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Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory shows that after basic needs for food, shelter and safety are met, people can worry about bigger concepts. Many argue that psychological safety falls on the lowest tier of the pyramid, but people must feel safe before opening up and learning new things. In a multicultural training setting, organizers must be aware of any underlying differences and how certain groups could feel based on the comments and attitudes of coworkers and leaders. How Does Psychological Safety Impact Training? Even if your team already knows one another, entering a new situation such as a training session can shift the dynamic. People assess the setting and decide what the consequences might be for taking risks. Most avoid situations where someone criticizes them or makes fun of their brainstorms. Although having an open dialogue leads to fresh ideas, it can also create misunderstandings and cause ongoing tension in the workplace.   The Pew Research Center surveyed U.S. adults and found 56% of workers feel  increased workplace diversity, equity and inclusion efforts are a positive change. However, a poorly executed training session can leave people wondering why it should matter to them and if they’ll be punished for good faith behavior where they misspeak or are culturally unaware but not cruel. Many are willing to change and learn but are also afraid of losing their jobs so will hesitate to ask hard questions.   While it’s crucial to ensure minorities in the company feel safe to share ideas, non-minorities must also feel safe or they may fail to learn new skills for fear of messing up or hurting a co-worker’s feelings. Leadership must approach sessions with a balance between cultures, finding ways to meet on common ground and build relationships. When the focus is on helping everyone feel psychologically safe at work, the entire staff benefits. What Can Trainers Do? Employees tend to leave companies where they don’t feel secure and seek a position where they’re safe. The average cost to replace a worker is around $5,000 , but that might not include time and knowledge lost when they leave. Fortunately, learning and development professionals can shift their methods and ensure people feel safe. With the right tools, they can foster a sense of openness and collaboration that takes a brand to the next level. 1. Start With Understanding Take time to learn about the cultures of workers. Share insights so both sides understand where the other is coming from. Create an open communication model where everyone feels free to speak up. 2. Use a Feedback Framework Develop a way to share feedback anonymously. Teams should feel comfortable sharing their thoughts without fear of retribution. For many workers, they know an “anonymous” survey isn’t private at all and will avoid adding their honest opinions.   You may drown in positivity without ever truly meeting the needs of your students. Instead, add a box and have everyone  drop a card in, so you have no idea who wrote what comments. Read through them and adjust training sessions as necessary to serve the entire class better. 3. Improve Conflict Resolution Techniques Every team of people has some disagreement. You may have a mix of ages, genders, backgrounds and beliefs in a training session.   Knowing how to shut down arguments and resolve them in constructive ways can make a huge difference in how well a training session goes. Study conflict resolution for the best methods to stop an argument and turn it into something positive both parties can use to grow in their careers. More Than Cultural Awareness While understanding the differences between cultures and being open to communication is a great start, incorporating psychological safety into multicultural training settings may go deeper than some expect. It’s natural to consider minorities and how they feel about different training models and language used during sessions. However, breaking into groups unintentionally can also occur because people gravitate to those who seem most like them in background and appearance.   Imagine walking into a room where everyone has a group to belong to and not knowing where you should sit. Organizers must be aware of the varied dynamics of each group they train, as the cultural mix can vary. Open communication and having employees move from their self-assigned groups is a first step toward successful training. Everyone should feel valued and heard. Author bio: Eleanor Hecks is a writer who specializes in business and leadership topics, as well as manager of the creative team at Designerly Magazine . Her insights are featured in L&D publications such as Training Industry, eLearning Industry and Training Journal.

I’ll never forget the time I conducted a product knowledge session for a group of hotel employees. Despite my thorough preparation, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Many participants seemed disengaged—some were checking their phones, others were whispering among themselves, and one person was even nodding off. I was trying my best to make the session interactive and relevant, but it was clear that my efforts were falling flat.   What happened? It turned out that some attendees were bored because they already knew the material, while new hires were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information. Adding to the complexity, the group consisted of employees from different departments—Front Office, Food & Beverage, Revenue Management—each with unique needs. The generic content I had prepared simply wasn’t meeting their individual requirements. It was a frustrating experience, not just for me as the trainer, but also for the participants, whose lack of connection to the material was painfully obvious.   The Power of Personalization   Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? If so, you’re not alone. Many of us in Learning and Development (L&D) have encountered the same challenge: a disconnect between the training and the participants’ individual needs. The good news? This issue is common and, fortunately, solvable.   First, let's clarify what personalized learning  is. Forbes  defines it as an employee-centric L&D approach that tailors training to an individual's job role, needs, and interests . While it may sound like a buzzword, personalized learning has long been championed in the L&D world.   Leading HR organizations like the Society for Human Resource Management  (SHRM), the Association for Talent Development  (ATD), and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development  (CIPD) have consistently emphasized the importance of continuous and personalized employee development as crucial to organizational success. In addition, global consultancies such as McKinsey & Company , Deloitte , and Accenture  frequently publish reports on the future of work, highlighting personalized learning as essential for modern organizations striving to stay competitive, especially in the age of digital transformation.   In fact, a recent study by Zippia  found that a staggering 91% of employees want personalized training, and nearly half (45%) cite investment in their development as a key reason for staying with their company. Moreover, there’s a well-established link between comprehensive training programs and higher profit margins.   By now, I’m sure you’re convinced of the power of personalization. It’s a game-changer, enhancing:   Engagement Knowledge retention and application Team morale Employer reputation and image Company’s competitive advantage Profit margin   So, the million-dollar question is: how do you achieve it?   Personalization – a strategic approach to training   Effective personalized learning requires strategic actions at three critical stages: before, during, and after training. Here’s how you can implement it:   Before Training   Conduct Pre-Training Assessments Use surveys, assessments or interviews to gather data on participants' existing knowledge, skills, learning goals and context. This information helps customize the training content to address individual needs, ensuring that everyone benefits from the session. Check out the 5 most important learning needs assessment questions to ask  for more practical tips. Set Clear Objectives   Define specific learning objectives based on the assessment data. Communicate these objectives to participants to align expectations and provide a clear roadmap for the training. Remember, a well-defined objective not only outlines what the training will cover but also clarifies what it won’t. For example, in my product knowledge training, the vague objective of “improve your product knowledge about hotel operations” could have been more effective if rephrased to “Understand the hotel brand standards” or “Master the safety and emergency protocols.” Design Personalized Content Develop training materials and activities that are tailored to the diverse needs and preferences of your learners. For instance, in the hotel training context, I could have divided the participants into sub-groups based on their tenure or department. Additionally, preparing different case studies and hands-on exercises would cater to the varied learning needs of the group, making the training more relevant and engaging. During Training Facilitate Interactive Sessions Use interactive methods such as group discussions, role-playing, and simulations to actively engage participants. Tailor these activities to reflect real-life scenarios relevant to the individual context of the participant. Apply our 7 expert-proven techniques to boost training engagement . Provide Real-Time Feedback Offer immediate, personalized feedback to participants during the training. Use tools like interactive polling and quizzes to gauge understanding and address any knowledge gaps on the spot. Create Small Learning Groups Divide participants into smaller groups based on their skill levels or job functions. This allows for more focused and relevant discussions, fostering a collaborative learning environment. After Training Offer Follow-Up Resources Provide additional resources such articles or online courses that participants can access to further their learning. Ensure these resources are aligned with their individual goals. Implement Post-Training Assessments Conduct assessments to evaluate the effectiveness of the training  and measure participants' progress. Use this data to identify areas for improvement and provide targeted follow-up support. Encourage Continuous Learning Establish a community where participants can share experiences, ask questions, and continue learning from each other. This ongoing support helps reinforce the training and encourages continuous development. Conclusion Personalized learning is essential for maximizing engagement and effectiveness in training sessions. By understanding the unique needs and preferences of each learner, we trainers create customized learning experiences that are relevant, engaging, and impactful, and thus, transform traditional training into a dynamic and meaningful experience. What about you? How do you personalize your training design to create unforgettable and impactful learning experiences? Share your best tips with us!   If you are want to design and run your own training session but you have zero experience, check out our new online course “Training for Non-Trainers” . In no time will you be facilitating like a pro!

Imagine stepping into a room full of buzzing conversations, lively debates, and networking galore—welcome to the typical day in Learning and Development! If you’re an introvert, this might sound more like a scene from a horror movie than a typical workday. But worry not because it's time to flip the script! We've crafted this guide especially for you - the quiet achievers, the deep thinkers. We'll explore how introverts can leverage their unique strengths and carve out a thriving career in L&D. Ready to embrace your superpowers and make waves? Let's jump right in!   What does it mean to be an introvert? Contrary to popular belief, introversion has less to do with how sociable someone is, and more with how they recharge and get their energy.   One of my most favourite ways to explain the difference is with a car. Imagine you have 2 cars – one electric and one with a solar panel (you are clearly an environmentally-conscious individual!).   Let’s say that on Monday you decide to take out your electric car out for a few errands – grocery shopping, banking, meeting with friend for lunch and stopping by the post-office to pick up a package. By the end of the day, you come back home, park your electric car in the garage and the battery is drained. So you plug it in and leave it overnight to charge up.   On Tuesday you happen to need to do the exact same thing – grocery shopping, banking, lunch, post-office – but you decide to take your solar paneled car. You drive around all day and by the time you come back home, it is fully charged and ready to go!   The same is true for people. Extroverts are like the solar car – the more it spends its’ time outside, interacting with the world around it, the more energised they feel. Introverts are like our electric cars. They will accomplish the exact same thing as the extroverts (and chances are they will look very sociable doing it!), but by the time they come home, they need to recharge their batteries by spending some alone time – reading a book, watching a movie or staring at nothing in particular.   Here are some other differences between extroverts and introverts:  Extroverts Introverts Draws energy from other people Draws energy by spending time alone Talks first, thinks later Thinks first, talks later Prefers working with other people Prefers working by themselves Is interested in discovering a breath of ideas Is interested in digging deep into an idea Usually talkative and outgoing Usually quiet and reserved Can feel fatigued from having to spend too much time by themselves Can experience fatigue from having to spend too much time with people If you want to learn more, check out the works of Carl Jung  or the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator . How can introversion impact your career in L&D? While introverts have many valuable habits (like listening and observing, attention to detail, empathy, strategic planning and so many others), they may also experience difficulties, especially when it comes to career development.   Whether you like it or not, networking is a big part of career development. And if that is something you struggle with, then your career may suffer from it in the long run. But fear not, there are things you can do. Read on! Tips to start thriving as an Introvert in L&D Carve out your alone time We know how important alone time can be for an introvert! So, don’t ignore it. If you need some time to just rearrange your thoughts or you’re feeling overwhelmed by the environment you’re in, politely excuse yourself and find a quiet corner. We promise, no one is going to be mad at you. Especially if you explain why you need it. Leverage your strengths As an introvert, you have some superpowers, like listening, observing, written communication and delving deep into topics. Leverage those! Volunteer for projects that require you to listen attentively, observe others or analyse the situation (like the yearly Learning Needs Analysis process!). If you need to say something but are not sure how to do it face-to-face, write an email. (By the way, this is the last time we’ll be recommending writing MORE emails, this is just for the purposes of helping our dear introverts) .   Pick the right role in L&D Did you know that some L&D roles  do not require as much social interaction as others? For example, LMS administrators mostly work with the Learning Management system. Perhaps you can specialise in one of those roles? Just pick the one(s) you think might be interesting and compare your existing competencies to the ones needed for the role of your choosing.   Build one-on-one relationships Just because you might feel anxious during networking events, doesn’t mean you don’t network at all. Leverage the power of one-on-one relationships. Pick a person and approach them for a coffee chat or lunch. Use your superpowers of listening and observing to learn more about them. Ask (appropriate!) thought-provoking questions that will help you build trust and rapport. And do it for the sake of creating a new friendship, not only when you need something in return. Relationships take time!   Bite the bullet Sometimes you just have to turn your “extrovert mode” on! It’s not easy, and it takes some practice, but it is absolutely possible to look for opportunities to be more social – grab a drink with someone, invite a bunch colleagues to lunch, initiate a conversation in the elevator or watercooler. Of course, you will need your alone time afterwards to recharge (we get it!) and it’s perfectly ok. You just need to plan accordingly.     Thriving as an introvert in the world of Learning and Development might feel like navigating with a solar panel on a rainy day, but with the right strategies, you’ll shine brighter than ever. Embrace your unique strengths and remember that even introverts can conquer the networking jungle — sometimes, you just need a good recharge session afterwards.   So, how do you take advantage of your introversion? And how do you deal with the pressure of this extroverted world we live in? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. We can’t wait to learn about your introverted superpowers in action! --------------   Learn more: https://www.amanet.org/articles/advice-for-introverts-how-to-thrive-in-the-business-world/ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/navigating-workplace-introvert-jane-lee/ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/being-introvert-learning-development-melissa-ilano/

