Learning and Development A Business view.
If you want to stay competitive and grow your business, it's time to get serious about your employees, and invest in knowledge and skills to develop an engaged workforce.
That’s why I believe that L&D must be an integral part of your business. I like to take the approach of Learning & Development as a Business Enterprise. It has to look, think, speak and act like the rest of your business.
Strategy
The key to small business growth is to never stop learning. The most effective way to achieve this is with an effective Learning and Development strategy.
Implementation
Ensure you have the right processes, procedures and technology in place to deliver the learning that staff need.
Business Impact
Benchmark what you do compared to your competitors, gather data and link your learning programmes to tangible business benefits, helping you measure success and justify future improvements.
L&D: The elements
To develop an L&D department to become a business enterprise with a crucial role in the company as a whole there are seven areas to be considered.
People
Having the right L&D team is crucial. They need the right skills, the aptitude, the discipline and the management support.
Products & Services
The products and services your L&D team provide must be matched to business goals and learner needs, based on the skills and behaviours required for each roll.
Process
To run smoothly the enterprise will need clearly define processes that enhance the experience without being bureaucratic.
Perceived Value
Management and employees see a link between learning and performance.
Behaviour
When L&D get it right the behaviour across the business; L&D get invited to the “Top Table” when decisions are made; employees will reflect the company values,
Goals
Learning and Development; becomes an indispensable partner, is a key element of the company’s Value Proposition, becomes a customer advantage, drives innovation, growth and profitability
Infrastructure
Not just technology, but also facilities and supply chain management.
