Learning & Development (L&D)

What is Learning & Development (L&D)

“Learning and development is defined as the process of ensuring that the organization has the knowledgeable, skilled and engaged workforce it needs. It involves facilitating the acquisition by individuals and teams of knowledge and skills through experience, learning events and programmes provided by the organization, guidance and coaching provided by line managers and others, and self directed learning activities carried out by individuals”. (ARMSTRONG & TAYLOR, 2014)

 

Importance of learning and development

One of the main goals of investing in an organization's learning and development strategy is to increase employee productivity. Learning and development supports to bridge skill gaps and to identify employee weaknesses. When employees believe that the organization they work for cares about nurturing talent, they will put up their best effort to increase the company's expectations, and they will not leave such organizations. (darwinbox, 2022)

 

How does company size effect L&D

In large organizations, there is a well-defined learning and development strategy. They have a learning and development team that is responsible for identifying and arranging programs for the necessary staff. Employees will have the opportunity to be trained by specialist professional trainers, and priority will be given for trainings for leaders and managers to improve their abilities.

In small organizations, Employees have greater learning and development possibilities because the number of employees are lesser than in large organizations, despite the fact that they do not have a dedicated HR department. The team is more collaborative, and they have opportunities for ongoing learning and development opportunities that are less formal than in large organizations. As a result, most newcomers prefer to begin their careers in small businesses, where they may benefit from the learning and development possibilities provided by working with senior and experienced employees. (Robertson, 2021)

 

Impact of Learning & Development

In order to enjoy the benefits listed below, organizations must have a thorough awareness of the value of a learning and development culture. (Wichtowska, 2019)

 

·         Attracting & retaining talent

·         Develop people & capabilities

·         Creating a value based culture

·         Building an employer brand

·         Motivating and engaging employees

 

Figure 01: Impact of learning & development. Source (Span, 2014)

 

Methods of learning

The HR or learning & development team of the organization determines which method is best for learning, and as previously noted, in certain smaller organizations, this is decided by the operations managers or immediate supervisors. (Vulpen, 2022)

 

·         Lectures & seminars

·         Discussion groups & debates

·         Experiential activities

·         Case study & projects

·         Role play/simulation/games

·         Coaching

·         Mentoring

 

Relationship between L&D & employee performance

Customers these days are extremely demanding, and they do not hesitate to voice their dissatisfaction when they receive poor service. Organizations require bright and knowledgeable people because this affects their brand, and they invest in building staff competencies through learning and development programs in order to increase productivity and performance. Organizational performance and learning and development are interlinked. If the organization's learning and development plans are effective, employee productivity will increase, and those employees will contribute to the company's growth. (People matters, 2022)

 

Conclusion

If a company wants to succeed, it needs a stronger learning and development (L&D) plan that benefits both the company and its employees. Recruiting new employees is a time-consuming procedure that costs a lot, and retaining experienced personnel is even more challenging. if employees believe they have opportunities for growth, they will stay for a longer period of time. Employees are knowledge seekers who are more interested in gaining knowledge than in earning a salary.

 

References

ARMSTRONG, M. & TAYLOR, S., 2014. ARMSTRONG’S HANDBOOK OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICE. 13th ed. London: Koganpage.

darwinbox, 2022. Learning And Development. [Online]
Available at: https://explore.darwinbox.com/hr-glossary/learning-and-development#:~:text=Learning%20and%20development%20is%20the,the%20skills%20of%20current%20employees.
[Accessed 27 April 2022].

People matters, 2022. People matters. [Online]
Available at: https://www.peoplematters.in/article/talent-management/how-learning-impacts-performance-and-productivity-33316
[Accessed 28 April 2022].

Robertson, H., 2021. The workspace. [Online]
Available at: https://www.charliehr.com/blog/what-is-learning-and-development/
[Accessed 28 April 2022].

Span, S., 2014. 5 Tips to Attracting the Best Talent. [Online]
Available at: https://www.business2community.com/human-resources/5-tips-attracting-best-talent-0867126
[Accessed 28 April 2022].

Vulpen, E. v., 2022. Learning and Development: A Comprehensive Guide. [Online]
Available at: https://www.aihr.com/blog/learning-and-development/
[Accessed 28 April 2022].

Wichtowska, S., 2019. Learning And Development. [Online]
Available at: https://www.go1.com/blog/post-the-positive-impact-of-learning-and-development-on-organisations
[Accessed 28 April 2022].