Are you hiring a new person for your L&D team? That’s great news! But let me guess, Talent Acquisition has asked you to give them a job description so they can advertise the role and you have no idea what to write? Don’t worry, friend, our article will help you with all the basics. Table of contents: Job Descriptions vs Job Ads Clarify the Role Craft the Job Description Write the Job Ad Tips for Effective Job Ad Distribution Job Description vs Job Ad First things first. You might think that a job description and a job ad are the same thing but they are not. A job description  (JD) is an internal document that outlines the key responsibilities, competencies and qualifications required for a particular role. It’s like a blueprint that guides your hiring process.   On the other hand, a job ad  is the external pitch you use to attract potential candidates. Think of it as a marketing tool that highlights the most attractive aspects of the job and your company in the hopes of enticing the best talent to apply.   For example, a job description for an L&D Manager will specify the need for strategic thinking and leadership skills. The job ad might emphasize the opportunity to shape the learning strategy for a growing organization, appealing to candidates looking to make a big impact.   Clarify the Role Your first step in creating either a job description or an ad needs be to clarify the role itself. It’s one thing to be looking for an Instructional Designer, another for Trainer or Facilitator. To make it easier for you, let’s explore 3 common roles: L&D Administrator, L&D Specialist and L&D Manager.     L&D Administrator L&D Specialist L&D Manager Primary responsibilities Manage training schedules, maintain records, coordinate logistics for L&D programs. Develop instructional materials, conduct training sessions, evaluate program effectiveness. Design L&D strategy, oversee program implementation, manage L&D team, align training with business goals. Key competencies Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, proficiency in learning management systems (LMS). Instructional design expertise, facilitation skills, knowledge of adult learning principles. Leadership, strategic thinking, stakeholder management, budget oversight. Fit with the learning strategy Supports the execution of learning initiatives by ensuring seamless administrative processes. Contributes to the creation and delivery of effective learning interventions that drive performance improvement. Shapes the learning strategy to align with organizational goals, ensuring training initiatives support overall business strategy. Required experience 1-2 years in an administrative role, preferably in an L&D or HR environment. 3-5 years of experience in instructional design, training delivery, or similar L&D roles. 7-10 years in L&D, with experience in leadership or strategic roles. Educational Background Bachelor’s degree in business administration, HR, or a related field. Bachelor’s degree in education, instructional design, or a related field; certifications like CIPD are a plus. Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in L&D, HR, or Organizational Development; advanced certifications in L&D preferred. Key metrics for success Timely and accurate completion of administrative tasks, high participant satisfaction with program logistics. Improved learner outcomes, positive feedback on training sessions, increased engagement in learning programs. Achievement of strategic learning objectives, ROI on training programs, enhanced employee performance and retention.   Note: the above is for illustrative purposes, and your needs may differ greatly from the ones described above!   Craft the Job Description Now that you have the basics, you need to fill in the following categories: Job title  – the official title Job summary  – concise and compelling overview of the role Key responsibilities  – list of the main tasks and responsibilities Key competencies  – list of critical skills and knowledge the candidate must posses to be considered for the role Required Experience  – the experience the ideal candidate will bring to the role Preferred Qualifications  – list of desirable educational background(s) Reporting Structure  – reporting line and team dynamics Salary and Benefits  – this is a controversial topic but there is a considerable shift towards being open and transparent with the salary ranges   Your Talent Acquisition team will likely have a template you can follow to make sure you have filled in all the required information.   To learn, check out our article “How to make sense of L&D job descriptions” .   Write the Job Ad Job ads are sometimes written and handled by the Talent Acquisition team. If that’s your case, first of all – lucky you! And, second of all, feel free to skip this part. But if that’s not what’s happening to you, strap on; you’ve got some work to do.   Your job ad should have the following components (all examples have been generated with ChatGPT 4o) :   Engaging Introduction Your introduction should capture the attention of the audience with a compelling opening. For example, "Imagine a workplace where your ideas for developing cutting-edge training programs are not only valued but celebrated. At ABC Corp, we're searching for a visionary L&D Manager who thrives on pushing the boundaries of traditional learning. If you're excited about leading a team and shaping the future of our learning strategy, we want to hear from you!" Highlighting the Unique Selling Points (USP) Tell potential candidates why they should choose your organization and this role. For example, "At XYZ Company, we don't just invest in our employees—we invest in their futures. As our new L&D Specialist, you'll have the opportunity to shape learning programs that directly influence the growth and success of our team members. With access to cutting-edge tools and a culture that champions innovation, you'll be at the forefront of transforming our learning landscape." Brief Overview of Responsibilities and Qualifications Summarize the key points from the job description, don’t just paste the whole thing – no one is going to read it, we promise you! For example, "As an L&D Administrator, you’ll ensure our learning programs run smoothly by managing schedules, maintaining training records, and supporting our team. Ideal candidates will have at least 2 years of experience in an administrative role, excellent organizational skills, and proficiency with learning management systems (LMS)." Work Environment Describe the organizational culture and work setting. For example, "Our culture at ABC Corp is built on trust, respect, and a shared commitment to excellence. We offer a supportive work setting where you’ll have the autonomy to make decisions and the resources to develop your career, all while working in a fun and energetic atmosphere." Call to Action (CTA) Include a line encouraging potential candidates to apply, and how they can do so. For example, "Excited about this opportunity? Click ‘Apply’ to start your journey with us!" Incorporating Company Branding Make sure that through the text, the company culture and values are reflected in the tone and language. SEO Considerations Use relevant keywords to optimize the job ad for search engines. For example, "Looking for a skilled Learning and Development Specialist  with expertise in instructional design  and adult learning principles ? Join our dynamic team and help us create impactful training programs. Apply today for this exciting L&D Specialist role!"   Tips for Effective Job Ad Distribution If you’ve written the best job description and job ad, you may be eager just to post it on your company website, kick back and wait for candidates to start applying. But there’s more to it than that. Here are some tips we can offer to make sure your job ad is successful:   Select the right channel   Choose the job boards and platforms where you are more likely to encounter potential L&D people. Here are some we’ve found online: ATD’s Job Bank: https://jobs.td.org/ The Learning Guild’s Job Board: https://www.learningguild.com/job_board/jobs/index.cfm?action=viewcats eLearning Industry’s Job Board: https://elearningindustry.com/jobs Teaching: A Path to L&D Job Board: https://www.teachlearndev.org/resources/job-boards (the link to the actual board is hosted on Airtable)   If you come across other job boards, please send us a message .   Of course, no one beat the more popular platforms, like LinkedIn , Indeed , Monster or Glassdoor . So we’ll just leave them here.     Promote the Ad on Social Media   Posting the ad on hoping for the best is certainly a strategy… but it’s not the best one. To ensure your ad’s success, spread the word about it on social media – both your company pages and your personal profile. You never know who might be lurking in your feed.   Leverage Employee Referral Programs If your company has a referral program, encourage your existing employees to advertise the position and, again, spread the word. The best advocates are happy employees. And if your employees are happy, you’ve won half the battle. Speaking of… if your employees aren’t happy, perhaps refrain from going down that path.     As you embark on the journey of crafting your next job description or job ad, remember that this is your chance to shape the future of your L&D team. Take the time to define the role clearly, communicate what makes your organization stand out, and inspire the best talent to join you. The perfect candidate is out there, and with the right approach, you’ll find them. Now that you’re equipped with these tips, go ahead and create that compelling job ad—and watch as top-notch candidates start knocking on your door. Happy hiring!

In the rapidly evolving world of Learning and Development (L&D), keeping learners engaged during training sessions has become more challenging and more critical than ever. As technology advances and attention spans shorten, it's essential to employ techniques that make your training sessions not just informative but also impactful. The Power of Engagement A few years ago, I was tasked with conducting a training session for a group of financial professionals at a large hotel. The topic was “Productivity with Excel” - a subject that, while crucial, can often be dry and technical. From previous experiences, I knew that a traditional lecture would not suffice. I decided to incorporate a range of interactive activities and digital tools to bring the topic to life. We started with an icebreaker  game where participants shared their most memorable (and funny) Excel mishaps. This not only lightened the mood but also highlighted the importance of understanding the software in a very relatable way. Next, I used a combination of group discussions  and simulations . Participants were divided into teams and given different scenarios to execute in Excel. They had to brainstorm  solutions and present  their strategies to the group. This collaborative approach kept everyone engaged and allowed them to learn from each other. By the end of the session, the financial professionals were not only adept at Excel's time-saving techniques but also eager and confident about implementing them in the workplace. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many participants praising the training's enjoyable and effective approach. Their progress was evident in two significant ways: first, on average, they completed tasks 30% faster than before the training, showing a remarkable improvement in efficiency. Second, their increased competence sparked a greater curiosity about Excel, gradually developing their expertise further. In fact, they soon became the department's go-to experts for Excel troubleshooting! Challenges of Modern Training All in all, there are several considerations every trainer must take into account: Information Overload:  Today's learners are inundated with information from various sources, making it difficult to retain new knowledge. Short Attention Spans:  With the rise of digital media, attention spans have decreased, making it challenging to keep learners engaged for extended periods. Diverse Learning Preferences:  Learners have different learning preferences, which requires trainers to adopt versatile approaches to meet varied needs. Challenges are there is to be resolved, thought! Let’s talk game-changers for social and digital interactions!  Social Interaction Techniques Icebreakers and Energizers Starting your session with an icebreaker sets a positive tone and encourage participation. Simple activities like "The Post-it Vision board” can break the ice and align the training objectives with participants’ personal goals. Here is how it works: to kick off the training session, invite each participant to create a mini vision board on a post-it note. Ask them to visually represent what they hope to learn or achieve from the training. They can draw symbols, write words, or even create a small visual that captures their expectations and goals. Once completed, have everyone stick their post-its on a designated "Vision Wall." You may encourage participants to revisit the wall during breaks and see the diverse range of goals. At the end of the training, facilitate a discussion where participants can share whether their expectations were met and what insights they gained. Throughout the session, don’t forget to incorporate energizers, too. Those are short, fun activities designed to re-energize participants, especially during longer sessions. This can include quick quizzes, stretch breaks, chair yoga, or a short group game. Group Discussions and Brainstorming Encouraging group discussions and brainstorming sessions can transform a passive learning experience into an active one. Divide participants into small groups and assign them topics to discuss or problems to solve. This not only promotes engagement but also fosters collaboration and idea-sharing. Utilize techniques like "Think-Pair-Share" where participants first think individually, then discuss with a partner, and finally share with the larger group. Role-Playing and Simulations Role-playing and simulations are powerful tools for experiential learning. They allow participants to apply theoretical knowledge in a practical, real-world context. For example, in customer service training, participants can role-play different scenarios to practice handling difficult customers. This immersive approach helps learners retain information and develop skills more effectively. Digital Interaction Techniques Interactive Polling Tools Tools like Mentimeter  and Slido  enable you to conduct live polls, quizzes, and Q&A sessions. These tools are excellent for gauging understanding, collecting feedback, and playing games. For instance, you can start a session with a poll to understand participants' existing knowledge on the topic, use quizzes to reinforce learning points throughout the session, or play “Who wants to be a millionaire”, where the whole group is the participant. Virtual Whiteboards Virtual whiteboards, such as Miro  and Mural , facilitate collaborative brainstorming and planning. They allow participants to contribute ideas in real-time, regardless of their location. This is particularly useful for remote training sessions, where maintaining a sense of collaboration and engagement can be challenging. Gamified experiences Incorporating game elements into your training can significantly boost engagement. Use quizzes, leaderboards, and rewards to create a competitive yet fun learning environment. Platforms like Kahoot!  and Mentimeter allow you to create interactive quizzes that learners can answer in real-time, adding an element of excitement to the session. BONUS: AR & VR While more advanced, AR and VR can create highly immersive learning experiences. For example, in a safety training session, virtual reality can simulate a hazardous environment where learners can practice handling emergencies without any real-world risk. Or a manufacturing company uses augmented reality so that trainees can see overlaid instructions and animated guides directly on the machinery, showing them how to operate it safely and efficiently.   TL;DR Maximizing engagement in your training sessions requires a blend of social and digital interaction techniques. Effective engagement transforms passive learning into an active, enjoyable, and memorable experience. It fosters better retention, collaboration, and application of knowledge. As L&D professionals, it's our responsibility to continually innovate and adapt our techniques to meet the evolving needs of our learners. With the right strategies, you can make every training session a highlight in your participants' professional journey. Now, armed with these techniques, go forth and transform your training sessions into unforgettable learning experiences!

