Why aren't businesses investing in talent management software rather than wasting money on training?

This may sound like a strange opening line for someone who has spent her working career in L&D. However, talent management software is often rejected in favour of training packages; and it astonishes me just how many of the businesses I walk into have invested thousands into Learning Management Systems that nobody uses. With the advent of technology, many of us have access to state of the art video training, e-learning, webinars, and a plethora of other resources; but relatively few people actually use them. One business I spoke to spent £250,000 per year on the learning content for their LMS and only 10% of the course material was accessed more than once a year by 10% of staff. That meant they were spending £2,500 per head for 60 minutes worth of generic e-learning – not a great use of money.

Now, I have no issue with e-learning in principle; in fact, I think it is a hugely time and cost effective method of knowledge transfer. However, I do still have to be convinced that it is the most effective method of transferring skills, and that an LMS system without a supporting talent management software is effective.

My issue is with the fact that learning & development is all too often dished out without purpose, and that there is little follow up to assess how useful it has been. Rather than development being ongoing, far too often you sit in your end of year appraisal having had a reasonably good year and your manager says: “what training would you like to go on?” This is the equivalent of taking your child to the sweet shop to reward them for a good report card. Is that really what training and development should be about – a reward for performance?

I don’t agree. I believe this devalues training and learning as it makes it appear superficial. My opinion is that training should be directly linked to individual or business needs, and that these needs should be identified throughout the year during 1 to 1’s and recorded using your talent management software. Training should help us overcome skill and knowledge gaps so that we can deliver against our job role or our performance objectives. Alternatively, it may be about building on our strengths and developing new skills that will help us prepare for succession or enhance our career path. To my mind that gives training a purpose and it generates a business case.  If people know why they are developing themselves, it will motivate them to put that learning into action. Sadly, not everyone is interested in learning just for learning’s sake.