Learning and development (L&D) have always been a part of the workplace ecosystem per se. What varies is how it is executed. From conference rooms filled with teams to offsites and team activities to online modules, the L&D modes are many.
The COVID-19 pandemic with its intermittent lockdowns and mandatory working from home has shrunken L&D activity to online learning. eLearning, therefore, is the “norm” in the new normal.
Meanwhile, in business, the show must go on.
eLearning has proved vital in training and upskilling employees who had no prior experience of working in virtual settings. Organizations continue to invest in training their employees not just to come up to speed on WFH tech, but also to build upon existing skill set to perform better in their roles and ultimately help grow the business.
Managers and team leaders continue to invest time and energy in helping their underlings be their most productive selves. Career-minded individuals pour a lot of their being into training to becoming the best version of themselves. eLearning content must cater to all of these diverse situations and give investors the best bang for their buck.
Investing in eLearning, therefore, can be tricky. When allocating budgets for L&D activities, what are the triggers that organizations should look for?
There are many situations that require updates in eLearning and may require budget design, particularly when there are strategic changes, decisions, and tech updations being made to the organization.
Listed below are a few situations that call for new or revised L&D material
When there is a business expansion
When there are updates done to core values
When there is a change in the leadership
When the branding of the organization has been updated
The content repository has not been changed in 3 years
There have been changes/updates to the rules and regulations/policies
If the tools used to build the courses are outdated (for example - no Flash from 2021)
When your training material is not yielding the outcome required
When your workforce group have changed or if you have a generationally diverse workforce
Your training content does not align with the latest L&D trends
Your training content repository does not have courses on new courses such as design thinking
If your training calendar addresses only soft skill requirements
No one answer fits all. However, the most strategic thing to do would be to create standardized content that meets the needs of the entire team, with sub-modules of specialized training for various roles. An analogy would be the chain outlet model.
No matter where you go in the world, McDonald’s outlets or Starbucks cafes are instantly recognizable and familiar thanks to their standardized look and feel, menu, and service. However, they do make it a point to include local flavors for a more specialized and elevated experience.
While designing or choosing content, there are some important questions to address:
Is your learning content getting consumed seamlessly?
Are the uptake and engagement measurable/quantifiable?
Does your learning content meet the intended outcome?
Is your learning content language friendly?
Does the organization’s direction align with the training content available?
Is the learning content relevant to the team/role?
Is your learning content flexible?
Answering at least one of these questions in as much depth as possible is better than answering none at all.
Which one really made you think? Which pain point have you noticed that needs your attention? Tell us in the comments!