Learning and development practices (L&D) have changed exponentially over the course of the last decade and, as part of this, many organisations have had to revolutionise their L&D strategy.
In doing so, L&D professionals have often addressed challenges such as ensuring their people are adequately equipped for success and determining whether the L&D has evolved beyond the “one size fits all” approach.
Personalised learning journeys are increasingly seen as one solution to this.
Personalised learning is an approach towards L&D which strives to customise learning in order to match each employee’s individual interests, skills, strengths and development needs.
Personalised learning also involves incorporating the employee’s individual learning styles and their knowledge gaps within an integrated approach.
At its core, it is a roadmap which is tailored for an employee’s professional growth.
Organisations that put their employees at the centre of professional development stand to gain significantly.
According to Forbes, 93% of high performing organisations have personalised learning supporting their employees in reaching professional goals more efficiently.
So, how exactly can your organisation and its employees benefit from implementing personalised learning as part of your L&D strategy?
Personalised learning can significantly enhance employee engagement through making L&D initiatives more relevant and meaningful.
Personalised learning makes employees feel as though their personal requirements are tailored for, and in turn they are more likely to see a direct impact of learning on their day-to-day role.
An example of a personalised learning journey for an employee might involve an employee completing their goals at the year-end for the upcoming year, and then taking part in a Learning Needs Analysis.
For the organisation to best meet the skills requirement for this employee, a skills inventory and competency framework analysis are then undertaken to create the best personalised learning plan for that employee in the following year.
Throughout the development journey, AI tools and Learning Management Systems (LMS), such as Grant Thornton’s WeLearn, can play a vital role in this process to provide data driven insights and allow for efficient and accurate development of personalised learning pathways.
Once developed, the employee then has access to a personalised L&D roadmap and dashboard which is tailored to their individual requirements.
For organisations to begin implementing this approach towards L&D, they must ensure that the L&D strategy aligns with the organisation’s overall goals and strategy.
Carrying out a learning needs analysis will be critical to understand the existing skills and gaps in knowledge and to create a skills inventory aligned with competency frameworks for each role within the organisation.
Ensuring management buy in to the approach is also crucial to drive impact and get employees on board to take ownership for their own growth and development along their learning journey.
Finally, identifying technology which will help your organisation with data-driven insights and the ability to efficiently build these personalised learning journeys will help ensure success.
As the world of work continues to change at an accelerating rate, L&D interventions that are thoughtfully curated and implemented will help organisations keep pace and set their employees up for success.
Through personalised learning, organisations can keep their employees engaged, motivated, and equipped with the skills most valuable for their individual roles.
L&D leaders need to consider the impact learning plays on the employee’s individual role, and they should move away from the “one size fits all” approach.
Making L&D more accessible and personalised for employees will bring significant benefits for everyone in the organisation.
Neil Hughes is people and change consulting director at Grant Thornton