How to Achieve Success with an Enterprise Learning Program

Many companies, even in 2015, do not take learning programs seriously; viewing them as cost items rather than strategic investments that can help grow their company. When done well, learning and development (L&D) programs can help to elevate careers, drive business goals and bolster a company's bottom line; so why are mulitple companies deciding not to invest heavily in such programs?

According to a recent Harvard Business Review, 70% of companies that align learning with business priorities are able to improve company revenue. However, many companies have not yet realized the benefits to a strong strategic approach. For example, although most executives encourage employees to hone in on their skills, less than one in five said both their HR and business units own the learning program.

Research shows that establishing a strong L&D program helps to develop employee skills and marry company learning objective with its business needs.

One would think that with the majority of companies struggling to find the right talent, they would start to adopt a rigorious strategic L&D program. Slowly but surely, executives are wising up and looking into empowering their employees through new programs. According to one study, formal mentoring programs may grow 131% over the next two years, while many companies plan to invest more in learning technologes, such as LMS and knowledge sharing platforms. 

If you want to take your learning program to the next level, there are a few steps that you need to take:

1. Align the goals of the organization, the leadership and the workforce.

For many companies, this means identifying your core copetencies and aligning them with what is needed to develop top-level talent. 

2. Elevate learning programs as a means to flatten the business hierarchy.

Your learning program should reach and align with all levels of your organization so that everyone can see the value and see themselves as "owners."

3. Employ effective strategies for developing and sharing knowledge.

Companies that understand the importance of L&D programs, modify their programs to fit their company culture as opposed to adopting a uniform program. These companies try to incorporate various facets such as mobile, social media and videos as to better suit the needs of their employees.

4. Establish objectives with results that are measurable and repeatable. 

When implementing a new learning program, it is important to establish well thought out metrics that can be used to identify participant progress and engagement against company specified targets. 

L&D must start raising awareness about programs to their executive-level peers in order to see long-term change. Efforts to do so include:

• Operating as a strategic partner in the business rather than a support role.
• Developing a detailed understanding of your company’s products, services, processes, systems, and finances.  
• Integrating all aspects of L&D with the systems and processes of each line of business.
• Crafting L&D solutions that not only enhance employee productivity but also identify new business opportunities and markets.
• Adding value to hiring, development, and appraisal processes by becoming a material part of review meetings.

Businesses that are starting to adopt L&D programs are outperforming their competition in terms of employee productivity, competitive advantages, customer service and high-quality products. If your company finds a strategy that is working for you, make sure to share with your executives and your customers. Providing visibility into successful L&D programs will not only create transparency and help to promote these programs, but also promote a solid learning culture and help to ensure long-term success. 

References:

“Insights from CGS: How to Thrive in the Face of Disruption”

“Building Capabilities for Performance,” McKinsey & Company 

“Learning and Performance: Developing for Business Results,” Aberdeen Group

“Building Capabilities for Performance,” McKinsey & Company 

“Make L&D Strategic to the Business—and Prove Its Value,” by Mike Hawkins

Building the Borderless and Agile Workplace, Bersin & Associates, 2012