It’s not every day that L&D departments get large budgets to do anything their hearts desire. Yet, we still need to help teams work better together. Which begs the question “What do we do when we have limited to no money at all?” For one, we don’t give up.   Here are 7 ideas of what you can do to help teams work better together on a budget. Table of Contents: In-House Expertise Utilize Free Resources Digital Tools and Apps Creative Problem-Solving Activities Community Engagement Case Studies Role-playing Scenarios Conclusion     In-House Expertise   You don’t need to hire a super expensive consultant or facilitator to run your sessions. Chances are, as an L&D practitioner, you already have the capabilities needed to design and run a team session. A huge advantage to doing it yourself is that you know the business and the people.   Tips for success: Talk to the team’s manager to establish what a successful outcome will be for them. Ask, “What would you like to be different by the end of the session?” Collect learning needs from as many stakeholders (i.e., team members, their internal and external clients, peers, etc.) and resources (i.e., business goals, strategy, performance metrics, etc.) as possible. Learn as much as possible about the participants. Enquire about their tenure with the company, educational background, and behavioral preferences.   Utilize Free Resources   Do you have a computer, a printer, and some pens and paper? The reality is that’s all you need. There are tons of free training and team-building materials and tools available online. Just do some research, find an acitivity or game that would suit your needs and have a go at it.   Tips for success: Our favorite online places to look for activities are Skills Converged , SessionLab , and Training Bubble . We also love a good training games collection book, like The Big Book of Humorous Training Games  by Doni Tamblyn and Quick Team-Building Activities for Busy Managers  by Brian Cole Miller. If you want to inspire or move your audience, look no further than TED Talks  or plain old YouTube .     Digital Tools and Apps   “There’s an app for that”. That is doubly true for L&D. There are so many tools and apps you can use to facilitate a team session that come at little or no cost at all. A Slack channel? A virtual whiteboard? An interactive escape room? A virtual meet-up space? Find the ones that could help you.   Tips for success: Some of the tools we like to use are Canva , Miro , Kumospace , Daresay Checkin  and even PowerPoint. Do give those a try. Teambuilding.com put together a wonderful list of online tools and software, make sure to check it out here .     Creative Problem-Solving Activities   Sometimes, all it takes to get a team to start working together more effectively is putting them in a situation where they need to solve a common challenge. And you really don’t need any fancy materials, props, or facilities to organize a hackathon or an “idea marathon” where teams work together to solve business problems within a limited time.   Tips for success: Just because these are relatively easy to organize doesn’t mean they will run on fumes. Get some catering going, or, if you have a $0 budget, ask people to bring their own food and snacks. Why not have a small side competition for the best home-cooked snacks? Make sure to do your research into a real problem. Otherwise, it will feel like a “tick-of-a-box” exercise without any real-world consequences.     Community Engagement Chances are your local community already has tons of opportunities that you can get involved in. And again, nothing rallies the troops better than working towards a common goal. Maybe you can go to the local animal shelter and help by taking some doggos out for a walk. Or join forces with Habitat for Humanity and help build a house. Or help with a food drive for low-income families in the area.   Tips for success: It is best if the community activity you decide to engage with aligns with your business’s values. For example, it would make sense for a chemical factory to get involved in local park or highway cleaning initiatives. Check to see what local businesses might be interested in partnering with you. They can do it as mentors, coaches, motivational speakers, or just for networking.         Case Studies There are so many stories from around the world of when things worked well and when they didn’t. Why not use those stories as a case study and have the team discuss and collaborate on a solution?   Tips for success: Find case studies related to topics that are relevant to the team members. It doesn’t have to be from the same industry, but they need to be able to relate to the main character(s).   It would be great to get real-world case studies and, after the discussion, share with the group what happened in reality. But that may not always be available. So it’s ok to make up your own case study or story – draw inspiration from your experience but modify it to fit your audience.     Role-playing Scenarios   There are very few things that simultaneously make grown-ups roll their eyes and still have tons of fun. Role plays usually fall in that category. Joke aside, though, role plays can be invaluable in helping teams solve a conflict, find their preferred communication style and methods or discover their team identity. And the good news – it doesn’t cost a thing to find appropriate role plays online or create ones yourself.   Tips for success: Your role-play scenarios need to be relevant and tailored to the participants’ specific roles and challenges yet not hit too close to home. Provide very clear instructions, time limits and ground rules for the activity. This should help you create a smooth and constructive experience for everyone. The most important thing about a role play is the reflection after the fact. Help people think things through by asking them powerful and thought-provoking questions.   Conclusion   You may not have Google’s or Amazon’s L&D budgets, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help your teams work better together. The secret is being resourceful, innovative, and open to new experiences and ideas. But most of all – to have fun!   Did we miss anything on our list? Let us know in the comments down below.   Happy team-building!

If you’re reading this, chances are you want to set up a brand new Learning and Development department in your company. While it is definitely a cause for celebration (Yay, you!), you’ve got a long road ahead of you. We’re here to help you figure out the most critical things you need to consider and give practical examples of what that could look like in practice.   Table of Contents: Step 1. Define the L&D Vision and Goals Step 2. Design the L&D Structure and Processes Step 3. Build the right L&D team Step 4. Monitor, evaluate and improve Conclusion   TL;DR Setting up an L&D department involves understanding organizational needs, developing a comprehensive learning strategy, organizing a skilled team, and continuously monitoring and improving processes. Focus on aligning your L&D efforts with business goals, nurturing team development, and regularly evaluating the effectiveness of your programs to build a thriving learning culture within your organization.     Step 1. Define the L&D Vision and Goals Understand the Organizational Needs L&D should exist for a reason. And that reason is to help the organization meet its learning requirements. To do that, you first need to understand what those requirements are. Conduct surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews to gather insights about the company's learning needs.   Practical Example: If the business wants to increase customer satisfaction by reducing product defects, L&D could consider targeted quality control learning interventions, such as training programs, online courses or modules, microlearning nudges, or a buddy system.   Want to learn more about learning needs? Check out our mini-course “Learning Needs Analysis”.   Develop a Learning Strategy Once you know the learning requirements, it’s time to create a plan. This is known as a Learning & Development strategy. This document should include: The department’s vision, mission, and goals Roles and responsibilities Learning priorities based on identified requirements and needs Learning delivery methods L&D initiatives list (usually broken into onboarding, employees, management/leadership, and team development) Resource allocation (incl. people, budget, technology, etc.) Evaluation and measurement approach, etc.   Your strategy document must have very specific and measurable objectives . It’s not enough to say, “We’ll upskill our managers”. You need to outline specific goals such as “We’ll provide 40 hours of leadership training and coaching to all mid-level managers over the next six months, focusing on conflict resolution, strategic planning, and team motivation, with an expected improvement in team performance metrics by 15%.'"   Another thing to remember (which will come back later in the L&D process) is establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) . This is critical when it comes to evaluating your efforts. You don’t want to finish a six-month development program and have no idea whether it was successful or not because you don’t know what to measure and what the key indicators of improved performance are.   Download “L&D Strategic Plan Template”!   Practical Example: Let’s say that your company focuses on enhancing communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and product knowledge of front-line employees. Your learning strategy, in this case, would outline the following: The delivery method : design and deliver a 12-week customer services training program . The specific objectives : reduce customer complaints by 30% and increase customer satisfaction scores by 15 points over the next quarter . The KPIs : track progress by monitoring the number of customer complains, measuring the average customer satisfaction score, and evaluating the speed and accuracy of issue resolutions before and after the training.       Step 2. Design the L&D Structure and Processes   Organize the L&D Team Structure If you know what you want  to do and how you want to do it, you can begin thinking about who  you need on board. Consider what roles you need to bring your strategy to life.   Practical Example: A strategy that relies on online learning would need people versed in creating computer-based experiences – instructional designers, online facilitators, graphic designers, producers, etc. On the other hand, if the learning strategy emphasizes personalized learning paths, perhaps you need to consider hiring coaches and learning experience designers. There are a lot of roles in the L&D field, check out 35 of them here .   Design Policies and Procedures Like any other department, L&D must have some standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the most important (if not all) L&D processes. In other words, what rules must employees, managers, and L&D follow? These processes could include: Learning needs assessment Program design and delivery Ad-hoc training requests Onboarding Evaluation Educational grants and others   Note: the above is not an exhaustive list! Practical Example: An SOP for learning needs assessment could outline the main steps like: Conducting bi-annual online questionnaires and focus groups Quarterly meetings with department heads to prioritize learning needs   A program design and delivery  SOP will usually contain information about: Drafting learning experience outlines based on needs Getting stakeholder approval Developing content (with or without Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)) and getting feedback Scheduling and organizing delivery Evaluating the success Timelines from initiation to execution   Best practices in ad-hoc training request  SOPs include: How to submit a formal request The approval process Timelines for review and approval Budget allocations, etc.   Create an L&D Policy in no time with our development guide and template! Step 3. Build the right L&D team Identify Required Skill Sets Before posting a job ad, you need to know what skills and capabilities your team requires. Do they need instructional design? Training delivery? Project management? Data analysis? Keep in mind that every job can be broken into “must-haves”  and “nice-to-haves”. No one can do everything all the time. So, after compiling a list of all the competencies you think you need, make sure also to sort them into the two categories.   Practical Example: An L&D coordinator must be able to organize learning events and analyze incoming data. However, they do not need to be experts in instructional design or learning theories. Vice versa – a trainer or facilitator should be well-versed in learning experience design and stakeholder management, but they don’t need to be pros at event management.   Recruit and Develop Talent This can be equal parts exciting and exhausting. You need to craft a job ad, reach out to people with a mix of expertise and potential, interview, and ultimately hire and onboard every team member. There are tons of tips on interviewing  out there, so we’ll leave that to the experts.   Once all that is done, remember – it’s not enough to hire an amazing team of people. You need to ensure they remain amazing throughout their tenure with the company. Focus on personal and professional development, knowledge sharing, and teamwork. After all, how can you build a learning culture in your company if there isn’t one within the L&D team?     Practical Example: Each job posting should contain the following information: Job title and summary  (i.e., Digital Learning Programs Lead, focus on deploying learning solutions to meet our employees’ digital upskilling needs ) Company overview  (i.e., IT Services and Consulting company focusing on providing hands-on support in rolling out, enabling, and operating marketing enterprise solutions for the top global IT companies ) Main responsibilities  (i.e., collaborating with stakeholders, assessing learning needs, designing learning interventions, setting up a coaching and mentoring program, facilitating  online workshops, etc. ) Requirements  (i.e., 5+ years of experience in the field of L&D, bachelor’ s degree in learning and development, psychology or similar, strong communications and presentation skills, etc. ) Benefits  (i.e., competitive salary, yearly bonuses, medical and dental insurance, company phone and computer, career development opportunities, international and inclusive workplace, etc. ) Location  (i.e., Berlin, remote )   For best results, consult your Talent Acquisition team – they are experts and can help you craft an ad that not only attracts suitable candidates but also places the company in the best possible light. Step 4. Monitor, evaluate and improve You might think that once you hire and train the right people, you’re done setting up your L&D department. The reality is that it is a never-ending process. That is why you need to constantly collect and analyze any and all feedback you can get your hands on. This is where the KPIs from earlier come into play. If you know what your success measurements are and how to keep track of them, it becomes easier to understand the objective reality of the department. Use this data to refine and enhance the team’s work and update the overall L&D strategy.   Practical Example: After rolling out a new leadership development program, conduct quarterly feedback surveys with participants to: assess their satisfaction and gather suggestions for improvement.   Analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) such as: the program’s impact on leadership effectiveness, employee engagement scores, and retention rates. For instance, if the feedback indicates a need for more interactive sessions, incorporate more group discussions and hands-on activities in future iterations.   Don’t focus solely on the team's output but also the people within it. Have regular one-on-one chats with your L&D team members to gather their feedback on the programs they are developing and delivering. Use these insights to understand their challenges and identify areas for their professional growth. For example, if a team member expresses a need for better data analysis skills, arrange for them to attend a relevant workshop or course and then give them tasks to apply what they are learning back on the job.   Additionally, collect feedback from learners about the effectiveness of the facilitators and instructional designers. Use this data to provide targeted coaching and development opportunities, such as peer learning sessions, knowledge-sharing sessions, or mentorship programs. Your team is your most important asset, so make sure you’re taking good care of them.   Conclusion While it may sound overwhelming, setting up an L&D department from scratch isn’t that difficult. It just takes some time and patience. But the rewards for doing it right can be immense.   What did we miss on our list? Let us know in the comments below.

It is commonplace for business leaders and company owners to constantly ask, “What’s next for us?”. Yet this isn’t a question we often hear in Learning & Development. It’s hard to say for certain how L&D needs to adapt, even though a lot of organizations try (see the sources list at the bottom). But predicting the future can be hard, especially when we are constantly surrounded by rapid change. It seems the best we can hope for is to make an educated guess about the emerging roles in Learning and Development. Which is exactly what we will do in this article.   Considerations for L&D   What L&D will do depends on what the organization and its employees need. According to the different research and our experience in the past few years, we can make several assumptions: There is a shift towards work from home and hybrid ( 41% ), yet the majority of people ( 59% ) still work from an office or on location. Aligning to business objectives  is still the top priority for L&D. Which often comes down to “let’s make more money with fewer costs”. Learning is deemed valuable  for career development but it needs to be approachable and meaningful. Everyone has a unique career journey, and therefore, their learning experience needs to be personalized. AI and other new technologies are here to stay. It is often cheaper to promote someone internally (aka internal mobility) than to hire someone from outside and train them. Employees need to be equipped with the necessary competencies to help them make vertical or lateral career moves internally.     Emerging roles in L&D With all of the above in mind, what are the roles that will help organizations gain and/or keep their competitive advantage? Let’s explore the 3 roles we believe will become popular in the near future.   Personal Learning Experience Designer   Personal Learning Experience Designers will focus on crafting tailored learning pathways that cater to the unique needs and career goals of individual employees. The role might also be called Personal Career Consultant. They will work closely with employees to identify their strengths, areas for improvement, and aspirations, then design personalized development plans that incorporate various learning methods and tools.   For example, imagine a marketing assistant who aspires to become a digital marketing strategist. The designer might create a custom curriculum that includes online courses, mentoring sessions, and practical projects to help the assistant acquire the necessary skills and knowledge.   Learning AI Specialist   You can really go nuts with this role! A Learning AI Specialist will leverage artificial intelligence to enhance and streamline the learning process within organizations. They might develop and implement AI-driven tools that can analyze personal learning data, predict training needs, and offer personalized content recommendations.   For instance, imagine there is an internal system that can spit out a personalized learning path based on your career goals. Want to become a senior? Here’s what you need to do. Want to step into a leadership role? Check out these activities you can do to get ready. And everything you do is tracked and analyzed (why not even gamified?) to help you see your progress and maintain your motivation… especially when the going get tough!   Hybrid L&D Facilitator   This is something a lot of use currently do, even if we don’t use a fancy name for it. Hybrid L&D Facilitators will play a crucial role in bridging the gap between remote and in-person training and development. They will design and deliver learning experiences that are effective and engaging for both remote and on-site employees, ensuring that everyone has access to high-quality training regardless of their location.   Here’s a fun example – the facilitator organizes a blended learning workshop where remote participants join via a virtual platform while in-person attendees participate on-site. The first group has to do something (i.e., solve a puzzle or discuss a case study) that can be used by the in-person group to then go on a scavenger hunt or do a role play. They use interactive tools like virtual breakout rooms and collaborative whiteboards to foster engagement and collaboration among all participants.   What’s next?   While this exercise in creativity is certainly fun, we need to remember that that’s all it is for now. Time will tell if any of these will become mainstream. And if they do, remember – you heard it here first, folks! J    The future of L&D is brimming with potential, but it must adapt and align with business priorities to survive. If it does not, it risks losing its value and relevance, and business leaders will stop seeking its support. The emerging roles we highlight here promise to revolutionize professional development. But are you ready to embrace the change?  How can you ensure L&D remains a value-adding function in our organizations? Let us know your comments down below.   ----   Sources : Barrero, J.M., Bloom, N. and Davis, S.J., 2021. Why working from home will stick. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper 28731. [pdf] Available at: https://wfhresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/WFHResearch_updates_June2024.pdf [Accessed June 2024]. CIPD, 2023. Learning at work 2023. [online] Available at: https://www.cipd.org/en/knowledge/reports/learning-at-work/ [Accessed June 2024]. Erickson, R., Moulton, D., Cleary, B., 2018. Are you overlooking your greatest source of talent?. [online] Available at: https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/deloitte-review/issue-23/unlocking-hidden-talent-internal-mobility.html [Accessed June 2024]. Haan, K., 2023. Remote Work Statistics And Trends In 2024. [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/remote-work-statistics/ [Accessed June 2024]. Kotter, J., 2023. What’s next for learning and development: The past, present, and future of training in a hybrid world. [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkotter/2023/04/24/whats-next-for-learning-and-development-the-past-present-and-future-of-training-in-a-hybrid-world/ [Accessed June 2024]. LinkedIn, 2024. LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report 2024. [pdf] Available at: https://learning.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/business/en-us/amp/learning-solutions/images/wlr-2024/LinkedIn-Workplace-Learning-Report-2024.pdf [Accessed June 2024]. Taylor, D.H., Vinauskaite, E., 2024. AI in L&D: From talk to action. [online] Available at: https://donaldhtaylor.co.uk/research_base/focus02-talk-to-action/ [Accessed June 2024].

