THE BIGGEST MISTAKES COMPANIES MAKE WITH LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

L&D, Learning and Development, has become every company or organisation’s top priority in recent years. Why? Well, because cross-functional, interdisciplinary learning has become the prerequisite for success. With rapid digitisation and industry-wide transformations taking place faster and more frequently than ever before, organization-specific and individual-specific learning and development is now the need of the hour. Those annual summits and workshops organised by your workplace aren’t just an HR mandate. They’re at your disposal for your personal growth, if only you know how to optimise their potential; and of course, if they’re worth their salt.

The complexities of learning and development

That’s just the thing about learning and development – it isn’t easy to facilitate the right way. While employee learning and development is a priority for HR teams world over, because it’s a relatively new concept, it can be hard to get right. And, here’s the real kicker – getting it wrong can cost a lot. We’re not just talking money here. We’re talking a substantial amount of time; time spent in recovery, time spent in reversal and correction and, unfortunately, that’s not something that many can afford.

Here’s a simple analogy. Think about the learning and development we were all witness to in school. And, now think about how syllabi world over are changing every single day. School systems are rapidly evolving to keep up with developmental requirements of the times and it’s purely because the bare minimum doesn’t cut it. From interdisciplinary approaches to a higher emphasis on experiential and vocational learning, schools and educational institutions are adopting newer, more expansive ways of teaching and facilitating learning, because that’s the direction of movement in today’s world. But that’s not all it comes down to. Many educational ecosystems are reframing teaching, learning and developmental structures for the purpose of reversing or correcting decade old patterns of thought.

We’ve all had those moments, purely on an individual level, where we realise much of the learning we experienced in school, stays with us long after we leave and sometimes acts as a deterrent to the way we navigate professional and personal relationships. So, it’s clearly a herculean task for schools to attempt correction in that case.

Where do companies go wrong with employee learning and development?

Similarly, when companies get it wrong, it can be a herculean task to reverse or correct the after effects of that error. Ideally, one should avoid making a mistake in that regard altogether. But, understanding where you could possibly go wrong is a good place to start – one that can help you avoid wasting time.

One of the first mistakes that you can make as an organisation trying to facilitate learning and development among your workforce is not choosing a suitable content provider. While workshops and online courses may help, it’s important to keep an eye out for more viable modes of L&D. In the recent past, podcasts, audiocasts and videocasts have become popular ways of facilitating employee learning and development. Podcasts, especially, have the power to design effective corporate training and development because they’re relatively easier to produce.

How podcasts can facilitate corporate learning and development

A podcast can focus on any subject, feature interviews, expert advice and communicate messages easily. Employees can even engage with this content on the go because they’re portable and don’t require screen attention. A typical podcast series by a content production house like Timbre Media, for example, is hosted by an RJ and can be designed to communicate any L&D message desired.

So, it’s really important to choose a content provider that can be versatile and accommodating as well efficient in turning around content for you and your workforce.

Another commonly made mistake is facilitating individual learning and development only, failing to look at the bigger picture. That’s another place podcasts can be a helpful alternative. Instead of curating workshops and registered events all the time, curate podcast series to disseminate the learning and development content you envision. A content provider like Timbre Media, with the help and expertise of their content specialists, can make this an effortless process. Using a content provider in this manner can help you keep costs down and outcomes rising sky high.

And finally, an important reason to consider podcasts as a valuable mode of learning and development, is that they are extremely inclusive and engaging. They can be modified, are customisable and can be tailor made to match your content needs and requirements.

The need for a content provider

Production houses like Timbre Media are well versed in the content requirements and production processes that are ideal for facilitating effective and useful learning and development in your company or organisation. Content providers like them usually comprise creative content creators, experienced sound and video producers and attentive client servicing personnel – all together delivering an innovative and comprehensive experience.

Right from understanding your goals for learning and development, the outcomes you’re aiming for, to ideating and executing end-to-end modules in the form of podcasts, to producing the property, external vendors like Timbre Media can transform an easy-to-mess up corporate initiative into something engaging, effective and useful for both the company and its workforce.