Introduction
Learning and development (L&D) refers to policies and procedures that help employees to develop new skills, maximise productivity and encourage strong relationships between the organisation and its staff. L&D covers a broad range of activities including recruitment, training, skills development, employee relations, performance management, benefits/rewards, talent management and core employee policies.
Through measuring performance in this area, IPC is actively contributing to the aims of UN SDG 8 – ‘Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.’ In an internal survey of participants conducted by IPC in 2018, the Sustainability Measurement and Management System (SMMS) group identified job creation and higher levels of economic productivity (SDG targets 8.2, 8.3, and 8.6) as priorities for the postal sector.
Emerging trends
As a people-led industry, developing our employees is central to our success. Initiatives such as leadership development, coaching and mentoring schemes, and life-long learning will ensure IPC members continue to thrive in the future.
The pandemic has not only put our workforce at considerable risk since early 2020, but also limited in-person training and internal communication due to lockdowns and travel restrictions. Our members have demonstrated a commitment to their workforces by continuing to prioritise L&D programmes throughout this challenging environment. See Highlights section for more details.
Training in technical skills will continue to play a prominent role due to the rise in e-commerce – accelerated even further by COVID-19 – and the digitisation of our industry. Soft skills and management training will also be a focus, not only to develop the next generation of managers but also to remain competitive in the modern labour marketplace, a major challenge for the postal sector.
Results
- L&D was one of the top scoring areas in the 2022 SMP questionnaire, ranking third after Climate Change and Health and Safety. L&D saw another year-on-year improvement with a score increase of 1.3%
- The group collectively scored 71.4%, over five percentage points ahead of the overall SMP group score of 65.9%. This score reflects the group’s focus on L&D management proficiency and its commitment to developing its workforce.
- Scores increased across the four management pillars from 2022, with Strategy and Policy showcasing the biggest improvement of nearly two percentage points.
- Posts scored best in questions related to Embedding, reflecting strong governance, management systems and delivery processes.
- Quantitative metrics for L&D are not reported under the SMMS. These are covered by the IPC Global Monitor reporting.
Highlights of the group’s performance in 2022 include:
- 16 posts have a dedicated L&D policy
- 19 participants have identified and assessed risks relating to L&D
- All 23 participants identify target groups of employees by assessing suitability and content of L&D programmes
- All 23 posts place a strategic focus on leadership development and soft skills training.
IPC encourages posts to continue developing their approaches to L&D, such as implementing internal qualification programmes, and leveraging social media as a platform for L&D initiatives, in order to drive continuous improvement.