Please Share Your Reflections Below
This website was developed because of the enormity of the Coronavirus pandemic—particularly as its shock waves reverberate in the Learning & Development community throughout the world—to give voice to ourselves as L&D professionals and to bear witness to the impact of COVID-19.
As individuals and organizations in the learning field, we should know and be able to monitor the full extent of the effects of the Coronavirus on the people and organizations in our field—recognizing that there will be both devastation and opportunity for individuals and organizations.
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I have lost some business due to COVID19
I am an independent consultant in the US. I have lost some paid speaker gigs, and some marketing opportunities for speaking as face-to-face conferences have shut down. I have also benefitted with some new work, helping to move people to online learning.
My speaking engagements are all canceled. This was not a big part of our business financially, but it was important for exposure. Our biggest client at the moment is asking us to do more without commitment to budget because things are up in the air. It is quite risky as we also want to focus on other leads, but we could end up with this gig secured for a longer time. The uncertainty is difficult and most of our work is in Europe which is much further along in the pandemic. Stay healthy, everyone.
I am an independent consultant and my work is keynotes and workshops. Right now they are getting pushed to the fall or we are "flipping" them to virtual. I am so grateful that I have moved all my content to e-learning over the past three years and have a lot of virtual synchronous and asynchronous learning experience--I can pivot easier. I know others are not set up for this. I am hoping to help where I can.
--Susan Finerty
I had four months of live events VANISH in the course of one week. Two were for a client I am confident will rebook in 2021. One has expressed an interest in 2021 but requested their deposit back. One hopes we can work together "sometime." Nothing makes you realize you put your eggs in one basket than having the basket taken away.
Likewise, have had two (paying) speaking gigs cancelled, and another seems increasingly unlikely. Nothing really jumping up to replace them. As an independent, I am concerned! And I worry so much about all the other folks facing unpaid mortgages, health bills, and more. Challenging times. I hope our government comes through with some real protections for the average person.
Thank you for this platform to share my thoughts...
I am an e-Learning Developer so one would think that I'm 'sitting pretty' right now and yet I have seen a slowdown with clients wanting to start new projects. I'm hopeful this will change in time.
I can certainly see how a blow like this can impact old paradigms and nudge some organizations closer to embracing e-Learning (if they haven't yet done so).
I have worked on projects related to HIV and Opioids and can't help but think there will be future projects related to COVID-19. If that's what comes my way and I can help others through good, instructionally sound communication, I'm all in - and yet how much nicer it would be if we didn't even have to create e-Learning for any of those topics because those horrible things didn't exist.
p.s. I hope that when this is over, everyone will continue to wash their hands.
Stay healthy.
I am the Manager of L&D at a private company with 150 employees in the internet space in the United States. I didn't think we would be severely impacted, but I'm starting to see the effects.
Two weeks ago, the org took steps to cut most discretionary spending, including sending employees to conferences. Therefore, my plans to go the 2020 ATD Conference was cancelled.
Today, we just were informed that all employees would take a 20% cut to their hours and/or salary.
Two weeks from now, we will likely start laying select employees & groups off.
At this point, it seems the situation will be reassessed every two weeks.
I manage the L&D team in the US for a large global company. Last week my company laid off over 300 hourly workers. If this goes on much longer overhead teams like L&D will be next. Saving the company is the priority not training.
I'm an elearning developer and also speak at events. The majority of my clients are in service industries (call center or food service) and both have seen a dramatic down turn in business which has trickled down to my work. At least half have said they plan to bring me back to do work later in 2020 so there's that.
Two events I was speaking at have been cancelled and may not reschedule.
Looking for ways to pivot and offer other services while the companies I serve focus on saving their business.
I'm the sole member left in a corporate L&D department for a global manufacturing company. Between layoffs (both before and now because of COVID), people jumping ship, and how much this pandemic has hurt demand, the writing seems to be on the wall. You'd think people experienced in remote work, training, and digital transformation would be in demand now, but I've been looking and can't find any jobs available.
My theory is that a) the companies that really need it aren't comfortable with remote work to begin with, so they won't offer it as an option, and b) now they're all pre-occupied with short term COVID response.
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Website created by the Truth-In-Learning podcast guys, Will Thalheimer and Matt Richter.