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We Ask the Experts

What should HR consider when rolling out L&D?

Fujitsu Murphy MHR

When rolling out new L&D in the workplace, it can be difficult to know where to start or what to consider. However, given the various benefits good L&D programmes can bring to businesses, it is important that employers get it right.

Some of the notable benefits of good L&D have been showcased in recent data. For example, 80% of staff said that L&D would help them to feel more engaged at work according to Udemy data, while Totaljobs stats found that 68% of employees have changed jobs due to a lack of L&D opportunities. The results of these respective surveys highlight the importance of L&D for helping HR teams to engage and retain top talent, particularly with it looking likely that employers could continue to face challenges in these areas in 2022.

This is why in this month’s burning HR question, myGrapevine magazine turned to its panel of experts to find out what HR should consider when rolling out new L&D. Read their advice below.

Jason Fowler,
VP, HR Director,
Fujitsu

“First and foremost, HR teams must be clear on the overall purpose of their training programme before they roll it out. This may seem like an obvious point, but it’s something that all companies should really dig down into before implementing; consider what issue this programme is designed to address, what benefit it provides, and whether these benefits are really essential and valuable. What’s more, are those benefits clear to everyone involved? Participants and their managers should all be brought in to understand the value that the programme will achieve. Not only does this make the likelihood of success much greater, but it lessens the risk of people attending for the wrong reasons.

“Then it’s about being realistic and giving the programme space and time to breathe and evolve. Without this, it becomes more of a burden for employees rather than a priority. By the same token, it’s crucial that HR teams make their content of a high standard and deliver it in an engaging way, so that it has the impact they’re looking for. If you do compromise on the quality of your content, you’ll compromise on the programme’s success altogether...”

 

80% of staff said that L&D would help them to feel more engaged at work – Udemy

80% of staff said that L&D would help them to feel more engaged at work – Udemy

Jason Fowler,
VP, HR Director,
Fujitsu

“First and foremost, HR teams must be clear on the overall purpose of their training programme before they roll it out. This may seem like an obvious point, but it’s something that all companies should really dig down into before implementing; consider what issue this programme is designed to address, what benefit it provides, and whether these benefits are really essential and valuable. What’s more, are those benefits clear to everyone involved? Participants and their managers should all be brought in to understand the value that the programme will achieve. Not only does this make the likelihood of success much greater, but it lessens the risk of people attending for the wrong reasons.

“Then it’s about being realistic and giving the programme space and time to breathe and evolve. Without this, it becomes more of a burden for employees rather than a priority. By the same token, it’s crucial that HR teams make their content of a high standard and deliver it in an engaging way, so that it has the impact they’re looking for. If you do compromise on the quality of your content, you’ll compromise on the programme’s success altogether...”

 

Four in ten employees who receive poor training at work will leave their role within a year – go2HR

Dawn Moore,
Group People & Communications Director,
Murphy Group

“When rolling out L&D it’s important to remember that a diverse workforce will have diverse learning styles, so one size definitely does not fit all. Any L&D strategy also needs to consider a variety of delivery methods – everything from the traditional face-to-face, to full use of technology and lots that sits in between.

“More importantly it needs to be mindful that people respond best to being able to learn and grow at a time and a pace that suits them – I have seen this become increasingly important working in industries that operate shifts and have many roles that are not always desk-based.”

Four in ten employees who receive poor training at work will leave their role within a year – go2HR

Dawn Moore,
Group People & Communications Director,
Murphy Group

“When rolling out L&D it’s important to remember that a diverse workforce will have diverse learning styles, so one size definitely does not fit all. Any L&D strategy also needs to consider a variety of delivery methods – everything from the traditional face-to-face, to full use of technology and lots that sits in between.

“More importantly it needs to be mindful that people respond best to being able to learn and grow at a time and a pace that suits them – I have seen this become increasingly important working in industries that operate shifts and have many roles that are not always desk-based.”

Jeanette Wheeler,
Acting Chief HR Officer,
MHR International

“The digital skills of learners have progressed rapidly during the past few years. Nowadays, employees are seeking more of a self-service approach that works around their needs. When rolling out a learning programme, it is important to cater for all types of learners, such as those who would prefer a traditional classroom approach compared with those who would opt for a bite-sized single objective learning intervention, which they can consume at a time and place suitable to them.

“Therefore, it’s important to consider utilising different learning methods, such as microlearning, blogs, podcasts and YouTube videos. Each learner will have different preferences and can use the content at their own pace, using their own chosen medium. This does not eliminate the need for webinars, video conferencing and classroom activity. Instead, it can act as a reinforcer of the learning interventions delivered using traditional methods. The key is variety and accessibility as one size definitely does not fit all.”

 

92% of L&D experts feel that a company’s learning solution is key to commercial success – Bookboon Learning

92% of L&D experts feel that a company’s learning solution is key to commercial success – Bookboon Learning

Jeanette Wheeler,
Acting Chief HR Officer,
MHR International

“The digital skills of learners have progressed rapidly during the past few years. Nowadays, employees are seeking more of a self-service approach that works around their needs. When rolling out a learning programme, it is important to cater for all types of learners, such as those who would prefer a traditional classroom approach compared with those who would opt for a bite-sized single objective learning intervention, which they can consume at a time and place suitable to them.

“Therefore, it’s important to consider utilising different learning methods, such as microlearning, blogs, podcasts and YouTube videos. Each learner will have different preferences and can use the content at their own pace, using their own chosen medium. This does not eliminate the need for webinars, video conferencing and classroom activity. Instead, it can act as a reinforcer of the learning interventions delivered using traditional methods. The key is variety and accessibility as one size definitely does not fit all.”

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