Making Training Relevant To Business Objectives

🚨 Most L&D programs start with learning objectives. But the most effective ones? They start with business strategy. Here’s the truth ↓ When L&D teams ask: ❌ “What should employees learn?” They often miss the mark. But when they ask: ✅ “Where is the business going—and how can we prepare people to get us there?” Everything changes. Learning becomes a growth engine—not just an expense. Here’s a simple 5-step formula to align L&D with business strategy: 1️⃣ Business Strategy Alignment Understand key business goals, not just training needs. 2️⃣ Capability Mapping Identify what people need to do—not just what they need to know. 3️⃣ Skill Gap Analysis Find the delta between today’s talent and tomorrow’s goals. 4️⃣ Learning & Enablement Plan Design experiences that drive action, not just attendance. 5️⃣ Impact Measurement Measure time-to-competency, internal mobility, retention, and business KPIs—not just completions. 💡 Real example: A tech company expanding to APAC. Instead of launching generic cloud training, their L&D team collaborated across departments to create just-in-time learning paths tied to product readiness and market-specific needs. The result? Faster ramp-up, better performance, and real business impact. 📣 If you're ready to stop checking boxes and start enabling outcomes... 💡 Want the full breakdown of these 5-step formula? ⬇️ Read the full article 🎯 Let’s transform learning into your competitive edge. --- ♻️ Did you enjoy this post? Repost it so your network can learn from it, too. For more content like this, follow Christina Jones, StackFactor Inc.! #LearningAndDevelopment #BusinessStrategy #FutureOfWork #SkillsGap #HRTech #StackFactor #WorkforceTransformation #LMS #LeadershipDevelopment #CapabilityBuilding #Upskilling #TalentStrategy #LandD

Demonstrating the value of learning is easier than you think! In a recent workshop with The Institute for Transfer Effectiveness, I demonstrated how! One workshop participant was designing safety training to help employees use Microsoft 365 strategically to prevent data breaches. She was struggling to capture the value of the program for organizational leaders to understand. I used an alignment framework that incorporates Rob Brinkerhoff’s 6 L&D value propositions and mapped out how to connect her learning program with metrics that matter to organizational leaders. Here’s what that looked like! Aligning learning activities, initiatives or programs to strategic business outcomes is like looking for the through line between disparate things: learning, human performance, departmental key performance indicators, and organizational metrics. This can feel nearly impossible. The glue that holds these seemingly disparate things together are Brinkerhoff’s 6 L&D value propositions. In the safety training example we started by identifying the most relevant value proposition for the program. In this case, it was Regulatory Requirements: a learning program designed to ensure employees are complying with industry specific rules and regulations. Then we connect the L&D value proposition (Regulatory Requirements) with the most relevant outcome for the organization. In this case, it was Net Profit. If employees are complying with industry-specific rules and regulations, this consistent practice will save the organization money in fines, lawsuits, or dealing with the unpleasant consequences of safety challenges (like a data breach). Then we must do the hard work unpacking what people will be doing to support the targeted departmental KPIs. If you’re struggling to figure out the KPIs, you’ll likely find them by asking department leaders what problem they are experiencing on a regular basis that they would like solved. In this case it was too many data breaches and too many outdated files on the server causing misinformation and inconsistent practices. I discovered that what people could be doing differently to support the desired KPIs was adhering to updated protocols on how to manage data and documents within the 365 suite. If people followed the protocols with 100% fidelity, departments would experience a reduction in data breaches. Now … we have the behaviors to target in our training program and the data to use to show the value of learning: Learning metrics: Training attendance and completion rates. Capability metrics: Percentage of fidelity to data and document protocols before and after training. KPI metrics: # of documents on the server that are outdated (being at 20% of lower), # of data breaches per department being at 1 or less annually. Organizational metric: Net Profit How will you use the 6 L&D value propositions and alignment framework to tell your learning value story? #learninganddevelopment #trainingstrategy #datastrategy

