Training and Development

Building Capability That Lasts in a Fast-Changing World

For years, organizations spoke of training and development as though it were a support activity-something HR "dealt with" while business leaders were out focusing on growth, margins, and strategy. Whenever budgets or profits came under pressure, the first head to be chopped was the training budget. Training was considered as a cost and not as an investment. That division no longer serves.

Today, capabilities are strategy. Let's understand why.

Changes @ Speed of Thought

Today we are living in a world that is increasingly becoming volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA). The markets are moving faster, technologies are changing faster than our imagination, and new business models are revolutionizing our lives. Today we can generate content, create videos, write codes, and automate mundane tasks with click of few buttons. For instance, today customers can try apparels in store, order these online and collect delivery form a convenient location (Omni Channel). The entire supply chain of online store, brick & mortar stores, and warehouses is seamlessly integrated. While it makes the life of the customers convenient but it could be a nightmare for the supply chain managers who are not skilled enough to handle enabling tools & technologies. The content writers, video creators and editors are losing their jobs to AI tools that can provide similar output much faster and at a lower cost.

The life cycle of the skills has shrunk considerably. In this environment, training and development is no longer about delivering training programs; it is about capability that keeps pace with change. Yet many organizations are finding that uncomfortable truth: invest as much as you like in training, but the impact seems to fade all too quickly. People attend workshops, feel energized for a few days, and then slip back into old habits. The knowledge is delivered, but the behaviors don't change.

Why Training and Development Matters More Than Ever

Three reasons why Training and Development has become a strategic necessity.

1. The shrinking lifecycle of skills:

   Skills have shorter half-lives than they used to. What made someone effective five years ago may already be outdated. The problem isn’t just technological skills; business judgment, stakeholder management, communication, problem solving, and decision making also need endless refinement as the context changes. When the lifecycle of skills shrinks, organizations cannot rely on occasional training events. Capability development must be integrated into both strategy and execution, with measurable outcomes.

2. Automation is reshaping roles faster than hiring can:

   A widely cited IBM study estimates that over 120 million workers in major economies may need retraining in the near term due to AI-enabled automation. Organizations cannot merely hire such a large number externally to replace their existing workforce. They must build capability from within. Training and Development, therefore, are central to business sustenance and resilience-not just growth.

3. Employees want development, not just jobs:

   Gen Z looks at the jobs from a completely different lens. For them job security is no longer defined by staying in one organization for years, but by staying relevant. They value opportunities to learn, build skills, and grow faster over titles or tenure. Organisations that invest in continuous training and development signal long-term employability, not short-term employment—making development a far stronger retention lever than promises of stability alone.

Why Traditional Training and Development Fails

Despite good intentions, much corporate training fails to deliver lasting impact. The reasons are consistent across industries.

1. Too much substance with too little context: When organizations push generic content without linking it to real work, learners disengage. Information overload creates fatigue, not capability. Negotiation skills training is a good example. People may know all about concepts such as BATNA or anchoring, but unless these concepts are applied to the negotiations in which they are actually involved, behavior doesn't change.

2. One-time event without reinforcement: Classroom sessions build awareness, not mastery. Without follow-up, most learning decays rapidly. This isn't a motivation problem-it's how human memory works.

3. Personal irrelevance: When training ignores differences in goals, roles, and challenges, learners just can't perceive value. The negotiation by a procurement professional is different from that of a sales manager; treating them the same weakens outcomes.

4. Not connected to business outcomes: Training for the sake of training is a route to nowhere. Without clarity on what success might look like-fewer discounts, faster decisions, better alignment among stakeholders-impact is invisible.

Organisations that recognise these pitfalls are redesigning now training and development as evolving systems rather than ending programs.

What Training and Development Really Means Today: From Events to Ecosystems

Training and development is no longer about fulfilling the need for filling the calendar or reporting number of hours of training. It is about building capability that keeps pace with the changes. As the new roles emerge faster and skills expire sooner, organisations must move from event-based training to continuous, role-relevant learning systems.

Today, training and development works best when learning happens alongside work—through practice, feedback, and timely refreshers. It must be integrated in the work flow. Whether it’s adapting to new systems, learning new technologies, handling a tough & complex negotiation, or managing cross-functional conflict people need learning that is practical, hands-on, relevant, and easy to apply. . Employees learn not just what to do, but how to apply skills in complex, real situations.

Most importantly, the training and development must link to the measurable & tangible outcomes in terms of profitability, customer service, competitive edge, efficiency, or de-risking the business. Success is measured not by attendance or completion rates, but by changes in behaviour, decision quality, and performance over time.

