Learning and Development Strategy

According to Statista Research, a large percentage of job-seekers consider learning and development as a key factor while taking a new position. Likewise, learning and development help companies reduce high employee turnover costs by retaining talent. Hence, companies and startups attract and retain talent by increasing their learning and development budgets (L&D).

Most organizations reduce learning and development (L&D) costs by adopting online learning (eLearning) model. They implement eLearning tools to streamline the management of important L&D programs like onboarding, compliance, technology, communication, soft skills, leadership, and time management.

These eLearning tools drive workplace training, reskilling, and upskilling by enabling employees to acquire knowledge and skills at their own pace and convenience. However, no organization can make L&D effective without adopting new best practices and trends regularly. We are discussing some best practices the learning and development managers implement while creating a learning and development strategy.

9 Best Practices for Creating an Effective Learning and Development Strategy

1. Bridge Skill Gaps

Intelligence technologies have been transforming business processes and operations by facilitating data-driven automation. Hence, learning and development strategies must familiarize employees with new-generation technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics. However, the strategy must focus on driving operational efficiency by bridging skill gaps. The skill gap analysis will help strategists create L&D programs that help employees develop and hone essential skills.

2. Support Hybrid Learning

Unlike conventional learning, online learning enables employees to acquire knowledge and develop skills at their own pace and schedule. While making a learning and development strategy, decision-makers can choose from many types or forms of online learning. They should boost L&D initiatives by opting for hybrid learning. The hybrid learning model helps employees understand a topic deeply by accessing eLearning content and interacting with an instructor or trainer.

3. Deliver Content in Multiple Formats

Cloud-based learning management systems (LMSs) enable employees to access eLearning content at their own pace using computers or mobile devices. However, strategists must remember that each internet user accesses digital content in a distinct format.

For instance, most people prefer watching videos and listening to podcasts, while others still read eBooks and journals. The learning and development strategy must allow each employee to access eLearning content in his preferred format by implementing robust digital library software.

4. Solve Existing and Emerging Business Problems

In addition to reskilling and upskilling employees, the L&D strategy must prepare them for solving current and emerging business problems. It becomes easier for employees to solve business problems when they learn and implement industry best practices. At the same time, they must refine and finetune business activities by understanding emerging trends.

Hence, strategists must share thought leadership content with employees regularly. The thought leadership content will educate and inform employees by understanding the opinions, insights, and viewpoints of industry leaders and subject matter experts. They can overcome this challenge by implementing digital library software with content curation capability.

5. Facilitate Collaboration and Interaction

Virtual learning environments usefully make employees feel isolated and bored. Hence, employees do not feel motivated to learn after working hours. The L&D strategy must encourage and motivate employees to develop skills by facilitating collaboration and interaction in a virtual environment. Strategists can solve the problem by implementing an LMS that supports collaborative learning. Chatting rooms, discussion forums, query corners, and similar features provided by the LMS will enable employees to connect and collaborate with each other in the virtual learning environment.

6. Keep Learners Engaged

While making a learning and development strategy, strategists must remember that about 85% of learners abandon online courses and certification programs. They cannot reskill and upskill employees successfully without keeping them engaged. Several studies have highlighted the effectiveness of gamification in driving learner engagement and increasing online course completion rates. Decision-makers must prioritize eLearning tools and platforms providing gamification features like badges, coins, scorecards, and leaderboards.

7. Personalize the Learning Process

While creating an L&D program, strategists often target a specific team. However, they must remember that employees acquire and retain knowledge in various ways. For instance, some employees need particular assistance and guidance. Hence, the learning and development strategy must focus on personalizing the learning process according to the needs, expectations, and goals.

Strategists can personalize the learning process easily by dividing an L&D program into small modules. The L&D program will focus on a specific skill, while each module will cover a particular topic. An employee must have the option to acquire the skill by completing each module in his own way. In addition, he must have the option to clear doubts and answer questions by interacting with an instructor or trainer.

8. Define and Track L&D Metrics

Leading learning management systems (LMSs) feature advanced data analytics solutions. The data analytics solutions help decision-makers identify areas of improvement by analyzing L&D data. However, decision-makers must evaluate the performance of individual L&D programs using relevant metrics. While strategizing L&D activities, they must define important metrics like learning completion rates, employee mobility, performance improvement, and productivity improvement.

9. Build a Unified Learning Platform

No organization can run multiple L&D programs without implementing various eLearning tools. A successful learning and development strategy emphasizes the selection and implementation of the right eLearning tools and solutions. In addition, the strategy drives L&D automation through the integration of different eLearning tools.

Strategists should remember that cloud-based eLearning tools can be integrated seamlessly using application programming interfaces (APIs). Alternatively, they should opt for unified learning platforms that provide essential eLearning tools as a bundle. The integration will boost the L&D process by making eLearning tools exchange data seamlessly and automatically.

Conclusion

In addition to driving talent acquisition and retention, learning and development impact a business’s work environment and revenue growth positively. Decision-makers train, reskill, and upskill employees successfully by combining core elements of a successful learning and development strategy.

In addition, they increase the ROI of learning and development consistently by adopting new best practices regularly. However, they must remember that learning and development trends change at frequent intervals. They must keep the strategy flexible enough to adopt emerging trends without hassle or delay.