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.
Despite hybrid working patterns, our members have demonstrated a commitment to their workforces by continuing to prioritise L&D programmes. See Highlights section below for more details.
Training in technical skills continue to play a prominent role due to the rise in e-commerce and the digitisation of our industry. Soft skills and management training are 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 2023 SMP questionnaire, ranking fourth after Health and Safety, Climate Change and Resource Efficiency. L&D saw another year-on-year improvement with a score increase of 2.6%
- The group collectively scored 74.1%, over four percentage points ahead of the overall SMP group score of 70.6%. This score reflects the group’s focus on L&D management proficiency and its commitment to developing its workforce.
- Scores increased across all four management pillars in 2023, with Disclosure and Reporting showcasing the biggest improvement of over six 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 2023 include:
- 25 posts have a dedicated L&D policy
- 21 participants have identified and assessed risks relating to L&D
- 25 participants identify target groups of employees by assessing suitability and content of L&D programmes
- 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.