Learning and development (L&D) is one of the core areas of Human Resource Management. In this article, we will give you a comprehensive guide to learning and development. We answer what learning and development is, how to create learning and development strategies, how to evaluate L&D effectiveness, and we list the different jobs that make up the L&D field. Show
Find out what works and what doesn’t for your Learning & Development initiatives with our full guide on Measuring Learning Effective. Content What is learning and development?Learning and development is a systematic process to enhance an employee’s skills, knowledge, and competency, resulting in better performance in a work setting. Specifically, learning is concerned with the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Development is the broadening and deepening of knowledge in line with one’s development goals. The goal of learning and development is to develop or change the behavior of individuals or groups for the better, sharing knowledge and insights that enable them to do their work better, or cultivate attitudes that help them perform better (Lievens, 2011). Learning, training, and development are often used interchangeably. However, there are subtle differences between these concepts, which are shown in the table below. Related (free) resource ahead! Continue reading below ↓ How to MeasureLearning EffectivenessDownload your free guide on using data to measure the effectiveness of your L&D programs.
In the next section, we’ll dive into how learning & development can be leveraged in an organization. Learning and development strategiesAccording to Dave Ulrich, the most important thing HR can give an employer is a company that wins in the marketplace. The question is, what are the learning and development strategies that help to do this? A useful model that guides a learning and development strategy is created by van Gelder and colleagues (ENG). Its original name translates to ‘Pedagogical Analysis’. The model starts with the organizational starting situation and prior knowledge based on which learning goals and objectives are defined. This information is used as input for the subject matter, teaching methods, and learning methods and activities. These lead to a certain result, which is monitored and evaluated. Based on this evaluation, the goals and objectives are updated. Based on this model, we identify four phases required to create an effective learning and development process.
An effective learning and development strategy relies on a process in which one continually moves through these four phases. Let’s examine them one by one. Phase 1. Analysis of training needsThe first step is an analysis of the starting situations and prior knowledge to identify training needs. We don’t want employees to learn for the sake of learning. Otherwise, we would be happy to send them on a pottery course. Instead, we want employees to acquire new knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are relevant for their (future) function. This way learning is a way to create new business capabilities. Learning & Development Certificate Become a Strategic Download Syllabus In other words, learning is a means to an end – it has a goal. Example goals could be the development of digital capabilities in an analog firm that needs to transform, building analytical capabilities to create more business value through analytics, or simply making sure that everyone gets their mandatory certification in time so they can continue to do their work. Identifying the learning goal requires you to analyze where the organization wants to go and what skills are missing to get there. This happens in three parts.
Using these three analyses, training goals can be specified. However, it is important to ensure there is sponsorship and support within the organization for the initiative. Sometimes, gaining support is easy, especially if there is an urgent organizational need for learning and development. This makes building support easy. Other times you will have to put a lot more effort into specifying the case for learning in order to free up budget and ensure that employees get time off for learning. Phase 2. Specification of learning objectivesThe training needs need to be translated into learning objectives. These objectives serve as the starting point for the design of the training’s content and method. According to Lievens (2011), a training objective consists of three elements. HR 2025Competency AssessmentDo you have the competencies needed to remain relevant? Take the 5 minute assessment to find out! Start Free Assessment
This way training goals become highly specific and measurable. This helps to create an effective learning and development intervention aimed at improving these skills. A learning intervention can have multiple learning objectives. Another example objective for this training could be that the HR business partner is able to relate each of the manager’s strategic objectives to HR policies that can assist the manager. Because these objectives are closely related, they can be part of a single training that will make the business partner a lot more successful in their role. Phase 3. Design of the training material and methodIn this phase, the teaching material and learning method are determined. This is where the choices about the training material, teaching method, and learning activities are made. This is often done together with an external trainer or training provider, and ideally also with involvement from the trainee. In addition to learning methods, techniques, pacing, setting, and many more factors are determined. Training can be trainer-centered or trainee-centered. Trainer-centered methods include seminars, presentations, lectures, keynotes, and lessons. Trainee-centered methods are more interactive and include case studies, role-playing, self-directed lessons, on-the-job training, simulation, games, and so on. Effective training usually includes a mix of methods. Phase 4. Monitoring and evaluationThe last phase of the learning process is monitoring and evaluation. In this phase, the learning objectives are evaluated and learning effectiveness is assessed. A very useful model for evaluating learning effectiveness is Bloom’s taxonomy, which we will explain later in this article. In addition, student evaluations are collected and reviewed and improvements are made for future learning interventions. When the training is seen as effective, it should result in a change in behavior. This means that the starting situation and knowledge in the organization will be changed for the next learning design. The 70/20/10 Model RevisitedA popular approach to organizational learning is the 70/20/10 model. The model was created by McCall, Lombardo & Eichinger of the Center for Creative Leadership, a leadership development organization. The 70/20/10 model is a general guideline for organizations seeking to maximize organizational learning and develop new programs. The model is widely deployed and often referred to when it comes to learning & development. The model proposes that 70% of learning comes from work-based learning. This informal learning happens through hands-on experience, where the employee learns during their daily work. This learning-on-the-job happens during new tasks and challenging assignments and through feedback from bosses and “water-cooler” conversations with peers on the employee’s performance. The next 20% represents developmental relationships. This involves employees learning from each other, using social learning, peer feedback and peer coaching, collaborative learning, peer mentoring, and other interactions with peers and mentors. The final 10% of professional development comes from traditional coursework and training in a formal, educational setting. Although commonly used, the model has been criticized in the academic literature. Notably, McCauly (2013) notes in a since-deleted blog post that if formal training “accounts for only 10% of development, why do we need it?” Other examples include:
The safe conclusion is that the ratio heavily depends on the function. For example, in some cases, all workplace learning occurs without formal learning (Clardy, 2018). In other cases, years of formal learning and job-training is required to join a specialist profession. For these kinds of jobs, formal learning will play a much more prominent role. According to Clardy, “we need to move beyond the formal/informal distinction to consider the best ways to design and structure any and all kinds of learning experiences. […] By recognizing that virtually all workplace learning outside formal programs can be structured and managed, the HRD profession can make a significant step forward in recasting its role and increasing its reach in improving individual, group, and organizational performance.” Methods of learningWe already mentioned some methods of learning – but there are many more. We will list a number of them below. However, this list is far from comprehensive.
