The Pillars of the Internal L&D Function

Hello RoOkies!

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, organizations face a constant challenge: how to equip their workforce with the knowledge and skills needed to stay competitive. The answer lies within the scope of Learning and Development (L&D) – a function dedicated to nurturing talent and fostering continuous learning within the organization.

In a previous article, I shared the various categories of the L&D Function.

This article is primarily for the internal L&D professions - Those focused on fostering learning within their own organization (Although those who offer L&D service might pick a point or two from it and relate it to their context).

At the heart of this L&D function lie four fundamental pillars: Planning, Design, Implementation, and Evaluation. These pillars form the cornerstone of a holistic approach to organizational growth, guiding the development and execution of learning initiatives that drive employee performance and enhance business outcomes.

1. Planning:This pillar involves strategizing and setting the direction for L&D efforts within the organization. It begins with understanding the organizational goals and objectives for the given period. L&D professionals; ask strategic questions to understand the organizations strategy and plan for the period; required skills to help achieve the goals and teams that play key roles in these plan, conduct a Learning Needs Analysis (LNA); gap analysis; job-task analysis etc. to identify skill gaps and learning requirements.Methods such as one-on-one discussions, surveys, focus groups, and analysis of organizational strategies are used to gather data. Based on the findings, L&D teams develop a plan outlining the learning objectives, target audience, delivery methods, and timeline for implementation.
2. Design:Once the planning phase is complete, the focus shifts to designing effective learning interventions. This involves selecting appropriate learning modalities based on the identified needs and preferences of the target audience. Modalities may include e-learning, classroom training, workshops, webinars, mentoring, coaching, simulations, etc. Instructional design principles such as Merill's First Principles of Instructions, Gange's 9 Events of Instructions, Mayer's Principles of Multimedia Learning, Bloom's Taxonomy, Adult Learning Principles etc. are adopted. L&D professionals also consider factors such as available resources, budget constraints, and technological infrastructure when designing interventions. The aim is to create engaging and interactive learning experiences that facilitate knowledge acquisition and skill development.
3. Implementation:With the learning interventions designed, the next step is their implementation. This involves coordinating logistics, scheduling training sessions, and communicating with participants.L&D teams ensure that all necessary resources are in place, including trainers, materials, and technology. During implementation, ongoing support is provided to participants to address any issues or concerns that may arise. Clear communication and promotion of the learning events are essential to encourage participation and engagement.
4. Evaluation:The final pillar focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of the learning events. Evaluation methods may include pre and post-training assessments, surveys, feedback forms, and observation.L&D professionals use frameworks such as Kirkpatrick's Four Levels of Evaluation and others to assess the impact of training on participants and the organization.Feedback gathered from participants is analyzed to identify strengths and areas for improvement in future initiatives. The evaluation process informs decision-making and helps refine L&D strategies to better align with organizational goals.

The scope of the L&D function encompasses comprehensive planning, thoughtful design, efficient implementation, and rigorous evaluation of learning initiatives to drive employee development and contribute to organizational success.

Now that you know the pillars, what areas do you need to improve on?