Companies put substantial resources into learning and development initiatives for employees. But often the return on investment falls short when the programs don't sync with specific business goals. Learning and development consultants bring tremendous value by bridging that alignment gap.
Defining Business Needs
The first step a consultant takes is understanding the organization's overarching business goals. Common objectives include reducing turnover, improving productivity, increasing revenue, decreasing costs, enhancing company culture, and more. The consultant partners with leadership to define which metrics are most critical to track and improve.
Conducting Skills Gap Analysis
Next, a skills analysis identifies current competencies across teams and roles and pinpoints precisely where skills gaps exist. Understanding strengths and development areas allows the consultant to design a program that targets very specific business needs. Surveys, interviews, focus groups, and assessments are tools used in this process.
Building a Custom Learning Program
With a keen understanding of business objectives and skills gaps, the consultant now develops a comprehensive learning program customized to the organization. Components may include instructor-led classes, eLearning modules, coaching, and experiential activities woven into a custom learning program development plan.
Tracking Results
A key responsibility is to build in metrics and methods to track program results from the outset. Pre- and post-assessments measure progress at the individual level. Meanwhile, monitoring key business metrics indicates whether larger goals are being met. Adjustments to program components may occur throughout implementation to drive better outcomes.
The strategic alignment of learning programs to business goals requires due diligence on the front end by learning & development consultants. Organizations that take this investment seriously position their people, and therefore their business, for success.
At ELB Learning, our experts partner with you to build fully customized learning solutions tailored to your organization's specific business objectives. Contact us today to get started.