How to enhance learning and development at work
Investment in learning and development can boost employee engagement and performance. Learn how to create a learning and development strategy for your staff.
With employers across the UK dealing with skills gaps and facing obstacles hiring talent with the skills they need, learning and development (L&D) strategies can provide a significant return on investment (ROI).
That’s because by prioritising learning and development, employers can benefit from a more knowledgeable, engaged and motivated workforce.
In this article, we’ll delve into the pros and cons of implementing a learning development strategy, different types of staff training and explore how you can implement and evaluate L&D initiatives.
Why is learning and development important?
Having a well-trained, motivated workforce, who have the right skills to succeed and are aligned with strategic goals is crucial to the success of any organisation.
The key benefits of employee training through a carefully structures L&D programme are wide-ranging, and include:
- Talent development.
- Career progression.
- Reduced skills gaps.
- Improved employee performance.
- Enhanced employee engagement and satisfaction.
- Increased productivity.
- Improved employee retention.
When taking all this into account, it’s easy to see why training offers a good ROI for your business, making it possible to:
- Upskill and reskill your employees and promote from within.
- Invest in career progression and thereby decrease staff turnover.
- Increase employee engagement and boost productivity.
Employees themselves also need to feel they are being given opportunities to grow and progress. Research by Totaljobs shows that 68% of UK employees have changed jobs due to a lack of L&D opportunities, while nine in 10 want their employer to provide more employee training courses to enable them to gain new skills.
Furthermore, according to the Social Mobility Commission, the most common reason respondents gave for undertaking training was to improve skills in their current job, with only 22% doing so to prepare for a future role. Totaljobs research, in partnership with The Work Foundation, also highlights the need to put skills development and training at the heart of business strategy to provide people in the UK with access to more secure work and higher salaries.
It’s therefore important to bear in mind that training shouldn’t just be viewed as something that is offered during the onboarding processes or as a ‘refresher’. It can be a core part of an employee’s career progression, while helping your organisation to target skills gaps that might impact growth.
Types of employee training
There are many different types of staff training employers can offer. Each one comes with their own benefits and drawbacks.
Here, we look at some of the most well-known methods.
On-the-job training and development
This is a form of employee training delivered in the workplace, usually by more experienced colleagues, to enable staff to gain the skills and knowledge required to perform a specific role.
Some of the key benefits of on-the-job training are:
- It is undertaken internally, usually by a manager or a member of staff.
- It is cost-effective, as there are no external training costs.
- It delivers immediate benefits as it focuses on the practical elements of the job and the needs of the workforce, allowing the training employee to work towards completing business objectives.
- It saves time, as there is no requirement for an employee to spend time away from their desk.
- It is an effective way of learning, as employees can put what they’ve learnt into practice immediately.
- Employees can see how the tasks work in the real world, as opposed to role playing in off-the-job training.
- It can be tailored to the specific needs of the organisation.
- It ties in with the 70-20-10 model of learning, which centres around the idea that 70% of learning comes from job-related experiences, 20% from interacting and working with colleagues, and 10% from formal learning.
There are, however, a few drawbacks to consider too, such as:
- It is only relevant to an employee’s existing role.
- It usually only benefits one worker, as opposed to the whole team.
- As other employees are involved in providing the training, productivity levels will be lower whilst learning.
- It relies on individuals in the team transferring knowledge in the ‘correct way’, and not passing on bad habits or short cuts.
Formal training
Formal learning is an organised, structured form of learning, delivered away from the workplace, with clearly defined goals and objectives. This can involve:
- Courses: This kind of learning can be delivered as offline or online courses, which can be live or recorded. There are a range of methods to choose from, including webinars, podcasts, and learning management systems (if delivered online), while offline methods include tutorials, talks, seminars, or articles and books. Apprenticeships also form part of this training, enabling employees to carry out their job while studying for a formal qualification.
- Classroom style: Face-to-face learning is usually carried out in a classroom setting with external instructors or lecturers. Training is carried out as a group, for a specific period of time.
- Mentors or coaches: Coaching and mentoring enables staff to develop the skills and knowledge required to carry out their role or achieve certain goals and objectives. One of the key benefits of coaching and mentoring is it provides one-to-one, personalised learning experiences.
Some of the benefits of off-the-job training include:
- There are clear aims and a structured assessment.
- There is a sense of accomplishment for the employee.
- It gives employees a chance to earn a qualification.
- Unlike on-the-job training, it helps to future-proof an employee’s career.
- Employees are likely to receive high-quality training as the trainer is often an external skilled expert.
There are also some disadvantages to consider when looking to implement an effective L&D strategy, such as:
- External training providers can be costly, so organisations need a training budget.
- There can be a drop in productivity while trainees are away from the workplace.
- It can be difficult to transfer the learning to the workplace, as what is delivered in the training session doesn’t always clearly translate to day-to-day responsibilities.
- It can sometimes be seen as a tick-box exercise.
- The manager often has little involvement in the training, so doesn’t always follow up on what has been learned and ensure that it is demonstrated.
Barriers to training
Despite the many benefits surrounding learning and development at work, organisations still face various obstacles that prevent their employees from engaging in training. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common.
