Aligning Learning To Business

Aligning Learning To Business

In order to align learning to business, Learning and Development has to understand what the business wants and needs and how to then deliver it. Read this article to find out how Towards Maturity's research is revealing the steps Learning and Development professionals need to take in order to partner for success with the business.

How To Align Learning To Business

Learning and Development knows that aligning learning to business needs is critical; for the success of Learning and Development and the success of the business. Learning and Development knows this, but is it doing it?

The answer of course is that some organizations are, but some are not. Many are not, in fact. According to our latest In-Focus Report, Aligning Learning to Business, 39% of Learning and Development professionals are not confident that their learning activities actually support the skills the business needs. Furthermore, only 55% analyze the business problem before recommending a solution, and 36% of organizations work with business leaders to identify business performance indicators that they want to improve.

A number of studies over the past few years show a lack of confidence in Learning and Development teams from the business. A Capita study revealed that fewer than half of business leaders felt that their Learning and Development teams were able to provide adequate training to weather the downturn into recovery. A Censuswide study commissioned by Skillsoft released in May this year showed that only 20% of business leaders use L&D to cultivate future leadership talent or to multi skill individuals in order to grow the business. It seems that business leaders' expectations of Learning and Development  are limited to a "we value you" buzz for their staff.

These statistics show that many Learning and Development functions still have a long way to go in terms of properly aligning learning to business needs and becoming the valued business advisors they want to be.

However, the good news is there is an increasing recognition and desire from Learning and Development to become more business-focused. Some 90% of 600 global Learning and Development professionals in our study said it was critical or important for learning to be integrated with work. Learning and Development knows it needs to happen. It just doesn’t always know how.

We have looked at the behavior of the top learning companies invo