Learning & Development

AGENDA
• What is Learning & Development?
• Difference between Learning & Development
• Concepts in brief
• Why is learning and development important?
• Example
• Learning & development methods
What is Learning & Development?
Learning and development (L&D) is a systematic process to enhance employees’ skills,
knowledge and competency, resulting in better work performance.

L&D is a core HR function and a significant part of an organization’s overall people

development strategy. It plays a key role in attracting and retaining talent, enriching
company culture and engaging employees.
 Difference between Learning and Development
•Both learning and development are essential in helping employees growth and success, but they have
distinct purposes.

•Learning in the workplace is concerned with the acquisition of knowledge, skills, behaviours and
attitudes that lead to improved job performance. The process of learning takes place through various
activities, such as seminars, conferences, hands-on experimentation and reading articles or books.

•Development is the broadening and deepening of knowledge in line with one’s individual long-term
professional goals. It aims to grow job-related abilities to expand one’s potential for new opportunities
in the future. Activities that encourage development include leadership training, mentoring, coaching,
job shadowing etc. Development is typically something an employee chooses to do rather than being
required to do.
Contd…
 Concepts in brief

CONCEPT DESCRIPTION

The acquisition of knowledge, skills or attitudes through experience, study or teaching.

Learning
Training and development all involve learning.

Training is about teaching immediately applicable knowledge, skills and attitudes to be

Training used in a specific job. Training may focus on delivering better performance in the
current role or overcoming future changes.

Development is aimed at the long term. It revolves around the broadening or deepening
Development of knowledge that fits within one’s personal development goals and the (future) goals of
the organization. Development usually happens voluntarily.
Why is learning and development important?

• The leadership in most organizations understands the

value of expanding employees’ skills and knowledge and
chooses to invest in an L&D program. This investment
pays off in many ways, including the following:
• Attracting and retaining employees: People want to
work for organizations where they can lean into their
present and future interests. They have come to expect
employers to offer career-enhancing growth and
development.
• According to a Gallup survey, 65% of workers evaluate
job opportunities based on the availability of
employer-provided upskilling.

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Contd…
 Boosting employee experience and engagement: Employees gain confidence in their
performance and feel inspired to take more initiative and pursue their career
aspirations. This translates to higher morale, job satisfaction and engagement.
 Promoting DEIB: An inclusive and equitable work environment where employees of all
backgrounds have access to growth opportunities is at the forefront of most organization’s
cultural aspirations. Actively integrating DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion,
Belongingness) into L&D strategies promotes a sense of belongingness and contributes
to an engaged, innovative workforce.

• Bridging skills gaps: Organizations must keep pace with technological advancements and

frequent shifts in business concepts. This means equipping employees to face new
challenges. Reskilling and upskilling individuals for specialized technical roles and
developing
their soft skills prepares the workforce to adapt, foster innovation and meet the
organization’s future labour needs.
Contd…
• Empowering future leaders: Providing learning and development opportunities results in
well-trained and educated employees who can take on new responsibilities and
leadership roles. Many organizations create their own management training programs that
offer employees a tangible prospect for making their career aspirations a reality.
 Example
•Telefónica, a Spain-based global telecommunications company, faced a skills gap in critical
areas, including analytics, security and robotization. Instead of recruiting externally,
Telefónica committed to investing in reskilling and upskilling current employees.

•It launched a program containing an app that integrates with the company’s HR
management system. A chatbot guides employees through creating a profile, getting
personalized training recommendations and matching their skills with potential jobs.

•With 95% of employees using the app, Telefónica was able to collect detailed data on current
skills. This information helped leaders identify where L&D was needed, match employees
with job vacancies and plan strategies for the future.
Learning
and
developm
ent
methods
 Learning and development methods

 Formal learning in a classroom setting: This method is goal-oriented and instructor-led

with limited learner interaction. It is typically a group situation and can take place in
person or online. Examples include lectures, classes and seminars.

 Informal learning: Informal learning is organic, unstructured and more self-directed. It

takes place on the job through tasks, feedback, co-worker interactions, and through
individual study. Examples include conversations, online forums and reading books or
doing research.

 Experiential learning: This trial-and-error approach allows people to try doing

something, observe the results and then gain understanding from the experience.
Examples include internships, virtual or real-world simulation exercises and scenario-
based role-plays.
Contd..
• Coaching: Coaching is a workplace relationship that focuses on empowering employees
to grow and achieve their goals. The coach and coachee meet regularly for open
dialogue, with the coach providing feedback, direction and support. There are several
types of workplace coaching, such as:

 Performance coaching to inspire employees to realize their full potential by honing their
current abilities and learning new skills.