Learning and Development isn’t a single role; it’s an umbrella term for a tapestry of roles. Sometimes, these roles will be performed by different people, sometimes the L&D team will consist of 1 person, and they will need to don many different hats. We've scoured the internet and counted 35 different L&D roles. Prefer video? Check out The Many Jobs in Learning and Development! Animator or motion graphics designer This role   creates engaging visual content or animations to enhance learning materials.   Coach This role provides personalized guidance to support personal and professional development. We have two wonderful videos (if we dare say so ourselves) on coaching in Learning and Development: Beginner's Guide to Coaching for L&D Role of Coaching in Learning & Development (L&D)   Community Manager The main purpose is to foster learning communities, encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing.   Content Designer This role focuses on designing educational content with a focus on learner engagement.   Content Strategist   This person plans (and executes) content strategy to meet learning objectives. Basically, for any content that needs to be created, this role ensures there is consistency across everything L&D produces.   Content Writer   Drafts informative and compelling written materials for learning.   Corporate Trainer   As the name suggests, this role is all about delivering training programs within corporate settings.   Facilitator   Guides group learning processes to encourage participant engagement. For example, any sort of team strategy meeting can use a facilitator who guides discussions and makes sure everyone sticks to the rules. Check out Kerri Price (our favourite facilitator on LinkedIn) and The Facilitators Network .   Game Designer This role develops educational games to make learning interactive and fun.   Graphic or Visual Designer   Creates visual elements to support and enhance learning content. Basically, any images or graphics that you need for your training or marketing materials are their responsibility.   Head of Learning and Development   This is a more strategic role that oversees the L&D department, setting learning strategies and goals for the entire organization.   Instructional Designer or eLearning Developer This is one of the most popular roles in L&D. Most often, this is a dedicated person or team responsible for designing and developing online educational modules (also known as eLearning).   Internal Communications Manager   This role is about managing internal messaging to support any company-wide L&D initiatives.   Leadership or Management Development Specialist.   Larger organizations pay a lot of attention to leadership and management development and, therefore, need someone to take charge of it. This role focuses on developing leadership skills within the organization and helping employees with strong potential to jump into a management role with ease.   Learning and Development Administrator   Manages L&D-related finance, procurement, budgeting, and other administrative tasks.   Learning and Development Business Partner   Aligns L&D strategies with business goals. So, if the company wants to take a new strategic direction, the L&D business partner will be there to help them learn and develop the competencies needed to make that a reality.    Learning and Development Manager   Usually a people-management role that is also responsible for leading the development and implementation of L&D programs.   Learning and Development Program Manager   This role oversees specific L&D programs, ensuring their success. For example, if you want to implement a new onboarding program, the L&D program manager will support you in this.   Learning and Development Project Manager   This role is about managing L&D projects from inception to completion. Let’s say you want to implement a new learning management system, you need a project manager to oversee everything – from learning needs analysis through to success measurement.   Learning and Development Specialist   This is the role that specializes in analyzing the learning needs of the organization, developing and delivering learning content, and then evaluating its success.   Learning Experience Designer This is someone who designs immersive and effective learning experiences. So, instead of employees attending yet another lecture-type training, they are immersed in an unforgettable experience that helps them solve real-world challenges back on the job.   Learning Management System Administrator This is someone responsible for managing the Learning Management System (LMS) to ensure the smooth delivery of online training.   Learning Measurement Analyst   Analyzes data to measure the impact of L&D initiatives on its employees, managers and overall the organization.   Learning Operations Manager   Oversees the operational aspects of the L&D function. For example, a LOM might streamline the scheduling process for multiple training programs to avoid conflicts, negotiate with software providers for better rates on new e-learning tools, and analyze budget reports to identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising the quality of training or other learning interventions.   Learning Solutions Architect This is someone who designs comprehensive learning solutions to meet organizational needs. They are different from the learning experience designer in that they focus more on the strategic integration of various learning initiatives across the organization, ensuring alignment with business goals and scalability. For example, a Learning Solutions Architect might develop a multi-year learning strategy that incorporates e-learning, instructor-led training, and informal learning opportunities, all designed to support the company's growth objectives and adapt to future changes in the industry.   Learning Technology Lead This role, as you’d imagine, guides the adoption and use of learning technologies.   Learning Transfer Agent   Ensures learning is effectively applied in the workplace.   Onboarding Specialist   Designs and delivers programs to integrate new hires into the organization and their teams.   Special Projects Manager This   would be someone who manages unique L&D projects with specific goals. For example, a Special Projects Manager might oversee the rollout of a new leadership development program tailored for mid-level managers, coordinating between content creators, facilitators, and external consultants to ensure the program is aligned with the company's strategic leadership competencies, delivered within a set timeframe, and evaluated for effectiveness against predefined metrics.   Team Development Specialist   Focuses on enhancing team dynamics and performance through targeted training, workshops and other interventions.   Technical Writer   Someone who develops clear and concise technical documentation for learning purposes. These could be manuals, job aids, self-paced guides and so on. For example, a Technical Writer might have to create detailed user guides for a new company-wide CRM system, breaking down each feature into easy-to-follow steps, complete with screenshots and troubleshooting tips, ensuring employees can navigate the system efficiently and effectively from day one.   Training Delivery Manager   Usually oversees the delivery of training programs to ensure effectiveness.   Training Facilitator This role combines the responsibilities of a corporate trainer and that of the facilitator. What this looks like in practice is someone who leads training sessions but does it in a way that promotes active learning and group participation.   UX Designer   This role is responsible for designing user-friendly learning platforms and materials.   Video Editor or a Producer This is someone responsible for creating and editing videos to support learning content. Want to see how you stack up to these roles? Check out our Competency inventory! Did we miss anyone? Let us know in the comments below!

Imagine you just started a new job, whether in your current organisation or a new one. This means you are bound to encounter some unfamiliar tasks. If you’re anything like us, you will seek ways to learn and bridge your knowledge gaps.   In bigger companies, this learning is facilitated by a dedicated person or team. They specialize in everything from training and online courses, to coaching and mentoring, leadership development, and so much more. These are your Learning and Development professionals (or L&D for short).   But what exactly do L&D practitioners do all day? Certainly, they aren't just hosting team-building trust falls or endlessly rearranging training room chairs. This is what we’ll tackle in this article. Let’s go! Table of Contents: How does L&D bring value to the business? Key L&D responsibilities Typical L&D Activities Conclusion   How does L&D bring value to the business?   To understand what L&D does, we first need to understand how they bring value to the business. In other words, why even bother? There are some good reasons: Upskill  employees and ensure they have the necessary competencies to perform their roles effectively. This, in turn, leads to improved overall performance and personal productivity. Nurture leaders  and equip them with the skills they need to lead their teams, manage projects and drive organisational success. Boost employee engagement  and satisfaction by investing and creating learning opportunities for everyone. Cultivate and promote a continuous learning culture in which employees are motivated to acquire new skills and knowledge. Support any and all organisational changes by preparing employees for new processes, technologies, and strategies, ensuring smoother transition and continued operational efficiency. Improve teamwork  and collaboration which are essential for efficient and effective operations in modern businesses.   Key L&D responsibilities   The most common association people have with Learning and Development is training. But that is only a very small part of what L&D does. As a matter of fact, most L&D practitioners don’t set foot in a training room for months on end, if at all. So then, what do they do?   The simple answer is that they follow the L&D cycle. This is a four-stage act that transforms raw skills into polished talents.   The first step is to identify the learning needs. In other words, who needs to learn, what do they need to learn, when should they learn it and what’s the best way for them to learn it. Imagine L&D as detectives sniffing out and uncovering the mystery of missing skills, knowledge or behaviours. At this stage, L&D usually finds out whether training is the right way forward or whether something else is needed, like a workshop, teamwork, coaching, job aid, online course, or something else entirely.   Next, they morph into artists, designing learning programs with the creativity of Picasso, but thankfully, more comprehensible. In this stage, creativity takes the front seat. Our L&D experts become architects of knowledge, designing tailor-made learning programs. They mix and match learning methods and content, creating a blueprint for success.   Then it's time for delivery. This is where the magic happens. L&D practitioners step into the spotlight, delivering engaging and effective learning (be that training or something else, like an action learning set, a project, a mentor, etc.). They're like conductors of an orchestra, ensuring each note of learning resonates with the audience.   The final act involves critical analysis. In other words – evaluation. Here L&D don the hat of a meticulous scientist, evaluating the impact of the learning activity with the precision of a lab tech analyzing a Petri dish. It's the feedback loop that keeps the cycle spinning, ensuring continuous improvement and growth.   Through this cycle, they transform mundane corporate learning into an art form, ensuring that employees don't just learn, but thrive. For example, L&D could turn a dull Excel training into an exciting treasure hunt for formulas. Or they might organize a team cooking challenge that sizzles with teamwork and leadership lessons.   Typical L&D Activities   L&D activities stem from their responsibilities. In other words, almost everything L&D does should be part of one of the 4 stages of the L&D cycle.   Here is a list of some of the more common activities L&D usually engage in:   Training Needs Analysis  - Identifying skills gaps and learning requirements within the organization. Curriculum Design  - Creating comprehensive training programs tailored to specific needs. Content Development  - Developing and updating training materials, such as manuals, online modules, and videos. Workshop Facilitation  - Leading interactive training sessions and workshops. E-Learning Development  - Designing and implementing online learning courses. Coaching and Mentoring  - Providing one-on-one guidance to help employees develop specific competencies. Performance Consulting  - Working with managers to address performance issues and improve team efficiency. Leadership Development Programs  - Designing and conducting training for current and future leaders. Organizational Development Initiatives  - Implementing strategies to improve the overall effectiveness of the organization. Employee Onboarding  - Structuring and delivering orientation programs for new hires. Career Pathing and Succession Planning  - Assisting in the planning of employee career progression and leadership succession. Competency Modeling  - Defining the skills and behaviors required for various roles within the organization. Learning Management System (LMS) Administration  - Managing the platform that delivers and tracks e-learning. Employee Engagement Programs  - Creating initiatives to increase job satisfaction and loyalty. Diversity and Inclusion Training  - Conducting programs that promote a more inclusive workplace. Compliance Training  - Ensuring employees are up-to-date with legal and ethical standards. Team Building Activities  - Organizing events and exercises to enhance teamwork and collaboration. Data Analysis and Reporting  - Evaluating training effectiveness and reporting on key metrics. Vendor Management  - Selecting and managing external training providers and resources. Continuous Learning Promotion  - Encouraging and facilitating ongoing professional development among employees. Team meetings - Discussing team strategies, objectives, and feedback received from learning initiatives. Collaboration with other departments - Ensuring alignment with organizational goals. Continuing education - Staying updated with the latest L&D trends and technologies Stakeholder engagement - managing everyone involved in learning, from employees, to their managers, HR and the Executive Board.   So if you see your local friendly L&D person running in and out of meetings or staring at their computer screen with a weird expression on their face, chances are they are doing one (or more!) of the activities in this list.   Conclusion   And there you have it! We've peeled back the curtain to reveal the dynamic world of Learning and Development. From the initial spark of identifying learning needs, to the creative artistry of designing engaging programs, and the grand finale of delivering and evaluating them – L&D is far from just fun and games.   We've also discovered that L&D practitioners are involved in a whole lot more than just training sessions. They're the architects behind the scenes, meticulously crafting learning experiences, fostering leadership, and championing a culture of continuous improvement. Whether they're analyzing data to fine-tune their strategies, collaborating across departments, or simply keeping their skills sharp with the latest trends, L&D professionals are always on the move. So, the next time you bump into your L&D team, remember, they're not just planning the next team-building event or wrestling with PowerPoint slides. They're the unsung heroes shaping the learning landscape of your organization, ensuring everyone from the newbie to the seasoned pro continues to grow, thrive, and excel. Keep an eye out for their next act of learning wizardry!     If you're itching to dive deeper and truly master the art of L&D, we've got just the thing for you!   🚀 Join our comprehensive online video course " Learning and Development Fundamentals ". This course is your gateway to becoming an L&D superstar. Packed with practical insights, real-world examples, and interactive content, it's designed to take you from a curious learner to an L&D maestro.   Whether you're just starting out in L&D or looking to polish your skills, this course is your one-stop destination. 🌟 Enroll now and embark on an exciting journey of learning and growth. See you there!

