A learning and development team consists of a manager or director, instructional designers, trainers and subject matter experts. In small companies, a three-member team is not uncommon. However, in large organizations, an L&D team may be comprised of five to seven members. The role of a learning and development team entails liaising with departmental heads and business leaders across an organization and HR to make sure that;
- They clearly understand an organization’s objectives for purposes of creating relevant training programs.
- They fully understand the needs of the various business units within an organization and what their training requirements are.
With a clear picture of what the goals of an organization are versus the current skill set of employees, the L&D team is equipped with the framework around which to develop a working learning program. During the development stage, it is essential for the L&D team to consult with various stakeholders within the company so that the programs they are working on align with the current needs.
Since the workplace is comprised of different types of learners, an effective L&D program should be developed in several modalities for maximum impact. Some employees prefer to engage in self-study, and others find traditional learning models to be more effective. With technology, the options for training are basically endless; workshops, job-shadowing, classroom training, e-learning, coaching and more. As remote work becomes standard practice for businesses operating in several locations, online learning is one of the modalities used to train and distribute information.
In addition to facilitating training, the L&D team authors curriculum and produces job aids and other reference materials to foster learning. A great deal of time and attention is given to the application of learning. Effective L&D teams must bridge the gap between knowledge and application through a variety of methods.
What is the cost of training?
For L&D departments within an organization, budgets are drafted by executive leadership and the L&D manager. An experienced manager will track training costs per employee and per program, as well as negotiate contracts. The size of the organization and its training needs will determine the annual budget allotted. When there are topics and areas of training that will be beyond the scope of the L & D team, training is usually outsourced. Equally as important as their delivery and content are the cost of their services which the L & D manager should endeavor to control.
It is often said that one cannot improve what one cannot measure. At the end of the L&D cycle is the art of measuring success with the aim of;
- Optimizing the materials that have been developed for training by capitalizing on what is working and getting rid of what is not.
- Assist employees in getting the most out of training opportunities available to them
In large and well-structured organizations, the office of the L&D manager is an independent business unit in the company. All the functions related to the training needs of employees are handled by a standalone component of the business. It goes without saying that the quality of external trainers and program oversight trickles down to the value employees get from the programs. In case the L&D unit is embedded with the HR department, the L&D manager is well suited to enhance the functions of the HR team from a personal development perspective.
Is your company thinking of building an in-house L&D team or looking to outsource? We are here to assist you. Contact us today.