into Learning & Development programmes. A key message was the crucial, yet often overlooked, role of middle management in translating DE&I strategy into operational reality. This segment highlighted that DE&I, coupled with accessibility, should be viewed as a continuous “change management” journey, requiring a “conscious inclusion” approach rather than a one-off campaign. The discussion on intersectionality (a term first coined in 1989 by Kimberlé Crenshaw) illuminated how multiple marginalized identities create unique experiences, underscoring the complexity and necessity of a nuanced approach. The presenters also inspired thought on how AI, if fed biased data, can perpetuate exclusion, challenging us to consider “unlearning” and new algorithms – a vital perspective for the future of L&D.
One powerful takeaway from this session was the reminder that in the commercial world of L&D, we may often find ourselves supporting industries or groups that some individuals struggle to align with. It’s essential for leaders to ensure that all voices are heard and that team members feel safe to express concerns—fostering psychological safety for everyone.
3. Hearts and Minds: Igniting Change Through Innovative Campaigns (John Power)
The final session, “Hearts and Minds,” was highly dynamic and experiential—offering a refreshing take on change campaigns through the lens of creative learning methodologies. The idea of using board game experiences to ideate new and engaging learning campaigns was truly inspiring—a practical tool for collaboration, ideation, and client engagement.
This session underscored that driving successful change isn’t about mandates; it’s about winning genuine engagement despite the constraints learning professionals often face. By leveraging the inherent collaborative and problem-solving nature of board games, it showed how we can create a playful yet powerful environment for generating novel ideas for L&D initiatives. This approach moves beyond traditional, and often rigid, methods to foster creativity, ownership, and a more organic embrace of change within teams. A bit of creative thinking, as shown, can go a long way in how we unpack and implement meaningful change.
What united these sessions is a common thread: the move towards more human-centred, holistic, and strategically integrated approaches to developing talent and fostering organizational growth. From rigorous, safety-focused onboarding to truly embedding DE&I, and finally, making change an engaging journey, the inspiration from these presenters was clear. They challenged us to think critically, act intentionally, and continuously innovate in how we empower our people and shape our workplaces.
Which of these insights resonates most with your current challenges or initiatives? Share your thoughts on how your organization is pushing the boundaries in L&D and change management.
Authored By Cecilia Anderson and Adam Eckersley, Directors of Learning and Client Experience, EMEA, Infopro Learning
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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remove What does “beyond the classroom” mean in modern L&D?It refers to changing the perspective from formal, one-time training sessions to continuous, on-the-job, real-world, and technology-enabled learning that is not separated from the daily work but is embedded into it.
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add What challenges might organizations face during this transformation?Difficulties may arise from resistance to change, the problem of measuring informal learning, ensuring participation, aligning learning with business needs, and creating infrastructure/frameworks for continuous learning.
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add What role does workplace culture play in making modern L&D effective?The learning culture, where continuous development is both encouraged and expected, is the main factor. It makes learning a part of everyday work, thus becoming a shared value rather than a one-off task.
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add What kinds of skills become more important in this future-ready L&D environment?Competencies such as self-directed learning, adaptability, digital literacy, collaboration, continuous learning mindset, and learning-to-learn (metacognition) are indispensable. Besides, a lot of programs are emphasizing upskilling/reskilling to be able to meet the changing business demands.
