The current business environment is exceptionally dynamic. Hence, organisations must pay keen attention to workplace learning, which is a critical lever for success. And in this evolving setup, the role of the Chief Learning Officer, aka CLO, has undergone a massive transition. CLOs are no longer only the custodian of the company’s LMS. They cannot just engage in designing skills-based and compliance-oriented courses or creating leadership-development programs. Instead, they must embrace a comprehensive role of defining capabilities and shaping the company-wide culture.

What Are the New Roles of the Chief Learning Officer?

HBR describes the evolved CLO as the Transformer Chief Learning Officer. As per their words: “Transformer CLOs are strong senior managers whose mission is to help their companies and their employees thrive, even as technologies, business practices, and whole industries undergo rapid change. The transformer CLO role is not reserved for the lucky few whose CEOs see learning and development as essential; any CLO can take steps to fundamentally change the nature of learning in an organization.”

Now, when we say ‘change’, we need to look at the key trends that define the role of a Chief Learning Officer.

The Future of Business is Tough

When we refer to eLearning, it must meet the end objectives of your organisation. Otherwise, how will you stand out from your competitors or realise your final goals? Corporates, no longer, can consider learning as something that focuses on developing specific skill-sets. It must be designed to positively your current business and serve your long-term future. Therefore, one of the talents of a Chief Learning Officer is their knack to note the future trends. They must plan how the organisation can build its capacity and capability to adapt instantly to sudden disruptions. In short, the CLO must tackle any risk that the company might face in the future.