In this article, PulseLearning discusses five tips for building your 2017 Learning and Development strategy. Done right, Learning and Development boosts competencies and drives the psychological shift essential for creating a learning culture; done wrong, it can frustrate and demotivate your biggest asset, your people.
How To Build Your 2017 Learning And Development Strategy
You could say that Learning and Development (L&D) and engagement go together like peas and carrots. If you want empowered, enthusiastic employees, your Learning and Development strategy must be on point. All the shiny, gamified eLearning in the world won’t save you from a shaky Learning and Development foundation, so it’s best to build a strong one from the start. In this article, PulseLearning discusses 5 tips for building your 2017 Learning and Development strategy.
1. Create A United Direction
All professional sports players follow a team game plan to achieve the common goal of winning the game. It shouldn’t be any different in business. Your 2017 Learning and Development efforts are part of the greater organizational strategy to meet the goals, objectives, and targets set out in the strategic business plan. Aligning Learning and Development with the business vision will set a clear direction everyone can travel toward together.
2. Tune Into Your People
If you want to know what your people need to know, tune in! If framed positively, most employees will be forthcoming in discussions about their strengths and weaknesses. You could conduct an informal survey or have employees complete a skills matrix to find out where the gaps lie so you can target your Learning and Development activities. Tuning in and listening to your employees will help you find out what learners need so that your strategy can then deliver.
3. Deliver A Personalized Experience
If you want greater employee buy-in to your training, deliver a personalized learning experience. A Learning and Development strategy based on a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t going to cut it for upskilling and motivating employees. Your strategy should allow customization of learning opportunities so that each person gets just what they need, when they need it. Consider ways that learning content can be streamed and filtered to individuals instead of the group, based on unique needs and preferences.
4. Support Your Leaders
Supporting your leaders is the cornerstone to Learning and Development because without strong leaders, everything else falls down, including engagement. People leave managers, not workplaces, so it’s important to invest in and support senior staff since this group is often forgotten about when it comes to professional development and ongoing training.
5. Put Values First
Another important consideration for your united Learning and Development direction is to put your values first. Your business values should drive how you go about empowering your people. You might have values of integrity and transparency, which can be translated into your 2017 Learning and Development strategy by involving employees directly in development discussions, facilitating 360-degree feedback processes or polishing up your performance review procedure.
Final Word
Does your organization have a solid 2017 Learning and Development Strategy? PulseLearning can work closely with you to develop an engagement-focused solution. PulseLearning is an award-winning global learning provider experienced in learning consultancy and developing engaging and innovative custom eLearning and blended learning solutions.