As someone who has spent the last 12 years in the Learning & Development (L&D) field, I can tell you that it's both a rewarding and challenging career. But if you've ever thought that maybe L&D is for you and aren't sure how to start moving in this direction, here are seven easy steps for turning your dream job into a reality: Table of contents: Step 1: Build foundational L&D knowledge Step 2: Improve your technology expertise Step 3: Get some practice Step 4: Develop soft skills Step 5: Join an L&D community Step 6: Get an entry job in L&D Step 7: Keep learning Step 1: Build foundational L&D knowledge As a learning and development professional, your job is to help employees learn and develop. This means that you need a good understanding of learning and development, why it's important for companies success, and what you should be doing to support that learning. The first step in becoming a Learning & Development professional is building foundational knowledge—i.e., the basic concepts that underlie all learning programs. These concepts include things like "knowledge acquisition" (the process by which people acquire new information), "learning theory" (the study of how we learn), and "behavioral change" (changing people's behavior). If you'd like to get an introduction to the topic of Learning and Development , make sure you read What is L&D in our free Start a Career in L&D guide. And for more in-depth knowledge, we suggest you take a look at our course "Learning & Development Fundamentals: Practitioner's Guide". Step 2: Improve your technology expertise Let's face it: you can't be an effective L&D professional if you don't know how to use technology. This includes staple programs like M.S. Powerpoint, Excel, and Word, but also more specific technologies, like eLearning and video creation software, as well as Learning Management Systems (LMS). There are many ways to learn about new technologies and apply them to your work. Which ones will be critical for you to know depends on the type of L&D role you are in. It is a good idea to seek ways to improve your technical expertise constantly. Here are some ways to do that: Read books and blogs about learning technologies. (You can review a curated list by EdTech Books here ) Attend conferences where people discuss new technology in the field of L&D. (For example, several conferences focus on learning technologies: by Learning Technologies and eLearning Industry , to name a few) Join online communities dedicated to specific types of technology or other topics related to your work as an L&D professional (e.g., LinkedIn groups or communities). Participate in conversations with other professionals who specialize in similar areas (e.g., through Facebook Messenger chats or groups). Step 3: Get some practice It's cliche, but practice makes perfect. You can only become an expert if you spend time doing the work. To learn the ropes, you need to get some practice under your belt by gaining experience through internships or training programs. If that's not an option for you, find someone who has done what you want to do and ask them for advice on how they got started. I sometimes get approached by aspiring L&D practitioners on LinkedIn , and I'm always happy to share some advice from my personal experience. Another option is volunteering for a relevant organization; many companies look for volunteers with skills that could be helpful for their cause. Think of youth organizations or the Red Cross. If there aren't any volunteer opportunities available in your area, consider offering a completely free digital or in-person presentation or class on a topic of your choice and promote it through Facebook or other social media platforms. Even if just 5 people show up, it's still a great experience and will teach you a lot. Step 4: Develop soft skills Soft skills are the competencies that help you work with other people. They include things like communication, teamwork, leadership and more. In L&D, we often emphasize soft skills because they're important for our day-to-day functioning and foster a culture of learning in our organizations. But guess what? Soft skills are important for all jobs! You can't be successful at your job if you don't have good interpersonal competencies —and it doesn't matter if you're an accountant or an aerospace engineer; you’d still need to work well with others, or you won't get far on the career ladder. So how do we develop these essential soft skills? The first step is realizing that developing them will take time. Not everything comes naturally—you'll need practice and get feedback from others. There are plenty of courses online , many even free, so pick up a topic and start learning. Another great way to learn is through books, but remember that it's not enough to just read about something - you also need to carve out time to practice that skill. Step 5: Join an L&D community An L&D community is a group of people with similar interests in the field of learning. These communities come in all shapes and sizes, from informal Slack channels to more formal LinkedIn groups. Joining one can be a great way to learn new things, connect with other professionals in your field, and get your foot in the door. Some L&D communities even help their members land jobs! Joining an L&D community is easy: look for one online or ask around at conferences or meetups to find out which ones are active in your area. Here are some of the groups I'm part of: L&D Connect Organization Development, Learning Development and Human Resources TrainingZone - training, learning & development P.S. The L&D Academy has its own private community on LinkedIn . Make sure to check it out! Step 6: Get an entry-level job in L&D If you're going to make it into L&D, you need to start somewhere. But before you apply for L&D positions left and right, make sure you're clear on what type of role you want. Yes, surprise, surprise! There is more than one L&D role ! And each role may require a different set of competencies . So, if you'd like to be prepared for that first interview, make sure you first spend some time learning about your desired role and career path and develop a few of the critical competencies required for it. Once you feel you've done all the prep you need, start applying. LinkedIn is a great place to search for L&D jobs, stay up-to-date with industry news, and make meaningful work relationships. Some other places you can look up: Glassdoor Indeed MonsterJobs Step 7: Keep learning! You might be thinking, "Gee, that's a lot of work—and how am I going to fit it all in?" The good news is that you don't have to do all this at once; you can spread out the learning and development process over time. The important thing is to keep learning new skills and acquiring knowledge to continue progressing in your career. Here are some ways: Keep up with technology changes—Learn about new tech products, software programs, and devices as they come out and what they mean for your industry or team. For example: What does augmented reality mean for H.R. professionals? How could VR/AR help training programs? Learn from others—Listen to podcasts like The eLearning Coach and L&D+ for Learning and Development topics. Also, check out TED Talks , with more than 2 million talks on topics ranging from science & technology to design & architecture. These are great resources full of valuable information! Becoming a Learning & Development professional can be challenging, but it's also a great career opportunity. Take it one step at a time, and don't overwhelm yourself. As an aspiring L&D professional, you should know that learning doesn't happen overnight. 😉

A management development program is an investment in the future of the company. It may also be a necessary expense if you're trying to improve performance or comply with certain regulations. But what's the Return on Investment (ROI) on that? How do you know if your learning initiative is worth the money you're spending on it? How do you communicate your findings to the stakeholders? This article will offer some guidance on all of the above. Table of Contents: Tip 1. Establish the key areas with an impact Tip 2. Identify critical success factors Tip 3. Determine learning gaps Tip 4. Measure success post-program Tip 5. Communicate the results Conclusion Tip 1. Establish the key areas with an impact To determine the impact of a management development program, you need to establish the starting point (or a baseline) for the key areas that will impact business performance . You can use your company's performance data or hire an external consultant to help you develop metrics and measure the results over time. Alternatively, you can meet with key people from Senior Management and HR and determine these key areas together. Once you have established a baseline, you'll need to measure the changes in those areas as they occur and find the connection with your learning program. Tip 2. Identify critical success factors Once you've decided on the desired impact of your management development program, it's time to determine its critical success factors . CSFs are all the "key areas where things must go right for the business to flourish" (Rockart, 1979). You need to pay close attention to these areas. They will help you determine whether your program is achieving its intended results. The following questions can help identify your critical success factors: What are the most critical elements of this management development program? What specific outcomes do we expect from our managers after completing this training? What do we hope they do better than their peers who did not participate in this training? How do we measure these outcomes or changes in behavior (or both)? What metrics will indicate how effective this training was for each manager who attended it? Tip 3. Determine learning gaps Since this is a development program, it's important to identify the current knowledge, skill and performance, and figure out the gaps with what we want them to achieve. This will help you determine where most opportunities for improvement lie. You can then use this information to develop the program's curriculum. As a starting point, consider introducing a tool like 360 Degree Leadership Feedback ( a systematic collection of feedback from direct reports, peers, and managers ) that will help you pinpoint critical behaviors you want to address. 360 feedback is an excellent tool for development - it allows leaders to self-reflect and understand how others perceive their actions. If you're looking for easy-to-use and customizable 360 Degree Feedback templates, check out The Ultimate Toolkit for L&D . It has everything you need to run a successful 360 feedback - a question bank, report template, and a calculator. Plus, the toolkit features a wealth of other L&D templates that are sure to save you a lot of time. Another tool you can use is the employee engagement survey . Typically it gives insights into employee motivation, job satisfaction, career development, and working relationships. There is a lot of data you can use. You may notice certain departments or managers have been rated lower by their employees, which would indicate an area for improvement. Tip 4. Measure success post-program So you've completed the program, and now it's time to measure the impact . You'll want to look at how much it has improved employee engagement, performance and retention, as well as all the other metrics you'd defined at the start of it. If your company uses employee engagement tools, include the most recent data in your report. You can also include the findings from the 360 Degree Feedback (ideally, you would run this survey both before and after the program so that you can assess the change). Tip 5. Communicate the results Let your stakeholders know what is the return on investment (ROI) . You can do this by using a variety of communication methods, channels and formats. Some prefer this to be done face-to-face at special management forums, while others may be more informal and use channels like Slack. Whatever the case, ensure your key message is well thought-out and you are prepared to answer questions about any key metrics or program details. There are three key things you would need to cover: Provide detailed information about the results Include statistics such as: How many people participated in the program, What they learned, How much time they spent working on their projects. If you're evaluating an online course, include information about: How many people viewed it, What kind of feedback participants provided. Include the time, money, and people effort invested in the program. Explain your analysis Explain why certain metrics were chosen and how those metrics were measured (for example, "We measured employee engagement based on surveys we sent out at the beginning of the year asking them questions like whether they would recommend our company to friends or family"). This will help other stakeholders understand why some numbers might be higher or lower than expected without having to rely solely on raw numbers alone to tell the whole story. Summarise key findings Close out with your key message and findings, which essentially should summarise whether the program was successful or not. Make sure you also mention next steps: will there be a follow-up program; will you be running another 360 Degree Feedback in 6 months time to measure the impact further; will leaders be excepted to trickle this information down to their teams etc. Conclusion Evaluation is an important part of any management development program. Conducting one helps you determine the effectiveness of the learning intervention and ensures that it is aligned with the needs of your senior managers. These evaluations will also allow you to: Gauge whether or not the learning met your goals, What changes are needed in the future, What was the impact on business performance, and How much value was added based on each participant's perceptions. For a deeper dive, we have a video course that covers everything you need to know about the learning evaluation process. Resources : Rockart, J.F. (2014) Chief Executives Define Their Own Data Needs , Harvard Business Review . Available at: https://hbr.org/1979/03/chief-executives-define-their-own-data-needs.

