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Employees are the strongest asset for an organization. Their development should be any company’s top priority. According to the LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report 2019, 94% of employees would prefer to stay at an organization longer if it is spending on their learning and development.
That’s why Learning and development (L&D) is the most powerful tool for closing skill gaps among employees. It is also essential to enhance workplace dynamics and boost employee retention and motivation.
Moreover, the trend is fast shifting towards recognizing L&D investment as a key strategy for businesses aiming to spike their return on investment (ROI) and overall success.
But how are HR and L&D connected? What is your role in corporate learning and development as an HR professional? We explore all these points and more in this blog.
Learning and Development: An Overview
Learning and development, aka L&D, is a process aimed at encouraging the continuous professional growth of your workforce. It involves assessing the skill gaps within your organization and then devising learning and development solutions tailored to empower employees with the competencies to perform better.
HR learning and development also focuses on developing individual employees, enabling knowledge exchange within the organization and creating positive attitudes to help employee performance.
The other important aspect of learning and development in the workplace is employee upskilling and reskilling. This is to ensure that employees are prepared enough to excel in their role or even take on new roles. Companies can integrate LMS into their core HR to build a productive workforce.
Corporate L&D can equip them with leadership capabilities that could help them with future promotions. So, in a way, L&D is the comprehensive pathway that facilitates talent acquisition, development and retention. It also enhances employee engagement and employee experience while reducing turnover.
Learning and Develpoment’s v/s HR’s Role
Even though L&D and HR are often referred to in the same breath, they actually cater to different purposes. HR mainly oversees employee administration, managing the entire employee lifecycle from hiring to exit.
On the other hand, learning and development focuses mainly on professional growth and skill development. An L&D strategy is about training initiatives to plug skill gaps, identify high-potential staff and craft learning programs.
How L&D and HR go Hand-in-hand?
Both HR and L&D are there to help employees. This is why they share quite a few responsibilities.
The two functions may commonly look into talent nurturing, onboarding & induction, change management, performance management and more. When HR and L&D join hands, they can get things done in a much better manner. This helps avoid the confusion and double work that might be the outcome if the two decide to go solo.
For instance, imagine a situation like this. The company has launched a new software tool that is to be used across departments. How will a joint HR-L&D approach help? HR could handle the logistics of introducing it to new hires during onboarding. Meanwhile, L&D could develop training sessions to ensure all employees, both new and existing, are able to use the software effectively.
How HR can Support L&D Programs
The above areas are where HR and learning and development work together. But that’s not where the teamwork ends. Keeping an eye on skill gaps is key for staying ahead in the game for any organization. HR steps in at different points in running skill-building programs. It is a smart move for them to team up with L&D in learning and development programs for aspects like:
- Spotting the skills needed when hiring for a job
- Offering chances for internal mobility through upskilling and reskilling
- Promoting L&D programs within the organization and involving the management
- Ensuring HR and L&D programs are synced to avoid redundancy
- Setting clear expectations about skill requirements and learning and development activities
- Being a part of discussions between leadership and L&D when HR intervention is needed
Bottomline: there are instances where HR leads with L&D’s support, like in onboarding. In other cases, L&D leads the charge while HR lends a hand.
HR as the Go-To for Organizational L&D
In some companies, HR and L&D departments are practically interchangeable. Smaller organizations may not see the need to distinguish between them. This is because they have fewer employees, and their corporate learning and development can be managed by a small team.
And yet, this is becoming increasingly difficult. As modern skills evolve fast, they demand more frequent and varied courses/ L&D tools for employees. Moreover, the gamut of skills needed for success is expanding. The outdated ‘one size fits all’ model is fading away. Each employee now requires training tailored to their role, capabilities and aspirations.
There was a time when small organizations could easily rely on mentorships and workshops. Now they need personalized learning and development training programs led by professionals like coaches or trainers.
Here’s how HR can play a key role to become the go-to for L&D:
1. Making the ‘Human’ Connect with Employees
One of HR’s main qualities is their ability to understand each employee’s unique needs. They can then design tailored learning and development activities to address them. HR can have open discussions with employees about their challenges. This way, they can create a sense of value and motivation.
In short, a robust learning and development program which is guided by HR can ensure more employee uptake. This level of personalized attention is only possible when employees receive support. HR can identify the learning pace of each employee and design L&D programs accordingly.
2. Creating an Effective Onboarding Experience
A solid onboarding process sets the tone for a new hires’ journey in the company. HR plays a key role in training and development of new employees by getting them acquainted with their roles.
This training covers everything from getting to know the company’s vibe to understanding what’s expected of them and what they can expect. HR can also encourage employees to dive into hands-on learning and development activities.
With a streamlined onboarding process, new hires feel more at ease. Plus, a great L&D program encourages open communication between newbies and their managers, making the transition smoother.
3. Arranging Continuous Training Sessions
It is not just about giving employees a one-time training session, it’s about constant learning. HR can step in to make sure employees are regularly getting learning and development at work to hone their skills.
They can line up various activities to keep the learning curve going. These could be in the form of one-to-one meeting, online courses, workshops along with assessments. HR can make sure employees’ talents don’t go unnoticed with the help of these activities.
4. Making Sure Training Content Hits the Mark
Running L&D operations just to tick a box won’t cut it! HR can ensure that the content in employee training programs is not only relevant but also high-quality.
Conventional lectures aren’t the cup of tea for modern learners. They find the sessions tedious and boring. They now want meaningful content. HR can step in and ensure they get exactly what they want so that they feel engaged to participate in the L&D programs.
Parting Thoughts
Businesses count on learning and development as an important part of HR. The question is not if the two functions are same or different. It is more about how by ensuring that both functions are solid and in sync with each other, organizations can have a capable workforce. HR and L&D can together lead the charge in creating a structured L&D process, empowering employees to get over their skill gaps. In the comment section, let us know how to make learning and development program more effective for the workforce.
Akrivia HCM’s learning and development product is designed to drive employee growth and ultimately help the company grow. Request a Demo to learn how!