Training shouldn’t be a checkbox. It should change behavior, build culture, and drive business results. After 20+ years in HR, I saw the same problem over and  over again: companies investing in training that never leads  to real change. According to research from Harvard Business Review,  here’s what separates effective training from wasted time: 1. Start with a baseline You can’t improve what you don’t measure.  Track where people are before you begin. 2. Connect training to business goals If it doesn’t support a real outcome, it’s just noise. 3. Involve managers Employees apply what they see reinforced.  That starts with leadership. 4. Track behavior, not just completion Finishing a course doesn’t mean the learning stuck.  Look for what changed afterward. 5. Collect feedback continuously Don’t assume it’s working.  Ask, adjust, and evolve. This is what we build our programs around. Because I don’t believe in training for the sake of it.  I believe in learning that sticks, and makes people better at what they do.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 🚀 Struggling to get senior leadership onboard with your Learning and Development (L&D) initiatives? It's a common issue. When senior leaders don’t prioritize L&D, these programs often end up underfunded and undervalued, which can stifle employee growth and hinder organizational progress. Here's how to make them sit up and take notice: 📌 Align with Business Goals: First things first, connect your L&D initiatives directly to the company’s strategic objectives. Show how upskilling employees can drive key business outcomes like increased revenue, improved customer satisfaction, and enhanced innovation. 📌 Show Measurable Outcomes: Create a metrics-driven approach to demonstrate the impact of L&D. Use KPIs like employee performance improvements, retention rates, and ROI to make a compelling case. Numbers speak louder than words. 📌 Highlight Success Stories: Showcase case studies and success stories within your company where L&D initiatives have led to tangible benefits. Real-world examples can be incredibly persuasive. 📌 Engage Leaders in the Process: Involve senior leaders in the development and delivery of L&D programs. When they have a hand in shaping the content and delivery, they’re more likely to see its value. 📌 Communicate Regularly: Keep the lines of communication open and regular. Monthly or quarterly reports on L&D progress, challenges, and successes can keep leadership informed and engaged. 📌 Leverage Technology: Utilize advanced learning platforms that offer detailed analytics and reporting features. This not only improves the learning experience but also provides data to support your business case. 📌 Foster a Learning Culture: Promote a culture where continuous learning is valued and encouraged. When senior leaders see a culture of learning thriving, they are more likely to support these initiatives. 📌 Tie L&D to Leadership Development: Emphasize the role of L&D in developing future leaders. Highlight how these programs can groom high-potential employees for leadership roles, ensuring the long-term success of the organization. 📌 Budget Smartly: Present a well-thought-out budget that clearly outlines the costs and expected benefits of L&D initiatives. 📌 Solicit Feedback: Regularly seek feedback from senior leaders on L&D initiatives. Engaging senior leadership in L&D is not just about gaining approval; it’s about creating a partnership where both parties see the value and work towards a common goal. By demonstrating the strategic importance and measurable outcomes, you can elevate the status of your L&D initiatives within the organization. How do you get your senior leaders engaged in L&D? Share your strategies below! ⬇️ #LearningAndDevelopment #Leadership #CorporateTraining #EmployeeEngagement #BusinessStrategy #HR #ProfessionalGrowth

Most leadership programs end with feedback forms. If your CEO asked for the 💰 money slide, Would you have anything to show? Here’s the reality: attendance isn’t impact. Smiles and surveys don’t prove ROI. Here’s where ROI starts: ☑️ Start with business strategy, not just learning objectives. ↳ Programs should be designed to accelerate organizational priorities, not just learning hours. ☑️ Embed development into the work itself so growth shows up in real time. ↳ Impact should be measured in project delivery, cost savings, quality of execution, and leaders’ ability to grow and guide their teams. ☑️ Prepare leaders for responsibilities beyond their current role. ↳ Growth is proven when leaders step up successfully into bigger challenges, not when they sit in classrooms. ☑️ Measure outcomes with real metrics, not fluff. ↳ Track improvements in retention, promotion readiness, decision speed, or customer satisfaction. ↳ If you can’t measure it, you can’t prove ROI. ☑️ Reinforce learning through coaching and accountability until new habits stick. ↳ Sustained behavior change is the only way leadership investments translate into long-term ROI. This is when the impact becomes clear. You see sharper judgment, stronger execution, ready successors, and market-ready teams. That’s the money slide boards and executives are looking for. As the article pointed out, too many organizations still approach leadership development with yesterday’s playbook. In business, the “money slide” is the single slide in a presentation that proves value, the ROI that executives are really looking for. Too often, instead of proving value, organizations fall back on the old playbook: 📚 more courses, 🕒 more hours, 📊 more frameworks. But impact doesn’t come from volume. It comes from alignment, design, and outcomes. Here’s my take: the future of leadership development won’t be judged by how much training content is delivered. It will be judged by how much capability is created and how quickly that capability moves the business forward. That’s the shift executives are hungry to see. ♻️ Repost if you’re investing in people, not just tech. Follow Janet Perez for Real Talk on AI + Future of Work

L&D should fuel business growth... Otherwise, it's just a cost. Too often, L&D operates in isolation. Without alignment, training feels like an chore. Align L&D with business goals for measurable impact. Here’s a roadmap to get started: 1. Identify Key Business Goals: Define your strategic objectives. Gather top goals from leadership for clarity. 2. Map L&D to Business Outcomes: Tie learning directly to tangible outcomes. Use needs analysis to target high-impact skills. 3. Prioritize Core Skills and Gaps Focus on the skills that drive growth. Build a skills matrix to guide L&D investment. 4. Design Targeted Learning Initiatives: Create programs tailored to business needs. Personalize training paths to close specific gaps. 5. Track and Measure Success Use performance metrics to monitor L&D’s impact. Leverage LMS data to refine and improve outcomes. When L&D aligns with strategy, it becomes an asset. Drive growth by building a future-ready workforce. Follow Jonathan Raynor. Reshare to help others.