Employee onboarding is the process of integrating the new employee into the company's culture, processes and work environment. The goal of it is to increase the productivity of the new employee, improve the retention rate and reduce the costs associated with high employee turnover. While there is no universal approach to effective onboarding, there is definitely value in being consistent in measuring its effectiveness and making tweaks along the way. This article will provide some ideas on how to go about evaluating the effectiveness of your onboarding program. Table of contents: What is employee onboarding Onboarding vs. Off-boarding How to evaluate an employee onboarding program Identify the objectives of employee onboarding Introduce meaningful KPIs and metrics Onboarding satisfaction Training/onboarding completion rate New-hire turnover (voluntary/involuntary) New-hire retention New-hire engagement rate Identify challenges and make tweaks Summary What is employee onboarding? Employee onboarding is a combination of several activities that contribute to the successful integration of the employee into the company's culture and work environment. This process typically includes the following: An official welcome from the company's executives and managers; Scheduled activities with HR representatives and colleagues (e.g. lunch, social events, etc.); Training on the company's policies, processes and procedures; Health & Safety training Training on specific software and systems (e.g. travel system, expenses system, company intranet etc.) Establishing relationships with colleagues including mentors/sponsors, etc. Employee onboarding should be seamlessly integrated into the employer's recruitment process and not treated as a separate process by itself. Holding onboarding events a week after someone’s official start date is not really beneficial and creates a poor first impression of the employer. Onboarding vs. Off-boarding While this article focuses mainly on evaluating onboarding, it’s worthwhile to take a moment to consider how you’re treating the off boarding process as well or to make sure you have one at all! How we treat leavers is just as important as how we treat new comers, as it all reflects on our employer branding. Offboarding is a process that is designed to ease the transition of outgoing employees out of the company. It helps leavers to focus on transitioning their knowledge to the next generation of employees, while minimizing disruption and at the same time ensuring they do not take proprietary information with them. As part of the off boarding process we need to make sure we collate feedback in the form of exit interviews and offer leavers to also join a company’s alumni programme, if one exists. How to evaluate an employee onboarding program 1. Identify the objectives of employee onboarding When measuring the effectiveness of onboarding, there are many factors to take into account. First, you'll need to consider the objectives of the onboarding programme. Do these objectives align with the employee's expectations and priorities? Do they align with the company’s objectives and overall goals? What is the main outcome we seek by introducing an employee onboarding programme? If a newcomer was expecting an in-depth training and insight into the company’s products and they merely got a general presentation on the history and operating markets, then there’s clearly a misalignment that may lead to disappointment on the employee’s part. It’s important to take time and define the objectives of the programme first, while taking into consideration what your newcomers want. 2. Introduce meaningful KPIs and metrics Once you know what you’re aiming at, it’s easier to define how to effectively measure it. KPI: Key performance indicators. KPIs evaluate the success of an organisation or of a particular activity (such as projects, programs, products and other initiatives) in which it engages. They help you make decisions based on analytical data, so that you can focus attention on what matters most. Here are 5 metrics you should consider measuring in relation to your onboarding programme: Onboarding satisfaction Ask employees to share their immediate thoughts after completing the onboarding process or a part of it (depending how granular you want to go). This is essentially the equivalent of "happy sheets" we hand out at the end of a training. They're meant to assess how the new hire felt about the process and to voice out any concerns. Some questions you might want to ask: On a scale from ... to ... how would you rate your overall onboarding experience? Was adequate time spent on each topic? Which topics did you find the most valuable? Was there a topic that was missing? Is there something you would change about the onboarding process? Training/onboarding completion rate Whether someone has completed their full onboarding programme or not could be an indicator about how useful and worth the time investment it was for them. There are other factors to consider here, of course, i.e. whether they were allowed sufficient time to complete it, whether they faced any technical issues, whether they were encouraged/discouraged by their line manager etc. A well-designed programme, which is supported by management, is crucial for employee engagement, getting people up-to-speed quickly and as a result - saves the company money by enabling employees to be productive quicker. New-hire turnover (voluntary and involuntary) Voluntary turnover measures the number of employees who decide to leave of their own accord. It is an important metric to keep an eye on, because a high new-hire turnover might indicate there are issues with the onboarding process, expectations of the role, the manager-employee relationship or just the overall employee experience. Look for patterns: whether certain departments or job roles get higher new-hire turnover than others and make steps to correct issues. Involuntary turnover could be the result of redundancy or the manager not finding the new hire to be fully fit for the role. In the case of the latter, it could be an issue of poor recruitment practices that lead to not bringing on board the right talent. It could also be an issue with less-than-optimal onboarding. Either way, it's an issue you need to investigate, as it's potentially costing the company a lot of money in hiring. It's been estimated that new hire replacement could cost between 6-9 months' salary. New-hire retention (per manager) Retention measures how many of you new hires decide to stay with you after a certain period. To calculate retention, SHRM suggest taking the number of individual employees who remained employed for the entire measurement period (this could be a year or less, up to you) divided by the number of employees at the start of the measurement period. You then multiply the number by 100 to get a percentage. This metric is best to be looked at per department, or better yet - by manager, because this will help you see whether there are issues in certain areas of the company or with a certain supervisor, where retention is really low. New-hire engagement rate When calculating employee engagement rate, there are a number of other metrics to look at: absenteeism, retention, eNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score - i.e how likely someone is to recommend you as an employer to someone else), plus there are a number of drivers to consider: how aligned is the employee with the company's strategy, how recognised they feel for a job well-done, whether there are opportunities for career growth etc. The easiest way to measure new-hire engagement rate is if you already have an annual or pulse survey in place that collects that data for you. There are many companies that offer excellent engagement survey options - OfficeVibe , Glint and Peakon , to name a few. Alternatively, you could design one in a survey platform like SurveyMonkey or similar. 3. Identify challenges and make tweaks The biggest challenge to evaluating onboarding effectively is the lack of standardized onboarding approaches across organizations. If your company operates across different countries or even continents, then it’s very likely each business unit will have their own onboarding practices. While a blanket approach is never a good answer where differences need to be considered, think of ways to introduce a standardised process, as much as possible. Summary Having a formal employee onboarding process identifies what's expected of employees, helps them understand how the organization works, and clarifies the roles of managers and their new hires. Not having a formal employee onboarding process means that new employees have to figure things out for themselves, which has a greater chance of negatively impacting them, their projects, and the organization as a whole.

If there is anything this pandemic has taught us this past year (besides how to properly wash our hands!) it’s that virtual learning will likely be becoming the norm in organizations. Now, you may have mixed feelings about it, because it’s notoriously difficult to keep the learners focused for longer periods of time, especially when they’re sitting in front of a monitor! But challenging as it may be, virtual learning definitely has its benefits, and with the handful of tips we’ve gathered in this article, it will hopefully become second nature to you. Tip # 1. Design with the learner in mind When you first start working on designing a training session, it’s tempting to just open a blank PowerPoint presentation and start typing. To make training really impactful (be it virtual or classroom), you need to take a step back and first build its foundations. Much like building a house, you don’t start with the windows; you don’t even start with the walls! - you start with a blueprint for how the whole thing should look in the end. Some questions to help you outline your training objectives and training outcomes: Who are you designing for? (New joiners, managers, a specific department, learners with special needs, etc.) What is the overarching goal for the session? What are you trying to accomplish? What should the learners know/be able to do by the end of this session? How will you know the training has accomplished the set goal? Tip # 2. Set the stage Once you know what the goals and learning objectives are, you can start thinking about how the whole session would play out. Will it be a 1-hour or 4-hour session? Will it take place over a period of a few days or will it be completed in one sitting? Will it be purely virtual, or are you including other elements like pre-session reading, quizzes, eLearning, etc. Clarify what the learners can expect from the session and make sure you spend a few minutes at the beginning of it to explain the whole journey, as well as lay out some ground rules. Some things to make sure you clarify from the start: Will participant cameras be on or off? Will the chat be enabled? Will participants be muted? Will you host any break-out rooms for working in pairs/groups? Tip # 3. Keep tools simple, but engaging To be quite frank, we haven’t really found the Holy Graal of virtual training (but if you have, you should definitely let us know in the comments!) We tend to use Zoom and Skype, in addition to tools and apps like Miro (for live whiteboarding exercises) and Kahoot! (For real-time quizzes and leaderboards). Whatever your software of choice, make sure you don’t overwhelm your learners. Switching between apps can become tedious and there’s the risk of running into more tech issues than if you just stick to one or two tried-and-tested ones. Tip # 4. Engage learners pre-session Blended learning is a fantastic approach to help knowledge really stick. It will also have learners curious and excited for the actual session. Think of ways to blend different learning methods and create opportunities for the participants to learn on their own. You can design a piece of pre-learning to prime the learners for the session. What that would look like all depends on what you want to achieve: if testing their existing knowledge is the goal - then giving them a quiz or exercise sheet is the way to go; if instead, you’d like them to learn something in advance - then a short eLearning course or mini eBook would do the job. Tip # 5. Invest in good audio In a virtual training session, having crystal-clear audio is simply essential. It’s difficult as it is for learners to stay focused for a longer period of time; when you add to that poor audio, where they have to strain to hear you, you will most likely lose them within the first 5 minutes. You don’t need to invest in super high-tech equipment (unless your side gig is podcasting!) but having a decent microphone and sitting in a quiet, non-echoey room will ensure your voice will be heard loud and clear. Tip # 6. Use a backdrop Spare yourself the embarrassment of a family member randomly appearing in the background or a forgotten pile of laundry making a cameo from behind. Apps like Skype offer the option of blurring your background or even adding a backdrop. Alternatively, move your camera to face the wall, so that you can avoid any mishaps. Tip # 7. Do a dry-run before the actual session Having a practice run will help relieve some of the tension you might be experiencing. Plus, you’ll get a chance to practice how the activities would go. You’ll also be able to test out all pieces of technical equipment (camera, microphone, earphones) and all apps you’re going to be using. Tip # 8. Go live 15 min before In the same way, you would be in the live classroom well before the learners, make sure you log in to the virtual classroom at least 15 minutes before. You can put up a nice visual or share the cover slide of the presentation deck if you’re using one. Maybe even play some casual background music.

The Kirkpatrick’s Model for evaluation has been the gold standard for decades. It stands as an indispensable framework for trainers, facilitators and educators across various industries. If you’re just stepping onto the L&D wagon, this guide is a must-have. Let’s demystify the four fundamental levels of evaluation – Reaction, Learning, Behavior and Results – with practical explanations, examples, and tips on collecting and analyzing data. Table on Contents: What is the Kirkpatrick Model? Brief History and Evolution of the Model Why Use the Kirkpatrick Model? The Value of Learning Measurement and Evaluation Level 1: Reaction Level 2: Learning Level 3: Behavior Level 4: Results Conclusion What is the Kirkpatrick Model? The Kirkpatrick Model has been the standard for learning evaluation for many decades now. But don’t let its simplicity fool you – it sure packs a punch. There are 4 levels at which you would evaluate the learning: Level 1 is the " Reaction ," which is all about first impressions: did the learners enjoy the learning/training? Level 2, " Learning " – did they actually learn something? Level 3, " Behavior ” – like a detective, you're looking for evidence of changed behavior back at the workplace. Level 4, " Results ", is the grand finale—did the training make a significant impact on the business? Brief History and Evolution of the Model Picture Donald Kirkpatrick as the Albert Einstein of the L&D world. Way back in the 1950s, he had an "aha!" moment and devised this four-level framework. Initially used by the U.S. Army, it soon caught on like wildfire and has been the go-to standard for learning evaluation ever since. Yep, it's the "Beatles" of training evaluation models—timeless and still rocking! Why Use the Kirkpatrick Model? Wondering why you should jump on the Kirkpatrick bandwagon? Imagine building a house without a blueprint; you wouldn't know where to start or what to focus on. The Kirkpatrick Model is your blueprint for building a bulletproof learning program. It helps you focus on what's crucial at each stage, from learner satisfaction all the way up to business impact. The Value of Learning Measurement and Evaluation Measuring and evaluating training is like being a detective — you're collecting clues to solve the mystery of "Is this training actually working?" The Kirkpatrick Model gives you the tools to turn those clues into a compelling story, full of twists and turns, that ends with a satisfying conclusion: impactful learning that benefits everyone. Evaluating learning and training helps you know what works, what doesn’t, and how to allocate resources for maximum impact. Level 1: Reaction What is it? Level 1 evaluates the initial reactions learners have to your learning event (be that a training, workshop or an online course). It is like the "trailer" for a blockbuster movie – it gives you a quick glimpse of what the audience thinks, but it's not the whole story. How to collect it? The most common way is to utilize the so-called “happy sheets”. A simple post-course survey will do the trick – be that on a piece of paper or an online questionnaire. For the latter, you can use paid services like SurveyMonkey or the free Google Forms. Example Questions How satisfied are you with the training? (Not at all satisfied – Completely satisfied) How relevant was the content to your job? (Not at all relevant – Completely relevant) How likely are you to recommend this session to your colleagues? (Not at all likely – Extremely likely) How can we improve this session in the future? How to analyze it? There are two types of data you’d normally collect at this stage – quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative data looks at numerical values (9 out of 10 people would recommend the session) and qualitative data analyses text (3 people recommend increasing the length of the session). No need for a Sherlock Holmes magnifying glass here. Simple statistical methods, like calculating the mean (the average score, where you add up all the numerical values of the responses and then divide them by the number of responses) and mode (the value that occurs most often), can give you a clear snapshot of the general sentiment. And don't overlook the qualitative feedback; it's often where the real gems lie. Level 2: Learning What is it? At Level 2 we need to figure out what kind of learning actually took place. We want to know if they’ve acquired the skills, knowledge, and attitudes the learning session aimed to instill. That is, if they attended a Conflict Resolution webinar, do they now know how to solve conflict? Level 2 is all about making sure the training isn't just a flashy show but offers substantial learning value. Think of it as ensuring your learners leave the 'classroom theater' with a toolkit, not just a bag of popcorn. How to collect it? There is a multitude of ways to collect Learning data: quizzes, interviews, role-playing exercises, interactive eLearning modules, and so on. Example Questions Can you list the three main components of our new software? How would you handle a disgruntled customer based on what you learned? Which of these strategies would best optimize our workflow? How to analyze it? At this stage, you need to be more methodical. You can look at the quiz questions to determine which ones were most effective and least effective. Or use pre- and post-assessment comparisons to measure the learning changes and (hopefully) gains. Level 3: Behavior What is it? It’s not enough to know your learners have gained new skills and knowledge. At Level 3 you need to understand whether their behaviors have changed in the long-term. Does it translate into real-world effectiveness? Did your educational efforts arrive at a meaningful destination? How to collect it? Measuring behavioral change can be challenging, to say the least. But not impossible! You can think of this as being a paparazzi, where you discreetly ‘snap photos’ of performance to catch learners in the act – positive or otherwise. The methods you can use for this are observations, performance reviews, feedback from peers and managers (collected in a survey or through interviews), and so on. Example Questions What changes have you observed in productivity/performance since completing the training? How successfully is the team using the new communication methods introduced in the training? How many safety incidents have you reported since the new protocol was learned? How to analyze it? To measure the behavioral change, you need to correlate performance metrics with specific training components to see what’s influencing what. This is where the challenge lies – there are a lot of influencing factors affecting performance and you need to make a strong connection between the learning that took place and the performance that has changed. For this, you can look at both quantitative data (like sales figures, customer NPS scores, etc.) and qualitative data (like peer reviews or manager feedback) for a more holistic picture. Level 4: Results What is it? There is a reason Level 4 evaluation is at the top of the pyramid. At this stage, we need to evaluate the ultimate impact of the training program on organizational goals and bottom-line metrics – think of the likes of performance, revenue, and retention. It's like seeing if the training not only led the horse to water but also made a meaningful difference in the overall health of the herd. So, Level 4 is where the whole journey comes together, proving that your training is not just a 'good to have' but a meaningful contributor to organizational success. How to collect it? To collect data at this level, you'll need to go beyond quick snapshots and invest in a long-exposure capture of key performance indicators (KPIs). This could involve an in-depth review of quarterly financial reports, customer satisfaction surveys, or other relevant data that align with the intended outcomes of the training. Example Questions How has the training impacted revenue? What impact did the leadership program have on employee engagement? What changes to customer satisfaction can be attributed to the training? How to analyze it? The analysis phase at Level 4 is where you'll put on your detective hat. You're not merely looking for a thumbs-up or thumbs-down; you're piecing together the narrative of how training has—or hasn't—propelled the organization forward. This involves scrutinizing the data meticulously and perhaps employing more complex statistical methods to draw substantive conclusions about the training's ROI. Want to learn more about measuring the Return on Investment (ROI) for learning? Check out our Quick Guide to Measuring the ROI of Learning . Conclusion And that’s all you need to know about Kirkpatrick’s Learning Evaluation Model. By now, you should have a well-rounded grasp of how to apply this framework to measure the effectiveness of your learning programs. For those new to the field of Learning and Development, this is not just theoretical knowledge — this is your actionable blueprint. So, dive in and start implementing the Kirkpatrick Model in your learning projects. We'd love to hear how it goes! Please share your experiences, challenges, or questions in the comments section below. After all, the journey of learning and development is one best traveled together. Happy evaluating!

