Successful L&D Program I Presentation Company

If you are like most L&D professionals, you probably feel like you are constantly beating the same drum. You know that investing in learning and development is critical to long-term growth, yet leadership wants short-term results and measurable ROI.

And the problem isn’t the data. Research easily backs up the value of L&D, especially in a day and age of talent shortages and skills gaps. According to a study from Intellum, 43% of companies reported increased revenue since implementing an education program.¹ Separate findings from SHRM reveal that 51% of HR managers say training existing employees (not hiring) is their main way of closing the skills gap.²

Let’s be honest, though. These stats point to successful L&D programs. The truth is that not all programs are created equal, nor are they all built for organizational growth. Many training programs start with onboarding and never go further than compliance. In fact, data shows that historically, only 10% of corporate training drives tangible results.¹

So what makes a successful program? How do you actually make strides and produce outcomes that speak for themselves?

In a word, scalability.

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Skills that Stretch

Although a lot of variables go into making L&D effective, finding a program that is scalable will always give you the most bang for your buck. By reaching a wider employee base, a scaled L&D program can improve overall employee skills, boost productivity, create career development opportunities, and better align the workforce with company goals. In fact, research found that among companies that experienced increased revenue, those that valued scalable learning were most likely to see increased revenue.³

Of course, this is all easier said than done. Finding a training program that can adjust to different departments, roles, and experience levels within an organization can feel like hunting for a unicorn. Is there really a program that can benefit Jill in finance, Tom in marketing, and Lorna in operations? Many programs are either too general to be useful, too customized to be flexible, or end up falling flat due to low interest and participation.

To get results, you need a scalable learning program that can benefit everyone, no matter their role or function, with content that is practical, relevant, and can propel your organization forward. And, yes, they are out there. The key is knowing what to look for and, just as importantly, what to avoid.

How to Find Learning that Sticks and Scales

Scaling your L&D starts with choosing a quality program. Here are the six elements a successful learning program, delivered at scale, should do:

 1. Provide an Equitable Learning Opportunity to a Diverse Employee Base

Far too many companies fall into the trap of limiting L&D to a specific group. Annual sales training, anyone? In today’s dynamic business landscape, every employee has a role to play in the company’s success—and they know it. Research by TalentLMS and Vyon found that 66% of employees said they need to develop new skills to be successful at their job. And here’s the kicker: 41% said that if their company doesn’t offer some form of continuous training, they will look for another job.³

Whether they are a junior-level individual contributor or an experienced executive, everyone should be given the opportunity to make valuable contributions to the business. A solid L&D program should be able to span departments and adapt to diverse learning styles and preferences, as well as different levels of institutional knowledge.

2. Maintain Quality While Scaling

Perhaps one of the hardest aspects of scaling L&D is maintaining the quality of the learning experience. How do you ensure excellent content and a fruitful experience across the whole organization?

Although there are several “all you can eat” approaches out there that offer A LOT of content, that quantity usually comes at the cost of quality. These programs are essentially a glamorized YouTube search that offer zero personalization and little to no practical application. As a result, L&D leaders are often forced to cobble together different methodologies across a variety of providers. This leads to a lack of cohesion and discrepancies in knowledge and skills among employees—the exact opposite of the alignment you are trying to achieve. An effective L&D program should offer a consistent, skills-based framework, but still maintain updated and industry-specific content to keep the curriculum dynamic and relevant to changing market needs.

3. Address Time Constraints

Expecting someone to fit learning into their work schedule is a big ask. Most professionals are overscheduled and drowning in work, which means that L&D initiatives need to be accessible and worth every minute. The goal is to contribute to the business, not take away from it.

To be effective, a learning solution should be easily integrated into a busy work schedule and shouldn’t interrupt or interfere with productivity. Choose a program that literally teaches on the job, allowing people to get work done and learn in the flow of work. This not only addresses time constraints, it gives learners the ability to acquire, apply, and fine-tune skills in real time.

4. Align to Organizational Success

Investing in your employees should be just that—an investment that provides returns. L&D programs should benefit individuals by enhancing their skills and setting them up for advancement, but at the same time, they should also have a strategic impact on business outcomes.

Put simply, seek out a program that teaches skills that will help the bottom-line. Does it improve productivity? Accelerate decision-making? Spur innovation? Build trust? Growth-oriented L&D needs to be strategic in both scope and content. Building a program around a core skill like communication is a good example of a scalable tool that can be broadly applied and immediately useful to the business.

5. Offer a Pathway to Continued Learning

Many scalable learning programs are a “one and done” when in reality, training should offer continuous learning opportunities that reinforce what’s been learned and help employees become more proficient as they advance in their careers. This is where the “development” part of L&D comes into play. Skills worth having aren’t acquired overnight. They take time and practice, and a good program should offer that, while leaving room for future growth.

When choosing a program, look for learning content that builds on itself as people progress or are offered opportunities for further development. This not only benefits the organization, it sends a message to employees that you care about them and are investing in their future. It creates trust, garners buy-in, and most of all, builds loyalty.

6. Engage and Motivate Employees

Scaling L&D means you are dealing with a lot of different people and personality types. Getting everyone excited and motivated can be like trying to convince a middle schooler that a trip to the Grand Canyon will be fun. This is why subject matter and approach are so critical. Your people will literally make or break your program.

If you want to win people over, pick a program that provides a skill set that will help them do their job better and set them up for advancement. Continuous learning and “learn as you go” models (as described above) help with this. Content should also be engaging, interesting, and relevant, and it should keep people’s attention through a variety of formats (e.g., video, knowledge checks, coaching, case studies, a personal action plan). L&D that is effective isn’t boring. People should want to do it. If you wouldn’t personally enjoy sitting through it, we promise you no one else will either.

Symphony of Change

There’s no question that finding and executing a scalable learning program is challenging. There are a lot of variables at play and interests to consider, including the pressure coming from leadership.

Frankly, if you want that L&D drum you are beating to be more than just noise, you need to make sure you using the right instrument.

When you know the key elements of an effective learning program—and the telltale signs of a dud—you can drive change, cultivate harmony, and equip everyone with the skills they need to better themselves and, even more so, better the business as a whole.

And that? Well, that’ll be music to everyone’s ears.

Resources:

¹ Intellum, Employee Training Statistics: The Value of Good Training