4 Big Picture Ingredients When Designing an Effective Training Function from Scratch
Two recent clients have made big changes in their training functions. The first, a 4,500 person networking firm appointed an internal candidate who was a successful systems engineer and sales leader to run the function. The second, a fast growing services firm of 350 employees that plans on doubling in size in 12 months, hired a high potential line manager from a competitor. While both are passionate about attracting, developing, engaging and retaining top talent, neither have any training, organizational development, instructional design or human capital experience or backgrounds.
And, they are both already making great moves and asking all the right questions. Why? Because they are both taking a no-nonsense business approach to learning…the same approach that everyone should take to treat talent differently and impact the business where and when it counts.
So, you have a great opportunity. You have been chosen for a new leadership role in an area that has always intrigued you but is not part of your background…learning and development. The added challenge is that you have been asked to create (or re-create) the department from scratch. Regardless of the previous learning and development employees that you now have reporting to you, your boss wants a strategy and plan that makes sense and that will make a difference.
What are the big picture and essential ingredients of the ideal learning and development function?
First you need to understand that a Learning & Development function can become complex and expensive quickly because it typically involves many different interrelated and overlapping processes, employees frequently ask for training, and training is very easy to build and purchase. But the main purpose, no matter what others tell you, is to keep employees and teams ready and able to achieve the current and future goals that have been set by management while maintaining the overall health of the enterprise.
It is critical that you see the big picture. Learning & Development may once have been seen simply as the reactive department that delivered training. Its purpose in today’s companies is far more comprehensive and critical. Learning & Development must work closely with business leadership to understand the organization’s strategic goals and determine how their services can directly support real business results that matter.
Here are four main categories of Learning & Development and the big questions training outsourcing professionals suggest you consider as you begin:
1. Strategic Alignment & Measurement System
a. Leadership: Do you have one clear leader responsible for learning and development for the entire company with the right level of authority, resources and influence to succeed?
b. Clear & Aligned Strategy: Do you have a well-defined company-wide learning and development strategy with clear objectives and actions describing how and when they will be achieved? Is it 100% aligned with the company’s overall business strategy—both now and in the future?
c. Stakeholders & Scope: Are key business stakeholders in agreement regarding the range of company-wide learning and development services offered?
d. Funding: Is the funding of company-wide learning and development offerings clearly defined and understood?
e. Measurement: Has Learning & Development developed a clear set of metrics used to gauge company-wide performance of learning services?
2. Differentiated Talent Development
a. Branding, Attracting & On-Boarding: Have you designed and implemented state-of-the-art processes to attract, hire and onboard top talent that aligns with your brand, unique performance culture and strategy?
b. Assess & Develop: Do you know how to identify, prioritize, and close key performance gaps to create talent that will succeed in your unique organizational culture for your specific business and talent strategy?
c. Engage & Retain: Are you able to consistently identify, engage and retain “A” players to move the business forward—both now and in the future?
3. Scenario-Based Program Design and Development
a. Relevance: Can you design and deliver learning solutions that are relevant to participants, their bosses and the executive team?
b. Outcome-Based: Are you designing solutions that focus on the top 5-10 critical scenarios required to move a pre-identified business metric?
c. Performance Tests: Do you measure participant ability to “do and know” at the proficiency levels required to get the pre-defined performance change that you seek?
d. Performance Coaching: Do you provide targeted performance coaching for participants so that they receive timely feedback and are held accountable to the “new way?”
e. Measurement: Do you measure adoption and impact to create accountability and continuous improvement?
4. Simple & User-Centric Delivery, Logistics & Follow-Through
a. Platform: Does Learning & Development have a robust and updated company-wide intranet (or internally accessed website) that communicates its activities, plans, and all information employees need in order to effectively utilize corporate learning and development resources?
Job Aids: Are targeted job aids made available to help participants adopt the new skills and knowledge?