The beginning of the year is a perfect time for a fresh start, not only when it comes to personal goals, but also in the context of corporate objectives. This is usually where most companies begin their employee goal-setting cycle. And what better time than to set the L&D direction for the year as well? Still not there yet? Unsure how to go about it? Don't worry. In this article, we offer seven practical tips for creating a learning and development strategy. Table of contents: What is a learning and development strategy? Who should be involved? 7 essential components to an L&D strategy Tip 1. Map out your learning plan to suit your business goals Tip 2. Shape your plan from the top down Tip 3. Research current trends Tip 4. Gather employee feedback Tip 5. Define success metrics Tip 6. Identify learning priorities Tip 7. Design a Learning Strategy roadmap What is a learning and development strategy? A good L&D strategy is a treasure map that leads the organisation to reach higher profitability through employees development. It can be used as a tool for improving productivity and motivating staff. A learning and development strategy is essentially a plan or roadmap for your employees to learn new skills and develop their talents. It is meant to help your business grow by optimizing the abilities of your workers. Who should be involved? Ideally, Learning and Development strategies should be created by several people, not just one person. Let's start with the L&D team . While it might be tempting to take on the role of creating and implementing a company’s L&D strategy, a solo approach can lead to many problems. For example, team members may feel as though they aren't being listened to or that their ideas are not being taken seriously – which could result in frustration in the team and a dip in motivation levels. By inviting everyone, you ensure they have been included in the process. The team will benefit from some fresh ideas, and members will be much more invested and interested in carrying out the L&D plan. That being said, if you believe some of the team members might find this challenging or are perhaps too junior or new to the company, then you might want to limit the group to the L&D leadership team or more senior employees. Apart from L&D, you also need to align with some key figures in human resources , like the HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, Organisation Development, and others. Each of these roles will give you a unique perspective of the business, its strategy, vision, and mission. And speaking of the business , remember to include them as well. After all, your plan will heavily involve them, so it is only fair that they have a say too. Consider including in the process formal and informal leaders , managers and supervisors , and, of course, a representative sample of employees . 7 Tips for a Winning L&D strategy 1. Map out your learning plan to suit the business goals A good training strategy is not only about learning , it is also about performance . So, before you start planning any training and development activities, you need to identify how they will contribute to achieving your company's business goals. To do this, start by asking yourself: What are your company’s business goals? - Have these been communicated already by Senior Management and do you fully understand them? If not, it's worthwhile to sit with a member of HR or Management, if possible, and go through them to make sure you fully understand where the company is heading and how it will get there. What are the individual departmental business goals? - You don't need to go into details here, but it's helpful to understand what are some of the big-ticket items for each of the major departments in the company. For example, does Customer Service plan on introducing a new tool for messaging clients? If yes, that would mean the affected staff will need to be trained. How do goals translate into employee success criteria? - What skills or knowledge would be needed for employees to be able to complete their individual goals successfully? If productivity needs to be raised by X%, then employees would benefit from productivity training or tools to help them achieve that. Now that you know what needs improving and why, it’s time to map out a plan that will help us get there. 2. Shape your plan from the top down Work with your leadership team to set the right tone. The best way to get your learning roadmap off the ground is by setting the right expectations and culture cascading from the top down. This means getting as much feedback as possible on your designs from both the Leadership team and HR . And then, of course, incorporating that feedback. Remember that they are not learning experts, so be prepared to defend your ideas or push back where you need to. At the end of the day, they are your customer - it is their employees you are designing the L&D roadmap for, so listening to their suggestions and concerns is important, but it is you, who should take an expert position and consult them accordingly. 3. Research current trends Take some time to understand what is happening outside the organization. Not just in general or in the industry that your company operates in, but also in the realm of L&D specifically. Are there trends you need to be aware of? New technologies you might want to look into? Or developments in L&D that may be attractive to current and potential new employees? Introducing (or at least researching) new learning trends should always be a pillar in your strategy, especially if you want to keep up with the times and become or remain a competitive employer. 4. Gather employee feedback When employees are made to feel that the company not only listens to them but implements their suggestions, it makes them feel empowered, motivated and engaged. The voice of your learners is extremely important, especially if you want to inspire them to learn. Consider introducing an annual learning survey to ask what they'd like to learn, how they prefer to learn, what they see as obstacles to learning, etc. Similar to an employee engagement survey, it can show any areas of concern and give you ideas on how to improve your current learning portfolio. 5. Define success metrics Whenever I am tasked with a big project and wonder where to start, I tell myself, "start with the end in mind". In other words – know what your ideal outcome should look like and reverse-engineer the steps to get there. And to be able to define and measure this ideal outcome, you would need some metrics. They will help you assess whether you're on or off track. Some metrics you might want to observe are: Learning/training satisfaction - how happy your learners are immediately after the learning event Return of Investment (ROI) - what was the business impact compared to the money you put into the learning intervention Learning cost per employee - how much it costs to provide learning opportunities to someone (these could be training, coaching, webinars, access to online courses, etc.) Retention - do employees stay with the company because of development opportunities Net Promoter Score (NPS) - would your learners recommend the learning intervention to their colleagues You can get this data by introducing surveys pre- and post-learning, by conducting focus group interviews or by extracting it from your Learning Management System (LMS), if your company has one. 6. Identify learning priorities Once you've done your research and initial analysis, you're ready to start creating a plan for the year. A guiding question here should be "What are the core learning needs of the business?" Depending on how big the company is and how ambitious its business goals are, you might end up with a lot of learning needs that need addressing. How do you tackle this? The answer is - prioritizing. If everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority. Start by looking for learning needs that have the biggest impact on the business and are the most urgent. For example, these could be areas with the biggest number of people needing training, the poorest performance results, serious performance issues, etc. 7. Design a Learning Strategy roadmap No matter how good your strategy may look on paper, it's worthless unless you have a plan for how to turn it into action. Make sure you break it down into specific projects and assign people and timelines to each. Tools like Asana can help you visualize your plan better and keep track of all ongoing learning projects and contributors. You can start with a template and customize it to fit your needs: You don’t have to go and sign up for yet another tool, though. Your L&D strategy can live on an MS Word document or an MS Excel sheet. As long as it has themes , actions , owners , and deadlines , it’s an actual strategy. As you set out to create your company's learning and development strategy, remember it is crucial for helping employees reach their potential. A well-thought-out plan will help you support your employees’ development more effectively, which will ultimately lead them to perform better in their roles and boost your company’s overall success.

The ocean of Learning and Development job opportunities is vast. This can be exhilarating and daunting at the same time! But what exactly is a job description? What is its anatomy? What are some key terms that frequently pop up? What skills and qualifications are usually in demand? In this article, we will unpack the L&D job description to make sure that when you hit “Apply”, you know what’s waiting on the other side. Table of Contents: The Learning and Development Landscape An L&D Job Description Structure Key L&D Job Description Terms L&D Skills and Knowledge L&D Qualifications Tips for interpreting L&D job descriptions Conclusion The Learning and Development Landscape You may see a job posting for “Learning and Development”. But what people often get wrong is that L&D is an umbrella term for a array of different roles. We’ve talked about the various roles in L&D in a previous post, so we won’t go into too much detail. Suffice it to say that there are many different roles within L&D. If you’re on the hunt for a position in this field, you first need to pick the role that will speak to you the most. An L&D Job Description Structure Every job description will roughly follow the same structure: About the company: general information about the company. The role: a high-level overview of the role. Responsibilities: what particular activities are expected of a person in this position. Requirements: a list of must-haves and nice-to-haves skills, education, qualifications or behaviors the ideal candidate must possess. Benefits: what the company offers in return for your time with them. If any of these is missing in the job posting you’re interested in, feel free to do some research or even approach the hiring manager or Talent Acquisition expert from the company to help you out. Key L&D Job Description Terms There are several commonly used terms you need to be aware of when looking at L&D-related job descriptions (alphabetically): 360-Degree Learning Feedback - A feedback process where learners receive confidential, anonymous feedback from their peers, managers, and direct reports. Adult Learning Principles - Theories and practices that reflect the unique ways adults learn, focusing on self-direction, experience, and application. Agile Learning - A flexible, iterative approach to designing and delivering learning experiences that adapt to changing needs and feedback. Andragogy - The method and practice of teaching adult learners. Asynchronous Learning - Learning activities that do not occur in real-time, allowing learners to engage with content at their own pace. Blended Learning - A mix of traditional face-to-face and online learning activities to provide a comprehensive learning experience. Competency-Based Learning - An approach that focuses on mastering specific skills or competencies as the primary goal of education. Learning Culture - An organizational mindset that encourages and supports ongoing learning and development for all employees. Curriculum Development - The process of planning and organizing the content and structure of an educational program. Diversity and Inclusion Training - Programs aimed at fostering an inclusive workplace culture and increasing awareness and appreciation of diversity. eLearning Development - Designing and developing digital learning content, including online courses, webinars, and interactive modules. Employee Onboarding - The process of integrating a new employee into an organization and its culture, including training specific to their role. Gamification - The use of game design elements in non-game contexts, such as learning activities, to enhance motivation and engagement. Instructional Design - The process of creating educational programs and materials that are efficient, effective, and appealing to learners. Kirkpatrick Model - A widely used framework for evaluating the effectiveness of training across four levels: reaction, learning, behavior, and results. Knowledge Management - The process of creating, sharing, using, and managing the knowledge and information of an organization. Learning Analytics - The measurement, collection, analysis, and reporting of data about learners and their contexts, for the purpose of understanding and optimizing learning and the environments in which it occurs. Learning Ecosystem - The various tools, platforms, strategies, and environments that facilitate learning and knowledge sharing within an organization. Learning Experience Design (LXD) - Crafting learning experiences with a focus on the learner’s interaction with content, aiming to make learning enjoyable and effective. Learning Management System (LMS) - Software applications for administering, documenting, tracking, reporting, and delivering educational courses or training programs. Learning Metrics - Measures used to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of training programs, such as learner engagement and knowledge retention. Learning Pathways - Predefined routes through a series of learning activities designed to build specific knowledge or skills. Microlearning - Short, focused learning units designed for quick consumption to improve knowledge retention and application. Needs Analysis - Identifying and evaluating the learning needs of a target audience to inform program development. Performance Support - Resources or tools provided to employees at the point of need to enhance performance and productivity. ROI of Training/Learning - Calculating the return on investment for training or learning programs by measuring the cost versus the benefits to the organization. SCORM Compliance - Adherence to a set of technical standards for eLearning software that enables interoperability between different systems. Soft Skills Training - Development programs focused on interpersonal skills such as communication, teamwork, and leadership. Stakeholder Management - Involving key individuals or groups who have an interest in the success of a learning program in its planning and execution. Succession Planning - Identifying and developing new leaders within an organization to replace those who leave or retire. Synchronous Learning - Real-time learning activities, such as live webinars or classroom training, where participants learn at the same time. Technical Skills Development - Training focused on building specific technical capabilities, such as software proficiency or technical writing. Training Facilitation - Leading and guiding training sessions or workshops to ensure effective learning and participant engagement. Transfer of Learning - The application of skills, knowledge, and competencies acquired in training to the job environment. Virtual Classroom - An online learning environment that allows for live interaction between the tutor and the learners as they are participating in learning activities. Did you come across a term that’s not on our list? Let us know in the comments below, or reach out to us on LinkedIn for personalized help. L&D Skills and Knowledge Every role has its own set of competencies (skills and knowledge). If you want to learn what specific and transferable skills are most likely to appear in a job listing, check out our L&D Competency Inventory. There, you will find detailed descriptions of each skill and knowledge per role and even get a chance to self-evaluate. L&D Qualifications The qualifications employers might require vary widely depending on the position, the industry, and even the organization’s size and culture. Make sure to read carefully what the requirements are – some companies will have a long list of degrees you need, and others will value experience more than education. Some of the most common qualifications you may find are a bachelor's or master’s degree in education, instructional design, psychology, human resources or a related field. Professional certifications: Certified Professional in Training Management (CPTM) from Training Industry Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP) or Associate Professional in Talent Development (APTD) from ATD Certified Online Learning Facilitator (COLF) from LPI A range of beginner (Foundation), intermediate (Associate) and advanced qualifications from the CIPD The Certified Training and Development Professional™ (CTDP) and Certified Training Practitioner™ (CTP) from The Institute for Performance and Learning Online course certifications: Learning and Development Fundamentals from The L&D Academy Introduction to Learning and Development from Udemy Learning and Development Tools and Methods from Udemy How to Conduct a Learning Needs Analysis from Udemy The eLearning Designer's Academy Multi-Week Cohort Program by Tim Slade Tips for interpreting L&D job descriptions Want to make the most out of every job description you come across? Here are some tips to help you do just that: Look for the core duties listed in the job description. Those are usually the verbs, like "develop," "design," "facilitate," or "evaluate". Find out what is the main focus of the role - does it lean more towards content creation (e.g., instructional design), technology (e.g., LMS administration), training delivery (e.g., facilitation), or strategy (e.g., program development and evaluation)? Identify what learning theories, models, frameworks, or methodologies (e.g., ADDIE, SAM, Experiential Learning, Bloom’s taxonomy, Kirkpatrick’s Levels, etc.) are important to the employer, and make sure you are familiar with them. Take note of any specific software, tools or platforms (e.g., Articulate Storyline, Adobe Captivate, and Moodle) the potential employer uses. If you come across any unfamiliar terms or jargon, make sure to research them before applying. Assess what is the desired level of experience this organization is looking for - entry-level candidates, mid-career professionals, or senior experts. Look for any mention of what the person in this role is expected to achieve, like improving employee performance, enhancing learning technologies, or increasing engagement in training programs. This can help you leverage your application, especially if you highlight previous accomplishments. Conclusion As we wrap up our exploration of Learning and Development job descriptions, we can’t help but wonder - how will this newfound understanding shape your approach to finding your place within the vast landscape of Learning and Development? Drop us a comment down below or reach out if you have any questions. Good luck!