These are some of the most common methods of learning in an organization. There are, however, many others. If you feel like we forgot an important one, feel free to mention them in the comments and we’ll add them! Learning and development effectivenessOne of the key themes when it comes to learning and development is learning effectiveness. A key question often asked to the L&D professional is: “what is the return on learning?”, or “how effective are our learning programs?”. These questions are hard to answer. The image below shows part of this dilemma. However, the effectiveness of learning remains a contentious topic. A method to evaluate learning effectiveness is Bloom’s taxonomy. Benjamin Bloom edited the Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Education Goals, which was later adapted by Pohl (2000). The taxonomy captures different levels of information processing, starting at knowledge recollection, going on to comprehension, application, analysis, evaluation, and creation (the synthesis of existing knowledge to create new knowledge). The assumption here is that to analyze information, one needs to be able to remember it, understand it, and apply it. This taxonomy is often used to specify what level of information processing is relevant to do a job, for example in training development, and to evaluate learning effectiveness. If someone has to be able to create or synthesize knowledge (e.g., an academic writing a paper on a topic), the approach to mastering the relevant information will be different than if someone only needs to understand (e.g., remembering Latin words) or apply the knowledge (e.g., conjugate Latin verbs). The same holds true for work. Creating new and effective HR compensation policies requires a different level of information processing than simple salary administration. The training (and experience) required to create new policies versus understanding compensation and benefit ratios will therefore also be quite different. A lot more can be said about Bloom’s taxonomy and learning effectiveness. For more information, and to learn how the model can tie in with learning objectives, we recommend this article published on the website of the University of Arkansas. Learning and development jobsLet’s conclude this guide on learning and development with the different job roles that are part of the learning and development team. Please note that the exact responsibility per role will differ between organizations. Typical learning and development jobs include:
ConclusionThat’s it for this guide on learning and development. We covered what learning, training, and development are, how L&D strategies can effectively be deployed in organizations, different teaching methods, and we covered the topic of learning effectiveness. There is a lot more to say about teaching methods, critical educational resources, skills required to train, the different shapes and forms of experimental learning, learning analytics, and much more. We cannot cover all of those in a single article – but we can in a full course! Together with Nadeem Khan, the Academy to Innovate HR (AIHR) is in the process of developing a course on learning and development that will touch on all these topics and more. FAQWhat is learning and development? Learning and development is a systematic process to enhance an employee’s skills, knowledge, and competency, resulting in better performance in a work setting. What is the difference between learning and development? Learning is concerned with the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Development is the broadening and deepening of knowledge in line with one’s development goals. What is eLearning in learning and development? eLearning is the delivery of learning and training through digital resources. It’s based on formalized learning but provided via computers, tablets, smartphones, etc. What is learning in training and development?Learning and development (L&D) is a function within an organization that is responsible for empowering employees' growth and developing their knowledge, skills, and capabilities to drive better business performance.
What are the types of learning and development?The following is a list of the most common types of learning and development programs:. Orientation. ... . Onboarding. ... . Technical skills development. ... . Soft skills development. ... . Products and services training. ... . Quality training. ... . Safety training. ... . Team training.. What is learning in human resource development?What is L&D? Learning and development, also known as L&D, is a continuous process of encouraging the professional development of your employees. It involves analyzing skills gaps in your business and designing training programs that empower employees with specific knowledge and skills that drive increased performance.
Which term refers to the planned and systematic attempt to change an organisation and improve its performance?The correct option is: A) organization development. Explanation: The organization development is the systematic attempt of the management for change in an organization. It helps an organization improve its performance in terms of the development of the employees, technology, and organizational processes.
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