Organizations have realized that the training needs and learning are personal. What works for one employee may not work for another. For instance, a procurement professional negotiating long-term supplier contracts needs a very different capability set from a sales manager handling price objections or a leader influencing internal stakeholders. That’s why one-size-fits-all training is giving way to customised learning journeys that reflect individual roles, challenges, and goals. When learning is personalised, employees engage more deeply, apply skills faster, and see clear relevance to their day-to-day work. The organizations are actively using AI based technologies to assess individual skill gaps and provide tailored learning journey for each individual.

Employees need the knowledge when they need it-not weeks in advance in some classroom or other. Mobile learning, focused distance modules, and short refreshers provide the just in time access. For instance, a sales manager preparing for a price negotiation is much better off viewing a 10-minute scenario-based refresher rather than a slide deck from last quarter.

High performing organisations encourage employees to take ownership of development through self-directed and self-motivated learning. Training systems support this by making learning visible, accessible, and relevant.

The skills to be developed herein, such as negotiation, communication, and leadership, are enhanced through practice and feedback. Simulation, role play, and application to the real world form the critical basis of learning rather than a mere theoretical explanation. That is why negotiation training works best as a journey, not a workshop-an approach embedded in Advanchainge's and Negotiation Academy's methodology across sales, supply chain, procurement, and internal stakeholder negotiations.

Skills Required for the Future Workforce

As automation scales, the skills that matter most are changing—not disappearing. Digital skills remain essential. Data literacy, system fluency, and comfort with evolving tools are non-negotiable. Training and development must keep pace with technology.

Soft skills are rising in value. What automation cannot easily replicate are:

• Judgment in ambiguity

• Relationship management

• Influence without authority

• Negotiation and collaboration

Negotiation sits at the intersection of digital and human capability. Effective negotiators use data, understand business drivers, and navigate human dynamics simultaneously.

Speed of learning becomes a capability. Roles evolve faster than job descriptions. Organisations must develop people who can learn quickly, adapt, and transfer skills across contexts.

This is why forward-looking training and development places skills—not roles—at the centre of strategy.

Final Thoughts: Skilling Strategies to Close the Gap

Where traditional models of hiring and training fall short, successful organizations apply a focused set of strategies.

1. Make learning personal : Development should be tailored to roles, goals, and real challenges. For example, negotiation pathways between procurement, sales, and internal stakeholders differ meaningfully.

2. Improve transparency: Map skills across teams Track progress Use data to inform investment.

3. Design for speed, reinforcement: It uses micro-learning, simulations, and timely nudges to help make sure skills last as contexts change.

4. Look inside and out: Adopt open learning architectures that couple internal expertise with specialist partners who bring current practices and tools.

5. Align to business outcomes: One question should be answered by each training and development activity: What will be different in performance?

These principles underpin modern capability-building efforts-and are central to how Advanchainge structures its negotiation learning journeys. Advanchainge Pvt Ltd partners with organizations to build negotiation and supply chain capability across procurement, sales, supply chain and internal stakeholder environments. Our approach goes beyond events to create structured, practice-oriented learning journeys.

FAQs

Why is training and development no longer just an HR responsibility?

Because skills now directly affect business performance. In fast-changing markets, an organisation’s ability to grow, adapt, and compete depends on how quickly it can build and renew capabilities—not just manage people processes.

How has the shrinking life cycle of skills changed training and development?

Skills become outdated much faster today. This means organisations can’t depend on occasional training programs. Learning must be continuous, role-specific, and closely linked to how work actually gets done.

Why doesn’t traditional corporate training create lasting impact?

Traditional training often delivers information without enough real-world application or follow-up. Without reinforcement, practice, and relevance to daily work, people quickly forget what they learned and revert to old behaviours.

What role does automation play in shaping training and development needs?

Automation is changing jobs faster than companies can hire new talent. As a result, organisations must focus on reskilling and upskilling their existing workforce rather than relying only on recruitment.

Why do employees today prioritise development over job security?

Many employees, especially Gen Z, see security as staying employable rather than staying in one company. They value opportunities to learn new skills, grow faster, and remain relevant as roles evolve.

What does modern training and development look like in practice?

Modern training happens continuously, alongside work. It combines practical learning, feedback, personalisation, and just-in-time access so employees can apply skills immediately in real situations.

Why is one-size-fits-all training no longer effective?

Different roles face different challenges. For example, negotiation skills needed in procurement differ from those needed in sales or internal collaboration. Personalised learning delivers faster skill application and better outcomes.

Why is negotiation training more effective as a learning journey?

Negotiation skills improve through repeated practice, simulations, and real conversations. A learning journey allows reinforcement over time, which leads to real behaviour change rather than short-term awareness.

Which skills are becoming most important for the future workforce?

Along with digital skills, human skills such as judgment, collaboration, influence, and negotiation are growing in importance. The ability to learn and adapt quickly is now a core capability.

How can organisations realistically close skills gaps?

They do it by personalising learning, making skills visible across teams, reinforcing learning through practice and micro-learning, partnering with specialists, and tying development directly to business outcomes.