How learning can align productivity in times of startup winter.

How can learning align productivity in a startup?

The profitability of a startup solely depends on the performance level of its employees. Employees need to constantly update their skills and knowledge in order to have an edge in the ever-competitive business world. Learning opportunities that align with business goals boost the morale and performance of employees, which is indeed beneficial for organizational growth. Learning also prepares employees to face unforeseen challenges head-strong and develop a successful strategy paving the way forward. Therefore, start-ups need to provide continuous learning opportunities to its employees to fill the performance gaps while actively enhancing their skill-set.

?Why is it important for start-ups to conduct L&D programs?

A startup’s capacity to learn actively determines its ability to thrive in today’s business environment. Reskilling and upskilling employees is the constant need of the hour. When a startup decides to invest in the learning needs of its employees, an underlying message is provided to its employees that the organization truly cares for their learning, growth and development.?

Learning programs provide a “safe environment” for employees to develop and practice new skills without constantly having the fear of failure. It is a known fact that learning boosts both productivity and performance. Thus, an organisation's primary focus should be on providing a learning-oriented environment to its employees. Startups need to ensure that their L&D is headed in the right direction and they can confirm this by aligning their L&D strategy to their organisational performance.?

How can we ensure learning in times of startup winter?

Entrepreneurs need to go back to the boardrooms and evaluate their fundamentals in times of startup winter. In order to develop learning journeys, it is essential to understand where employees currently are in their professional development. The focus of L&D should be on developing cost-effective learning programs and suggestions can be taken from employees in order to make them feel valued and heard. Developing in-house training materials can be an excellent strategy to cut down on L&D costs. However, reducing the cost of L&D should not hamper the quality of training programs.?

Final thoughts…

Even though learning programs have become more strategic and cross-functional, many professionals have not changed how they measure success. It is important to evaluate the effectiveness of the learning programs and take real-time actions to make L&D more effective. A company’s capacity to learn determines its capacity to adapt and innovate — and innovation determines the fate of an organization. Start-ups need to redefine the purpose of professional learning and development as L&D is more critical than ever for the survival and growth of a startup and it MUST refocus on improving business performance.?

-Sunanda Banerjee, Head of L&D, Passion Connect.