It's officially the dawn of a new decade and I don’t have to tell you that the future of work is evolving at a rapid pace. No matter the vertical or sector, the changes we’re witnessing now once took years, even decades to happen.
What does this mean for you and your company? The battle for top global talent is in full swing. Competition is heating up in companies around the world, including those that have distributed personnel and those that are remote-first. In the latter two, in fact, remote leaders are placing an emphasis on learning and development (L&D). They’re not only viewing this as a perk for potential hires; it’s a valuable and highly strategic investment in their business.
But if you haven’t already started planning for the year (or decade) ahead, don’t panic—however, it is time to get a move on. Here’s how to assemble a blueprint that works for your company.
There are three basic components to any winning L&D strategy that aligns internal training with your business needs and goals:
Define your L&D goals, and more importantly, why these are the specific goals you’ve selected. As in, why should your teammates and the organization at large care about these priorities?
Rationale: The more clearly these are articulated and tied to overarching goals, the more relevant they’ll be to folks across your organization. This engenders greater buy-in from everyone involved, making it more likely you’ll actually achieve the desired objectives.
Which learning experiences and what tools will you use to meet your goals? There is a dizzying variety of options here; the challenge lies in identifying what mediums will suit both your workforce and the type of content being shared. These could include courses, workshops, internal activities like skillshares, Learning Management Systems, etc.
Rationale: The mix of resources you select could serve to either hamper or propel your L&D efforts. Choose wisely!
How will your team, either collectively or individually, use the aforementioned resources to meet your training objectives? This is where the rubber meets the road. You’ll need to have concrete details such as a timeline in place, among other logistical pieces, in order to launch an initiative and build sustained momentum around it.
Rationale: Well, any of us who’ve ever set out to actually do anything know that having a tactical plan in place is the fastest and surest way to do it!
Good to know, right? But just how do you get from point A to point Z above? Simply check out the following steps. (And note the deliberate color-coding, above, which tie into the items below. Like a traffic light, red means you can’t move forward without this; yellow indicates that you can proceed, with thoughtful effort; and green is your invitation to go.)
Reader bonus: download the Workplaceless L&D Planning Guide, which you can share with your colleagues, bosses, and network…even your biggest competitor! (OK, maybe not them.)
If you're looking for help on where to even get started for your company, one of our learning consultants would be happy to connect live.
*You will not be automatically added to our mailing list.