Gregory Hamluk is an accomplished HROD professional with experience in strategic enterprise planning, as well as the creation and management of world-class HR operations. He assists in the development of human capital and the achievement of corporate objectives by utilizing his unique skills in advanced workplace learning and performance solutions, organization development, recruiting strategies, strategic talent acquisition, creative sourcing, and talent management programs. Currently, Gregory Hamluk works as Director, Learning and Develop of Hubbell, where he is responsible for executing change management activities to support the One- Hubbell Finance initiative to create a financial shared services organization.

In an interview with Manage HR magazine, Gregory Hamluk, Director, Learning and Develop of Hubbell, talks about the evolution of learning and development space over the years in terms of the technologies or the newer solutions coming up in the marketplace today.

How has the learning and development space evolved over the years?

In terms of technology, the foundation of the learning management system has evolved through time. Social and network learning, as well as democratization of content development, are two sectors that are continuing to grow and spread. In essence, it’s not just one means of delivering content. Learners across the business are starting to create some of it and sharing it in a structured fashion that allows them to contribute to the available content for other members of the organization.

How has pandemic impacted the learning and development space?

Much of what we see now in terms of technology applied to learning and how we interact with remote and hybrid workforces were always available, but it’s the pandemic that has heightened the demand for it. The reality is that the organization’s workforce was forced to move to the point where it has been compelled to reimagine how to deal with the work process, and that was initially a source of some trouble. So in overall, it was only the scenario that accelerated the process, which was mostly overlooked by the public before the epidemic.

What are some of the major pain points that organizations face today and how can they be addressed?

First and foremost, it is critical to comprehend your organization’s learning approach. So, if you’re looking for a technology and find one that interests you, knowing what your organization’s learning strategy needs are and what you’re attempting to accomplish can help you make a sensible, well-informed search for the correct tool. The other idea is to ensure that you are fully utilizing the tool that you are acquiring and deciding to incorporate it into your learning technology stack so that it is as smooth and integrated as possible for the learner. If it becomes too complicated and difficult for users to locate and interact with the material that they desire, they will not take interest in it. And it’s also one of those things where having too many tools might detract from the overall impact you’re attempting to achieve. The key idea is to always have a clear requirement in mind ahead of time and then search and evaluate the available tools accordingly.

Can you site an example of any project initiative that you have led at Hubbell?

One recent project was the implementation of a technological system where we looked for methods to assist users in learning and using the new system quickly, optimize the system’s potential, and reduce the amount of time our help desk and support staff had to spend with customers they were serving. Although we did a combination of things, one significant area of learning technology that we really concentrated on was using a digital adoption platform tool to deliver just-in-time learning that is really linked to the system process. So, rather than having to go out and make a separate class, rather than having to go get a job and locate documentation on the system, you can use this learning content right there at the moment as you use the system.

What are some of the leadership qualities you bring to the table when it comes to guiding your team ahead in any project?

One thing I think that is most important is system thinking that is really helping people see the connection between the different initiatives that are happening in the organization, helping people see the connection between their work. Another area is organizational savvy.

“When it comes to learning and development, it’s important to connect to the business plan and let the company strategy guide your learning and development strategy”

Being organizational savvy helps understand how other players are working in the market, who are the other players that should be involved as stakeholders, and what are the exciting solution that can be adapted to excite customers. Furthermore, dealing with ambiguity is another area where people can benefit. So, because there are so many changes going on, there’s a good probability that not all information will be revealed. And maybe there will be times you have to make a decision with only that 8O percent information. That’s where ambiguity plays its role.

What does the future hold for your organization and the industry at large?

We are going to continue to see learning needs to be, and it’s going to be embedded in what we do every day. Although formal learning will always exist, there will almost always be face-to-face learning, and there will almost certainly be formal courses, I believe that more learning should be integrated, rather than needing to hop out of the workflow and go study. And, in order to achieve this, more learning and democratization of content development and deployment across enterprises will be seen. We’ll also see an improvement in the technology that enables these types of things, not only in terms of content but also in terms of governance and curation around that content. This will help learners have the most frictionless, efficient method for accessing learning wherever and whenever they need it.

Do you have any piece of advice for budding entrepreneurs?

When it comes to learning and development, it’s important to connect to the business plan and let the company strategy guide your learning and development strategy. Starting to grasp what drives your business can help you gain a sense of where the company is heading and how to improve the goal and vision of the company.