 Peer coaching is where two or more colleagues team up to share ideas, learn from one
another, build skills or collaborate to solve work problems.

 AI-based coaching leverages artificial intelligence to provide coaches with insight, augment
coaching efforts or exclusively do the coaching.

 Establishing a coaching culture builds trust and connection with employees and empowers
them to improve themselves and their performance to impact the company’s success.
 Contd…
 Mentoring: Mentoring is a collaborative relationship that connects employees with someone they can learn
from to grow professionally. Mentors act as role model to the mentees. They listen, answer questions, and offer
guidance. Examples of workplace mentoring include:

 Mentorship programs that are sponsored by the organization provide structure and resources for mentoring
relationships.

 Peer mentoring takes place between two co-workers who are at the same or similar level in the organization
but have different degrees of experience. The more experienced one shares their knowledge and offers
encouragement to the less experienced one.

 Reverse mentoring is when junior employees share their knowledge and expertise with their superiors to help
them overcome a shortfall in a particular area, such as digital skills.

 Micro-mentoring occurs in one-time or temporary settings and is focused on short-term objectives for a specific
project, topic or skill.

 Job shadowing lets employees observe a more experienced colleague as they perform their duties. Implementing
a job shadowing program is a way to offer employees exposure to other roles and new career opportunities.
 Contd…
 Skill building: Skill building involves helping employees acquire new skills. The purpose is
to fill the organization’s skills gaps so it can achieve business goals and remain competitive.
Examples of skill-building activities include new product training, customer service role-
playing and problem-solving games.

 Targeted training: Targeted training is another method for closing skills gaps. It combines
formal and informal learning to meet individual learning needs. By pinpointing the most
needed skills, organizations can distribute training resources efficiently.

• Cross-training: Cross-training entails teaching an employee how to handle another

employee’s role. When employees are cross-trained, they expand their skill set and
understanding of the company’s operations. They can also cover for absent employees and
pitch in when extra help is needed to distribute the workload.
Contd…
 Remote training: Remote training takes place online and is for employees who are not
working from the same location. Examples include webinars, online courses and pre-
recorded video lessons.

 New employee training: New employee training is the part of the onboarding process that
teaches new hires how to do and be productive in their jobs. It’s customized to each role
and can involve areas of instruction such as customer service techniques, how to use
software or how to operate equipment.
 Evaluation

1. Kirkpatrick model of training evaluation

This model is based on four levels of training evaluation:

•Level 1: Reaction – Understand the learners’ reactions, responses and level of satisfaction
through surveys that provide the following data:
 Participation rates
 Completion rates

•Level 2: Learning – Ascertain the improvements made to employees’ knowledge and skills

through:
 Pre- and post-training assessments
 Performance review data
 Peer reviews
Contd…
• Level 3: Behaviour – Assess any behavioural changes in the workforce by measuring
employees:
 Morale
 Motivation
 Engagement

•Level 4: Impact – Measure how the training impacts business through increased KPIs such
as:
 Sales
 Productivity
 Customer satisfaction
 Employee retention
 Work quality
Contd…
2. Phillips model of training evaluation
This method expands Kirkpatrick’s model into five levels of training
evaluation:
• Level 1: Reaction – Understand learners’ experience via learner reviews
and surveys, AI technology, etc.
• Level 2: Learning – Measure how well the learning objectives have been
met by determining whether learners have acquired the targeted skills
and knowledge. Attendance and learner attentiveness are also factored in.
• Level 3: Application – Gather qualitative data that provides insight from
learners about how they’ve applied the acquired skills.
• Level 4: Impact – Determine the positive impact of the training while
considering any barriers that might have hindered it.
• Level 5: Return on investment – Make the link between the training and
improved business results using calculations such as a cost-benefit analysis.
Contd…
3. Impact study
• This method is a four-step process for conducting an impact study to
understand business changes occurring from a training program’s
influence. For example, increased sales or market share or improved
customer feedback results. The four-step process is as under:
• Evaluation planning – Determine the indicators to measure impact, such
as certain types of sales data. Also, determine which training data to collect,
such as cost and participation rates.
• Data collection – Collect data from a variety of sources with specified
parameters that include both pre- and post-training statistics.
• Data analysis – Translate the data into a monetary value through the ROI
formula: Net return on investment ÷ Cost of investment ​×100%​= ROI
• Reporting – Finalize the impact study by creating a report that explains the
key findings with qualitative and quantitative data.