Childcare
Employees with childcare responsibilities could face significant barriers to learning if they are not given support with childcare provision and costs, as well as flexible training options. Our research found that two-fifths of working mothers turn down career development opportunities due to concerns it wouldn’t fit with their childcare arrangements.
Furthermore, Totaljobs and Work Foundation research found up to 1.9 million mid-career workers with dependent children aged under 16 might struggle to continue learning and access training opportunities due to family or caring commitments.
Lack of flexibility
If training programmes are too rigid, for example, if they are only delivered out-of-hours, organisations risk less take-up. As a result, it’s crucial for employers to ensure training is accessible to all employees and fits around their busy schedules.
Lack of confidence
Some employees may either have a negative view of learning from past experiences or organisations may fail to communicate the clear benefits of training for an individual employee’s development.
This can lead to a lack of confidence in L&D and prevent employees from investing their time and effort in further training opportunities.
Business investment
During difficult or uncertain times, L&D budgets risk being cut to serve other business goals. According to a CIPD report, 40% of organisations cited limited budgets as one of the main barriers to the delivery of learning.
However, employers should be aware of the fact that there are free courses on offer, including government-funded L&D programmes.
Lack of learning time
If employers fail to ensure employees have time to learn, they risk L&D falling to the bottom of the priority list. Learning and training is among the most advertised benefits in job ads for a reason, appearing in 44.7% of them. That’s because so many employees want training and development to be an official part of their benefits at work.
It’s therefore essential to demonstrate to employees that their professional development is valued and to allocate specific time for training.
Poor learning culture
Organisations that don’t promote learning in a supportive and engaging way risk cultivating a negative learning culture, which is a significant barrier to training.
Employers must therefore nurture a positive learning environment, where training is supported and valued by managers and leaders.
How to create a learning and development strategy
A defined, well-planned L&D strategy is key to meeting the training needs of your organisation as well as wider business goals.
Here are some key factors to consider when developing a successful training strategy:
- Seek to understand the overall business strategy as this can help to assess training needs.
- Identify what skills gaps need to be filled with a skills gap analysis to achieve your business goals.
- Prioritise your L&D budget.
- Clearly communicate your strategy to all stakeholders.
- Build solid relationships with stakeholders and suppliers.
- Align training initiatives to the wider business strategy.
- Ensure training outcomes can be clearly measured and tracked.
- Evaluate the success of your L&D strategy over time and define how you will define that success.
- Maximise training budgets and consider whether multiple teams need to undertake the training, or if one team can then pass the content on to others.
Creating a training plan
When developing a training plan, it may be helpful to refer to the ADDIE model, which stands for Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation.
This acronym represents the five stages involved in designing a training programme and aims to help organisations identify training needs, devise solutions and evaluate results. Let’s explore this model in more detail.
Analysis
Start by reflecting on the current training environment and establishing and defining your learning objectives and your target learning group.
Design
Next, think about what learning solution needs to happen to satisfy the learning needs.
Consider the following points:
- Don’t always assume it is classroom-based training.
- Consider modular training within working hours so personal life or caring responsibilities don’t exclude some people.
- Decide what format to use, such as e-learning, classroom-based, on-the-job learning, blogs, articles, or TED talks.
- Determine whether you will engage internal or external trainers, as well as whether the learning will be virtual or face-to-face.
- Will you need licences or certifications?
- Will you opt for one-on-one or group training?
Development
This stage involves turning ideas into action, by building the learning solution and testing its effectiveness.
Implementation
This phase entails rolling the training out to staff and identifying how this will be done effectively.
Here it’s vital to clearly communicate to members of staff:
- What will the training involve?
- How long will the training last?
- What will they gain from the course?
Evaluation
Assess whether learning objectives were met. Go beyond ‘happy sheets’ and examine how this will link to ROI. Ensure you:
- Gather feedback from participants.
- Consider asking participants to present to the wider group to reiterate learnings.
- Carry out a robust evaluation.
- Make necessary revisions.
Assessing the success of a learning and development strategy
Measuring training effectiveness can help organisations identify what worked well, what could be improved and whether learning goals and objectives were met.
When assessing training programmes, ensure you:
- Link L&D to succession planning to help future-proof your talent.
- Look at the data. For example, interview training can be evaluated by examining whether there is a decrease in the number of failed probations, or in the number of candidates making it to a final interview.
- Obtain manager buy-in before their employee attends the course.
- Ask employees to present what they have learnt after the training. This will help to establish whether there have been improvements in knowledge, skills or behaviour.
- Set up one-to-ones to enable managers to discuss the results of training with employees.
- Draw up a document that outlines knowledge, skills and behaviour changes as a result of the training.
Cultivate a culture of continuous learning for lasting success
A well-structured learning and development strategy is more than just an investment for employers – it can also function as a cornerstone for organisational success. By actively fostering a culture of continuous learning, employers can empower their workforce to feel valued, engaged and prepared to overcome future challenges. This positive environment can then also enhance employee satisfaction and retention, closing skills gaps and helping to drive productivity.
Central to creating this culture in your workplace is collaborating with stakeholders to ensure learning and development opportunities are relevant, actionable, and tailored to fit the diverse needs of your workforce. Ultimately, by viewing learning and development as a core function as opposed to a peripheral activity, you can cultivate an agile and knowledgeable workforce ready to tackle dynamic market demands.