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Learning And Development icon

Create a Learning and Development Strategy

Build an L&D strategy that fuels organizational success and supports employee growth.

  • Failure to gather and analyze internal and external data leaves organizations with a strategy that misses the mark in implementing learnings that support organizational performance.
  • Lack of involvement from key players in developing the strategy often results in a narrow view that does not meet organizational needs.

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  • Get on-demand project support
  • Get advice, coaching, and insight at key project milestones
  • Go through a Guided Implementation to help you get through your project

Our Advice

Critical Insight

Running learning and development programs without a formal L&D strategy leaves organizations without the crucial alignment required between learning, business goals, and future skill needs. Organizations with an L&D strategy that is grounded in internal and external data are effective at identifying and providing learning opportunities that enable the development of a thriving workforce.

Impact and Result

  • An L&D strategy created based on organizational data effectively prioritizes the creation of learning initiatives that support strong leader and employee performance.
  • L&D initiatives that address skill and competency gaps directly impact organizational success, thereby maximizing the use of organizational resources (e.g. L&D budget).
  • Effective application and communication of the L&D strategy ensures employees have access to the initiatives offered, empowering a future-ready workforce equipped with skills and competencies required for success in the organization’s industry.

Create a Learning and Development Strategy Research & Tools

2. Identify L&D initiatives

Evaluate existing L&D initiatives and identify new ones to develop.

3. Implement and evaluate

Create a governance framework and an action plan and communicate the strategy.


Create a Learning & Development Strategy

Please to access this McLean Academy course
HRPA Certification Pre-Approved Logo

This program has been approved for continuing professional development (CPD) hours under Section A of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Log of the Human Resource Professionals Association (HRPA).

McLean & Company is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.

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HR Certification Institute's® (HRCI®) official seal confirms that McLean & Company meets the criteria for pre-approved recertification credit(s) for any of HRCI's eight credentials, including SPHR® and PHR®.

How to complete this course:

Use these videos, along with the Project Blueprint deck above, to gain an understanding of the subject. Start with the Introduction, then move through each of the Course Modules. At the end of each Module, you will be required to complete a short test to demonstrate your understanding. You will complete this course when you have completed all of the course tests.

  • Number of Course Modules: 5
  • Estimated Completion Time: 1.5 hours

Learning Outcome

Learners will be able to explain the process of creating a Learning & Development strategy, with a focus on creating and implementing a framework that will guide current and future critical learning initiatives.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

  • Recognize the value of having an L&D strategy.
  • Learn how to analyze the organization to understand L&D gaps and needs.
  • Define the ideal future state of L&D using an L&D framework.
  • Create an action plan to implement the L&D framework.

Course Modules

Now playing

Academy L&D Strategy: Introduction: Create a Learning and Development Strategy

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Academy L&D Strategy: Module 1: Analyze Your Organization to Understand L&D Needs

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Academy L&D Strategy: Module 2: Define the Ideal Future State of L&D

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Academy L&D Strategy: Module 3: Standardize Your Approach for Measurement and Governance

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Academy L&D Strategy: Module 4: Create an Action Plan to Implement the L&D Framework


Workshop: Create a Learning and Development Strategy

Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

Module 1: Define a Vision for L&D

The Purpose

  • Define L&D vision.

Key Benefits Achieved

  • A vision for the L&D team

Activities

Outputs

1.1

Conduct SWOT analysis.

1.2

Identify insights for learning.

1.3

Create a vision for L&D.

  • Vision for L&D

Module 2: Define Objectives and Metrics

The Purpose

  • Define objectives and metrics and identify priority learners.

Key Benefits Achieved

  • Clear objectives, metrics, and key employee groups identified

Activities

Outputs

2.1

Define L&D objectives and identify strategy metrics.

  • Objectives and metrics
2.2

Review and prioritize employee groups.

  • Identified key employee groups
2.3

Determine employee profiles and characteristics.

Module 3: Define the L&D Framework

The Purpose

  • Define the L&D framework.

Key Benefits Achieved

  • Determined primary learning needs, core delivery methods and a developed governance map

Activities

Outputs

3.1

Determine primary learning needs.

  • Primary learning needs
3.2

Select core delivery methods.

  • Core delivery methods
3.3

Create a governance map.

  • Governance map

Module 4: Identify Outcomes and Initiatives

The Purpose

  • Identify outcomes and initiatives for L&D programs.

Key Benefits Achieved

  • Prioritized initiatives for employee groups

Activities

Outputs

4.1

Identify key initiatives.

  • Prioritized initiatives to realize L&D framework
4.2

Examine learning infrastructure.

4.3

Review and confirm the prioritization of initiatives.

Module 5: Develop an Initiative Roadmap

The Purpose

  • Develop a high-level roadmap of strategic L&D action items.

Key Benefits Achieved

  • A completed roadmap of strategic L&D initiatives

Activities

Outputs

5.1

Assess L&D capabilities.

5.2

Create a roadmap of strategic L&D action items.

  • High-level Gantt chart of L&D initiatives


Create a Learning and Development Strategy preview picture

About McLean & Company

McLean & Company is an HR research and advisory firm providing practical solutions to human resources challenges via executable research, tools, diagnostics, and advisory services that have a clear and measurable impact on your business.

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your HR problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst

Get the help you need in this 3-phase advisory process. You'll receive 9 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.

Guided Implementation 1: Define the strategic L&D direction
  • Call 1: Review gathered internal and external data.
  • Call 2: Develop a purpose statement and draft learning needs.
  • Call 3: Prioritize learning needs and develop goals and metrics.

Guided Implementation 2: Identify L&D initiatives
  • Call 1: Evaluate existing L&D initiatives to determine what will be removed, kept, or modified.
  • Call 2: Brainstorm new initiatives and assess the impact and effort of implementation.
  • Call 3: Evaluate available resources and obtain approval for additional resources.

Guided Implementation 3: Implement and evaluate
  • Call 1: Identify organizational barriers that inhibit learning and brainstorm ways to mitigate them.
  • Call 2: Create a governance framework.
  • Call 3: Build an action and communication plan.

Contributors

  • Ann Schulte, EdD, Retired CLO/SVP, Procter & Gamble
  • Catherine Lombardozzi, Learning and Development Consultant, Learning 4 Learning Professionals
  • JD Dillon, Chief Learning Officer, Axonify
  • Jennifer Hickey, Learning and Development Facilitator & Consultant
  • Steven Smith, Senior Advisor, IMD and EFMD
  • Su Diana, Learning & Leadership Development Consultant
  • Victoria Woodbury, Learning & Development Manager, Folger Shakespeare Library
  • Several anonymous contributors