Employee Self-Management: 3 Ways to Improve It

Cultivating Self-Management and Problem Solving in Your Employees

One of our favorite ways to support our L&D community is to create a baseline of trend forecasting so you can focus on adjusting your strategy to deliver the best learning experience for your employees. As we analyzed the data, we came across a study by the World Economic Forum on the top 10 skills for 2025, five of which are all related to problem solving. Specifically:

• Analytical thinking and innovation
• Solving complex problems
• Critical thinking and analysis
• Creative, original, and original
• Thinking, problem solving, and ideas

This was a light bulb moment for us and served as inspiration for one of the top 2025 trends that should be on every L&D manager’s radar: self-management.

How did we get there? If we want to promote problem solving, we need to first create problems-they don’t solve who can approach and assess situations with a creative and strong mind. We need employees who see themselves as the solution instead of another problem sending the problem. And self-regulation can be the change we’ve been looking for.

If you’re feeling skeptical, we hear you. How do you teach students how to manage…themselves? Also, should that really be your job? Think of it this way: Self-regulation is about guiding students to identify and prioritize areas of growth that will help them become more independent and encourage them to take action. And in the long run, that should make your job easier.

3 Ways to Improve Self-Management Problem Solvers

1. Foster Forward-Thinkers

By equipping employees with the skills to anticipate future challenges, identify opportunities, and think proactively, you can develop forward thinkers who are well versed in setting strategic goals, managing their time effectively, and adapting with resilience. This forward-thinking approach not only improves individual performance but also drives innovation and innovation within the organization, creating a culture of continuous improvement and readiness for the evolving business environment.

Here’s how you can be forward-thinking in your approach to developing forward-thinkers:

• Provide Context and Relevance

It’s hard to think ahead to a future you won’t see, or a vision you can’t be a part of. Go beyond employee handbooks to make sure employees know exactly what their role is and how it aligns with company goals and industry trends.

• Encourage Goal Setting and Accountability

It’s hard to stay focused and motivated if you don’t know what goal to achieve. Not only encourage employees to set personal and professional goals, but turn on the spark and go the extra mile to include what those goals should be.

• Use Self-Assessment Tools

Self-awareness grows through self-examination. Show that you believe this is an important area for growth by providing employees with easily accessible tools to help identify their strengths and areas for improvement. Tools like 360-degree feedback, personality assessments, and skills gap analysis are a great first step in getting employees to think critically about their L&D journey.

2. Use Idea Curation

To sum up Learning Pool’s chief product officer, Ben Betts, in Raconteur’s Workplace Learning 2025, the current approach to L&D is not improving productivity. Employees need to adapt and commit to their learning to meet future workforce needs. It’s time to move from learning managers to idea collectors.

Here’s how you can wake up nature in your workplace:

• Use Outside Experts and Thought Leaders

Invite new and unexpected voices to share their unique ideas. And guess what? It doesn’t even have to be about L&D! In fact, it might be even better if it isn’t. Hosting webinars, guest lectures, or panel discussions can expose employees to diverse perspectives, which can encourage them to think creatively and consider ways outside the box.

• Create Collaborative Learning Environments

Create forums and opportunities for employees to share information, experiences, and knowledge with each other. For example, setting up internal communities of practice, discussion forums, or regular workshops can help employees exchange ideas and collaboratively plan important content. Perhaps most importantly, use the platforms and tools your employees already gravitate towards, so adoption feels natural and productive.

• Encourage Meditation Practices

Reflection is a powerful tool for deepening understanding and encouraging thought process. L&D professionals can encourage employees to engage in regular reflective practices, such as journaling, blogging, or participating in reflective discussions. By reflecting on their learning experiences and the ideas they encounter, employees can better absorb new knowledge and put those ideas to good use.

3. Rebuild Strength

Fostering resilience and flexibility is critical to the success of the L&D department because it creates a workforce that is better equipped to deal with the complexities and uncertainties of modern business. From pandemics to economic downturns, the past few years have revealed the need to rebuild resilience within the workforce in order to maintain high levels of engagement.

Here’s how you can improve resilience in your workplace:

• Use Personalized Learning Methods

Individualized learning methods that address strengths, weaknesses, and career aspirations encourage employees to take ownership of their own development. By offering a mix of online courses, mentoring sessions, and experiential learning opportunities, L&D professionals can empower employees to pursue learning at their own pace and according to their unique needs.

Fostering a culture that promotes continuous improvement and learning from mistakes is essential to building resilience. Implement programs that reward innovation, flexibility, and perseverance in the face of failure. For example, using a “failure forum” where employees share lessons learned from failure can create the sense that failure is a stepping stone to growth, thus encouraging stronger employees.

• Facilitate Cross-Functional Collaboration

Encouraging employees to work on a variety of projects can improve their flexibility and resilience by exposing them to different perspectives and approaches to problem solving. Prepare for these opportunities by organizing cross-departmental teams or rotation programs that allow employees to gain diverse experience and develop a broad skill set.

The conclusion

Using these strategies, L&D professionals can transform their approach to Learning and Development, empowering employees to take charge of their future and become proactive visionaries, ready to adapt and thrive in an ever-changing workplace.