The Evolving Role of L&D: From Order-Takers to Business Partners Traditionally, Learning and Development (L&D) has been seen as an "order-taker"—reactive problem solvers who step in when training needs arise. Reflecting on my career, I realize that I, too, was once that order-taker. Having worked in the tech industry alongside product owners, UX/UI designers, and other non-HR functions exemplified three crucial skill that, in my opinion, L&D practitioners can greatly benefit from: Business Acumen: To provide relevant training solutions, L&D must deeply understand the business. Client-Centric Approach: L&D serves internal clients (employees) and should stay closely connected with line managers and key decision-makers. Data-Driven Decision Making: Analyzing data and identifying trends is critical to offering relevant solutions. Understand your organization's main communication channels and the costs associated with traditional training methods. As the workplace evolves rapidly, especially with the emergence of AI and other technologies, L&D must transition from a reactive function to a proactive, strategic business partner. This means not only delivering training but also driving innovation and demonstrating return on investment (ROI). The L&D Business Partner Mindset To thrive in the modern, highly competitive workplace, L&D professionals must consider these aspects: Understand the Business: Know your company's goals, challenges, and market dynamics. This knowledge allows you to create training programs that are directly relevant and beneficial to the business. Build Relationships: Engage with your HR peers to get a clear picture of your company’s demographic and profiles. Regularly communicate with line leaders and other departments to identify growth opportunities and align training with business needs. Be curious and open-minded: Stay updated with the latest trends in learning technologies and methodologies. A curious and innovative mindset is essential. Demonstrate Value: Use data to show how training programs contribute to business success through clear objectives and measurable outcomes. Practical Steps for New and Aspiring L&D Professionals Start working on your Business Acumen. Actively learn about your company’s goals, challenges, and market environment. Engage with business leaders, participate in strategy meetings, and keep abreast of industry trends. Congrats! You have clients! Truly understand your employees, work closely with your HR colleagues in order to design impactful initiatives that attend to their needs. Build strong relationships with line managers and departments. Understand their specific needs through communication and collaborative planning. Implement Modern Learning Solutions. Explore microlearning, AI-driven personalized learning platforms, and continuous upskilling opportunities. Tailor your training methods to meet the evolving needs and preferences of your workforce. Data is Key. Analyze workforce data to identify trends and training needs. Use metrics to track and report the effectiveness of your programs, showing clear evidence of ROI. Commit to your own Continuous Learning. Dedicate time to update your skills and knowledge. Join professional networks and communities to gain insights and support from peers. Conclusion As L&D professionals, our role is to enable career development for everyone in the organization. However, we must also keep up with the rapid changes in our field to provide real value. By adopting a proactive, client-centric approach and leveraging data-driven insights, L&D can anticipate training needs and design impactful learning experiences. Embrace the role of a strategic business partner—one that not only responds to training needs but identifies them ahead of time, driving business success through innovative and relevant learning solutions.

This is it – the room has been set up, the slides have been loaded, people are looking up at you with anticipation – the training is about to start. There’s just one problem – the content is super boring! Fear not, my dear friend. Because even the most boring topic can be turned into an unforgettable learning experience. So let’s dive into some tips on delivering engaging classroom training sessions. Table of Contents: Introductions matter Incorporate interactive activities Encourage participation and collaboration Make it visual Employ effective communication techniques Conclusion Introductions matter How you introduce yourself and the session matters—it sets the tone for the rest of the session. You can certainly go down the standard route of just announcing the topic and asking everyone to quickly introduce themselves. But let's be honest—that’s boring! Consider making the intro more engaging with the two activities below. Paper Mixer Tape a piece of paper to the bottom of the chairs (or just place them on top), with each paper containing a question related to the topic and your training objectives. Once everyone has settled in, tell them to recover the paper and have a mixer where people talk to each other and discuss the questions. What’s in it for me? Is the above too bold for you? No problem—ask everyone to stand in a circle, toss a ball to a random person, and ask them to introduce themselves and explain what they hope to get out of the session. Then, they toss the ball to someone else until everyone has had a chance to share. Alternatively, show the training objectives and ask people to place a sticker next to the ones they find most interesting/valuable/important/urgent. Encourage them to talk with each other and discuss why they selected the ones they did. This not only lets people to get to know each other in a more informal setting, but they are plunged into the training topic from the get-go. Incorporate interactive activities There is nothing worse than sitting for a long period of time and having to listen to a trainer. I try to use the 10-20 rule: I talk for no more than 10 minutes, and then the audience talks or practices for 20 minutes. In light of this, how can you make it interactive? Problem-solving exercises The best way to learn is to practice and do the work. And the training room is the perfect place to do this in a safe environment where mistakes won’t have real-world consequences. Just make sure the problems you present are relevant and something the trainees can, in fact, solve with the knowledge and skills they currently possess. Role plays Pretending to be someone else can be a lot of fun. Combine it with the learning process, and you get role plays. Have a few situations/simulations ready. Give instructions to your trainees and have them practice what you’ve taught them. Studying MS Excel? Have them interact with a coworker where they need to check some info in a complicated sheet. Learning sales techniques? Have them deal with a difficult customer. Case studies Have a case study or two at the ready to engage your audience in a group discussion. We often learn so much from others, and this is a great way to get those meaningful conversations going. Not to mention – case studies can keep your audience engaged and make them active participants in the learning process. Encourage participation and collaboration We already highlighted how annoying it is to be a passive partaker in a training session. Therefore, it makes sense to turn your trainees not just into active participants but drivers of the training content altogether. Here are some practical ideas you can try. Present this for me Sometimes, the content doesn’t naturally call for games, activities, or role-playing. What do you do then? Embrace it! Break your group into smaller teams, have them do some research or discuss a topic, and present back to the group. Not only do you not have to talk through the boring bits, but you are helping them take charge of their learning process and make sense of the infromation. If you want to take it to the next level, don’t allow them to write words on a flipchart; instead, have them present the content using images or pictograms that you’ve cut out or printed ahead of time. This can be a lot of fun for both the presenters and the listeners. Brainstorming Most adult learners attend training because they want to find a solution to a specific problem. Again, embrace this. Instead of giving them the solution, have them discover it through brainstorming and talking to others. We like to call this the “collective genius”. If you tap into it, not only are you making the session more interactive and engaging, but you may also learn something new yourself. Peer Feedback The training room should be a safe space for people to try things out and make mistakes. If you want this experience to also be interactive, encourage the participants to share feedback with each other. His means pairing them up, giving them tasks to work through (e.g. role plays), and sharing ideas about how they can improve in the future. Make it visual No, we don’t mean to have 200 PowerPoint slides. (As a matter of fact, in our experience, the fewer slides you have, the better!) But you can make the room more inviting and casual by having a colorful visual representation of the agenda (in the form of a road or a river, perhaps?) and use the floor to represent a model. Employ effective communication techniques Let’s say that your training topic doesn’t really allow for much interactivity or participation from the audience. Not all is lost, though! It just means you need to step into the shoes of an entertainer… or edutainers, as we like to call them. No, you don’t need to turn into a motivational speaker or a stand-up comedian. But you do need to use effective communication techniques, like storytelling and humor. Storytelling People are wired to listen to stories. Use that to your advantage. Instead of explaining how a software feature works step-by-step, tell a story of how this was used wrongly in the past and what the consequences were. Check out the “How To Tell Stories That Get People Talking & Actively Participating in Training” article to find out more. Humor Find opportunities in your session plan to share an anecdote, tell a funny story, or point out a self-deprecating behavior. Do be careful, though. You need to know your audience and tailor your humor to them. Conclusion How do you keep your trainees engaged? Let us know in the comments down below. Transforming a dull face-to-face training session into a lively and engaging learning adventure is well within your grasp. The key is to think about your audience first and what kind of experience they will go through – will they be a passive receiver of information or will they be heavily involved and in charge of their learning process? The ultimate goal of any classroom training is not to inform; people have Google for that. You want to inspire and involve your participants. So, take the 5 strategies above, adapt them to your content and style, and watch your session come to life with energy, enthusiasm and, most importantly, effective learning outcomes. Happy training!

“I have been in another field for 10 years, but I think I want to shift careers to Learning and Development. Where do I start?” This is one of the most common questions people message me about on LinkedIn. So I thought I’d put together a simple 5-step plan for what you need to do to transition to Learning and Development even if you have no previous experience. Table of Contents: Step 1. Learn about the field of L&D Step 2. Envision your ideal employer and position Step 3. Tell a story through your resume Step 4. Apply to as many positions as possible Step 5. Create your own opportunities Conclusion Step 1. Learn about the field of L&D One thing a lot of professionals get wrong is that L&D is a single role. But the reality is that L&D is an umbrella term. We’ve counted over 35 different L&D-related roles. There are many sources to learn about L&D: Chartered institutes and associations: CIPD ATD Learning & Development Institute Learning and Performance Institute Communities: L&D Shakers Learning, Education, and Training Professionals Group The Training, Learning and Development Community Global Learning and Development Community Our very own The L&D Academy Community YouTube: The L&D Academy (not one to miss of a bit of self-promotion) The eLearning Designer's Academy by Tim Slade Newsletters: The Learning Brief from L&D Shakers Steal These Thoughts by Ross Stevenson The Quest by Gwyn Wansbrough L&D Roundup by EDU Fellowship Our very own L&D Bites Step 2. Envision your ideal employer and position There are so many companies and organizations out there that it can be tempting to just start applying for roles with all of them. But the reality is that not every employer will be a good fit. Consider what are some pros you value (i.e., place of work, hours, responsibilities, etc.) and what are some cones you can live with (i.e., types of stakeholders you must deal with, organizational culture, limited career development opportunities, etc.). Step 3. Tell a story through your resume When you apply to L&D roles with no previous experience in the field, your Resume should tell a story. Not just any story – the story of you switching careers but that even though you don’t have experience, you are working on it. Perhaps you’ve taken a course, completed a qualifications program, you’re working on a relevant degree, you’ve started organizing pro bono and volunteer training sessions in your local youth center. Whatever it is, make sure that the potential employer understands that you may not have all the skills and knowledge right now but that you are working on it and you are on a journey to bettering yourself. Speaking of, make sure to highlight any transferable skills that will help you hit the floor running. You may not have developed an online course, but you’ve managed complex projects. You may not have analyzed the learning needs of an organization, but you’ve collected the training requirements of your previous team. You may not have facilitated a group discussion, but you organized your department’s team-building last year. Whatever it is, make sure it is loud and clear on your resume. Step 4. Apply to as many positions as possible This may sound overwhelming, but the reality is that not everyone will come back to you with a request for an interview. Never put all your eggs in one basket. Filter the industry you want to work in, find the companies that might sound like a good fit (see Step 2!), customize your resume to hit all the keywords from the job posting, and then hit “Apply”. The more you do this, the more chances your resume has to pass through the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and you get a message in your inbox. Consider each application and interview as an opportunity to practice. You may not get it on the first try (and if you do, please let us know so we can ask you how you did that!), but with each application and interview, you will feel more confident. We also need to talk about resume customization. It is a good idea to have a standard resume that you start off with. But every time you apply to a position, make sure to read through the job description carefully, highlight the keywords and terms, and then include them in your resume. For example, if the job description emphasizes the need for a candidate with experience in "e-learning development" and "instructional design," and your standard resume mentions "creating digital training materials," you should update it to specifically highlight your experience in "designing and developing e-learning content using instructional design principles." This tailoring shows the hiring manager that you have the exact skills they're looking for and increases the likelihood of your resume passing through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and catching the employer's attention. Step 5. Create your own opportunities There are generally two ways people get into L&D – internally or externally. The first is when the company you currently work for opens a position for a trainer, instructional designer, facilitator or any other L&D role. Then you apply and, without switching employers, switch careers. The second is when you leave your current employer and decide to pursue a career in the L&D field in another organization. So, what does opportunity have to do with this? Simply put – take a look around and see if you can convince your current employer to create an L&D-related position just for you. Prepare to defend the need for the role and why you would be the best person. For example, if you notice that your current team frequently struggles with adopting new software or technologies, you could propose the creation of an "Internal Technology Training Specialist" role. Prepare a presentation that outlines the recurring challenges your team faces, how a dedicated role could address these issues through tailored training sessions, and the potential return on investment (ROI) in terms of improved productivity and reduced time spent troubleshooting. Highlight your own experiences in helping colleagues adapt to new tools and your passion for learning and development as reasons why you are the ideal candidate to pioneer this role. Conclusion Wherever you might be on your professional journey – a veteran in another field or just out of school, we hope these steps give you a clearer idea of where to start on your journey to finding your first role in Learning and Development. If you want to learn more about starting a career in L&D, check out our free 5-day series that will help you with creating a personal brand that stands out and how to ace the interview.