5 Steps how to create a learning and development strategy

Have you ever wondered about how amazing employee training programs are? We think you did because nowadays it has become a common corporate practice. But do you know what’s the right way to create them? If no, then no worries, we are here to give answers to all your questions and guide you through the process.

Why is employee training and development important?

Many companies are trying to develop learning and development programs as soon as they can and as fast as they can. But they do not understand that it is not about the pace but the quality of those training courses. It should be a well-developed process that addresses your company’s needs. It will be a solid foundation for future company growth if done right. And alternatively it can harm your company’s operations if not implemented correctly.

1. Define business goals

Before developing a L&D program it is important to have specific goals in mind. And those goals should come from the company's high-level strategic operations. You should understand where your team is heading and create a training program that can help them throughout the journey. It will fill in the knowledge gap and will equip them with the skills they are lacking to reach goals.

2. Discuss employees’ needs

Top management wants to make sure that the training courses properly address employees’ needs. And the best way to identify those needs is asking your employees directly about that. They can tell you what difficulties they are facing in the job, what they would like to dive deeper into. And then based on the aggregated feedback you can create your L&D program. Everyone would be happy after all :)

3. Make changes on demand

You cannot create an ideal training program all at once, instead you should constantly follow up to see what works well and what does not. This includes the training methodology, content, pace of learning and so on. For example, at first it may seem that this is the content that your employees were looking for but then they find out that it is not applicable. You can switch to a course with more relevant content to meet their preferences better.

4. Invest in software technology

To create and track your learning and development program you need to invest in software technology. There are lots of learning management systems in the market that make course creation easier. All you have to do is to upload training in your preferred format and it will be converted to a course. You can assign tasks, generate quizzes and track employees’ progress through different reports. Put simply, your overall training process becomes more organized.

5. Find providers

Most of the time companies do not have enough time and other resources to develop their own employee training courses. In that case finding providers and purchasing ready-made courses is the best way to go. This is true both in case of dental, healthcare or other compliance training and general training courses. You can be sure that you will receive high-quality content as it is developed by industry professionals.

To sum up, employee training and development plays an important role in a company's long-term success. It should be a well-constructed process that addresses business’s current and future needs.