Selecting the Right Learning Methods: A Strategic Approach for Diverse Organisations

In the evolving landscape of Learning & Development (L&D), understanding how to select the right learning methods is crucial for the growth and development of any organisation.

?The Shift from Training to Development

The focus in modern L&D has shifted from traditional learning or training activities to a more comprehensive view of employee development. As L&D professionals, it's crucial to remember the "development" aspect in "Learning & Development." This shift means selecting learning methods that are the right fit for the organisation.

Identifying the Right Learning Methods

LearningTribe and Learning Uncut have determined +70 learning methods organisations use for learning and development activities. We have heavily leveraged the study by Red Thread Research and have adapted the findings for the purpose of designing an effective learning ecosystem.

When selecting these methods, we must consider five key factors (amongst others) to ensure these methods enable the organisation's strategy.

As I explain each of these factors, I’ll share two examples of organisations that I have worked with to help them design their learning ecosystem. These organisations differ in size, complexity and sectors: a large global tech organisation headquartered in the United States and an Australia-based mid-size manufacturing organisation.

Factor 1: Organisational Goals

Learning methods must directly support and advance the organisation's goals and objectives. Whether it's enhancing specific skills, improving productivity, fostering innovation, or driving cultural change, the learning methods should be selected to directly contribute to these organisational priorities.

Let’s consider how organisational goals impacted learning methods across the two examples:

Large Global Tech Organisation: To align with the business goal of fostering technological advancement, we leveraged Group Learning Methods such as boot camps and Connections with external industry professionals in events such as technology fests

Manufacturing Organisation: To align with the business goal of improving compliance adherence, we leveraged manager safety briefings.

Factor 2: Organisational L&D Culture

This refers to the existing attitudes, values, and practices related to learning and development within the organisation. The chosen methods should enable the culture you want to build in your organisation.

Let’s have a look at how we took organisational L&D culture into consideration to select learning methods for the two organisations:

Large Global Tech Organisation: To align with a digitally enabled and remote working culture, we heavily indexed self-paced learning and development methods such as videos, online courses, and mobile apps.

Manufacturing Organisations: prefer a hands-on learning culture, and hence, we were confident that they would benefit from on-site skills training.?

Factor 3: Workforce Needs

The overall needs of the workforce in an organization are a critical consideration when selecting learning methods. This involves understanding the diverse demographics, nature of roles, and workplace environment, which can significantly influence the appropriateness and effectiveness of different learning approaches.

By considering the nature of roles, demographic factors, and the cultural and environmental context of the workforce in the two different organisations, we selected learning methods that would meet the unique needs of their employees.

Large Global Tech Organisation: Given the culturally diverse workforce, we recommended inclusive learning methods that catered to different cultural backgrounds and languages. This might include multilingual materials and culturally sensitive content.

Manufacturing Organisation: They had a more diverse age range, including a significant portion of an aging workforce. Learning methods for this demographic included coaching and mentorship to facilitate knowledge transfer from experienced employees to newer ones.

Factor 4: Organisational characteristics

The size, age, geographical diversity and current state of L&D in the organisation can impact which learning methods are feasible and effective. A large, well-established organisation is likely to have different capabilities and needs compared to a mid-sized organisation or a small startup.

Understanding the size, complexity and maturity of the organisation, we selected appropriate learning methods.

Large Global Tech Organisation: Given their sophisticated L&D infrastructure and dispersed workforce, we could see that they needed an advanced, personalised learning platform.

Manufacturing Organisation: On the other hand given that the workforce in the manufacturing organisation were mostly onsite and had minimal access to systems, we recommended methods like SME-led training for skills uplift and onsite assessments to ensure role compliance.

Factor 5: Cost Environment

The financial resources available for L&D are a critical consideration. The cost environment will dictate the range and scale of learning methods that can be realistically implemented. Considering the cost environment of the organisations, we took different approaches across the different organisations we worked with:

Large Global Tech Organisation: The learning budget for this organisation was in direct proportion with its size. In combination with the organisational context, we recommended investment in a more comprehensive and technologically advanced platform for learning and development activities.

Manufacturing Organisation: Given the organisational characteristics and limited budgets, we recommended cost-effective methods like internal knowledge-sharing sessions and leader-led coaching.

Conclusion: Balancing Act in Learning Method Selection

Selecting the right learning methods is a balancing act. It's not just about what works now but what will continue to be effective in the long term, especially in a work environment where learning needs are increasingly fluid. With a wealth of options available, L&D leaders must choose methods that best fit their organisation's unique context.

References:

Red Thread Research on Learning Methods: Red Thread Research

This article builds upon the ideas discussed in my previous posts, where I explored various aspects of the L&D Ecosystem:

The Central Role of a Robust Learning Ecosystem in an L&D Operating Model

Building a Cost-Effective Learning Ecosystem: Insights and Strategies from #LearningTribe

7 Principles for a Commercially Sound Learning Ecosystem