Learning and Development (L&D) plays a pivotal role in the success and sustainability of individuals and organizations alike. Initiatives are taken under the aegis of L&D to empower employees acquire new skills, or stay in sync with the trends of an industry, or even adapt to the constantly evolving technological advancements.
‘Learning’ lays the foundation for ‘Development’. It takes these 2 to tango if a company needs to go far. These two, the L and the D, lay the foundations for having a winning culture that sustains itself through innovation and quick adaptation. This fosters creativity, fresh ideas, a challenging yet nourishing environment that helps organizations stay agile.
Aside from the contribution of L&D in creating a culture that sustains itself on learning, it also directly contributes to talent retention and employee satisfaction. This ‘vertical’ is itself a company’s very visible commitment to professional development that encourages its employees to seek growth and well-being within the same company instead of looking elsewhere.
There are multiple approaches to the L&D vertical including completely, or semi-structured formal programs, homegrown or outsourced e-learning platforms, high-powered mentorship initiatives and more. Some companies are even known to incentivize their workforce to keep abreast of the changing needs of the job and the industry.
As a strategy, L&D aligns its workforce with business objectives, ensuring that the employees continue to have the required competencies to drive organizational success.
In short, Learning and Development is THE cornerstone of an organization’s resilience, innovation, and employee satisfaction.