Episode 60: Becky Wallace, Head of People at LearnUpon

Hello, and welcome to Tech Connects, Dice's podcast where we dig into the topics on tech hiring, recruiting and careers that matter to you. I'm your host, Nick Kolakowski, and today we're going to be talking about learning and development with Becky Wallace, head of people at LearnUpon.

As we’ll get into, LearnUpon builds tools for employee training and learning. I wanted to talk to Becky because she’s been involved in HR and tech for quite some time, including stints at Yahoo and Etsy, and she has incredible insight into how learning and development programs can impact everything from employee morale to retention. Given how tech companies everywhere seem to be wrestling with exactly those issues, it’s critical to have this discussion.

Here are some quick additional takeaways:

When it comes to learning and development, consider management and specialist tracks: Not all talented tech professionals are best suited for people management. To retain specialists and maximize their expertise, companies must create clear, alternative growth paths, such as distinguished engineer or principal specialist roles. These paths should offer increasing responsibility, complexity, and compensation without requiring individuals to oversee teams. Managers should work with their team members to identify these diverse avenues for advancement, and then implement the right training and learning support.

Integrate learning directly into the daily work environment—and make it practical: Managers should recognize that finding dedicated time for employee learning outside of core responsibilities is a major barrier. Companies and managers should explore ways to embed learning within the workflow itself. This could involve encouraging on-the-job learning. Remember: collaboration, tackling new challenges, and even participating in meetings are learning opportunities. Consider piloting new learning initiatives with smaller teams first to refine them based on real-world feedback before a broader rollout, ensuring the learning is relevant and applicable to employees' day-to-day tasks.

Link learning to tangible business outcomes: For companies, it’s critical to move beyond viewing learning and development (or L&D, as some like to call it) as merely a cost center. What does this mean from a management perspective? It means framing L&D initiatives as essential investments by mapping how training activities contribute to achieving key business objectives. You can also use data to demonstrate impact, tracking metrics such as employee retention rates (especially reasons for leaving), engagement survey results, productivity improvements, and successful internal mobility.

Foster a visible culture of continuous learning: A true learning culture is more than just making resources available. It's about a company’s leadership demonstrating a commitment to development and embedding it into the organizational DNA. Senior management and HR should align learning programs with overarching business goals and HR strategy, perhaps even incorporating competencies and skills development into company-wide objectives (like OKRs). In that spirit, it’s critical to regularly check in on progress, communicate successes, and visibly champion learning initiatives. This consistent practice shows employees that learning is a valued priority, encouraging them to actively engage in their own development and contributing to a more resilient and innovative workforce.

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There was a lot more in that discussion, of course, so give it another listen if you feel so inclined. Thank you for joining us—and remember, Dice is your best resource to find the tech talent you need to fill your open roles, and for tech pros, the best place to grow your tech career. 

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