Back to school
As we switch into September in the Northern hemisphere, the seasons have abruptly changed to autumn. For the first time since March I turned the dial up on the heating thermostat as the evenings became much cooler.
This month is also the start of the new school year, with many children looking forward to being reunited with friends, and nervous little ones getting prepared for school for the first time.
Whilst I am very much a spring and summer fan, the thing I love about this ‘back to school’ time of year is the feeling in the air of learning and newness. The beginning of a lifetime adventure of discovery that comes with the return to the classroom.
So it is with business, ours being no different. Our learning journeys are a lifelong series of discovery, the assimilation of new ideas, the practice of new skills and the joy of discovering new ways of working. Throughout the pandemic we have invested in development, workshops for managers, Uhubs hosted learning experiences, to name just a few ways we have kept ours growing our skills.
As we head towards the latter half of our year we are preparing to shape the evolution of learning and development opportunities. Our new chief people officer, Mel, is taking stock of what we have achieved so far, talking to a lot of people throughout the businesses and preparing the next steps.
With the pandemic changing so much of in our business and personal life there are so many new ways we can develop our skills to help us remain agile. We are looking at these new demands on us and ensuring that we have development and support programmes for all of us to thrive.
All of this takes me back to the beginning of ‘back to school’. I don’t know about you but unless I learn at least one new thing each day I feel like something is missing in life, I get excited every morning to think about what that might be. Every day is a school day for me and we have the chance to keep inventing ourselves afresh.
Well, as another weekend draws closer have fun. Happy Labor day weekend to our US colleagues. Keep safe and well.