Learn continually ‒ there's always 'one more thing' to learn! Steve Jobs
Professional and personal growth cannot happen without constant learning. Also, nobody is too old or too experienced to stop learning.
Today's employees are eager to learn and grow in their careers. Hence, organisations must find ways to provide employees with opportunities to develop their skills. They also need to adopt the best learning and development (L&D) strategies.
Sudeep Kumar Sen, Vice President, Gi Group India, joined our Parichay ‒ Ask the Expert webinar to answer questions and share insights on how a good L&D strategy can help attract and retain talent. Here are the edited excerpts of this inspiring session. The answers are based on our takeaways from the session.
What is the purpose of an L&D strategy?
An L&D strategy should help gauge the employees' current competency levels and provide the required support for them to grow. Their work and growth must also be tied to the organisation's business growth and brand visibility.
What are the key elements of an L&D cycle?
Assessment
It involves the process of identifying skill gaps and training needs. When that's done, it becomes easier to figure out the objectives of the programs to be delivered to different employees.
Training
Different people have different skills at different capability levels. Therefore, the nature and duration of the training have to be based on the results of the need analysis. It is also important to monitor the progress of the training at every stage.
Governance
Discipline is a basic requirement to get started with anything. People should be instructed and trained to stay on track during and after any employee program. Intervention is required if they lose track. Good governance is possible only with the right balance of all these aspects.
What is the impact of L&D on business?
The right L&D programs enhance the productivity of people, and this helps the organisation achieve its goals faster. When people sharpen their skills, they'll do better and become more loyal. A good L&D program also helps in reskilling, and the organisation gets a committed team.
Is there an example of an innovative L&D strategy?
The L&D team has to create the right content and deliver the program effectively by choosing the most suitable platform.
There are many learning platforms that help trainers to create and deliver programs online. Apps enable people to learn from anywhere at any time. Gamification is an example of L&D technology innovation. It makes learning more exciting and engaging.
What are the downsides of not investing in L&D?
Many employees believe that if they are not learning, they are not doing justice to their organisation. This feeling also impacts their career since they don't find their work challenging enough. When employees are given opportunities to learn and grow, they automatically find their work-life balance. Satisfied employees perform better and stay longer in the organisation.
How can HR leaders help build a learning culture?
HR leaders are the custodians of organisational learning. They need to walk the talk by getting involved in their L&D programs. This makes programs more impactful. They must also encourage people from different departments to come together and contribute to these programs.
Watch the recording of the entire webinar
