For learning and development executives, training needs to be tied directly to business outcomes. It is safe to say that the future of the learning function lies not in pushing stale ‘interactive’ tutorials that simply require a box to be checked once they are completed.
If learning executives want to prove their value to the organization, they will need to start correlating their efforts to not only employee outcomes but also, ultimately, overall business results.
A recent Leadership article published by TrainingIndustry.com, Why L&D Should Be Held to the Same Measurement Standards as Other Parts of Your Business urges learning leaders to change they way they think about developing and delivering training in the workplace.
Learning success measures have traditionally included things like course completions and training satisfaction ratings. However, these administrative tasks do not demonstrate how training impacts business goals. Without ROI, training is often perceived as wasteful. (Is it any wonder that training departments are the first to be cut in a downturn?)
If every other business unit needs to demonstrate ROI, shouldn’t the training department? L&D should not be excluded from the same measurement and accountability.
Every single thing a company does results from the knowledge that resides in each employee.
— TrainingIndustry.com
Many learning executives may find themselves at a loss for how to achieve this. The TrainingIndustry.co article suggests that L&D leaders work backwards: start with the end goal, create microlearning modules that employees can access anytime anywhere, and most importantly, track knowledge application to the day-to-day job.
This is no easy task. This process requires that the L&D executive work with the department manager or team lead to ensure that learning content has been implemented in job actions by employees. This may seem complicated or even tedious at first, but is a must in order for the L&D department to be able to prove ROI.
Cognota® platform has measurement and reporting tools built in, so you can consistently measure whether your learning initiatives are working. Cognota captures the knowledge of your in-house experts and develops courses that allow for a continuous — and measurable — learning environment in your organization. Cognota® believes that boring tutorials and checkboxes should be a thing of the past.
