Blueprint For Learning and Development in A Nutshell

Blueprint for the Learning and Development function in a nutshell
The way in which most companies do business and manage their value chains are
changing. This change is caused by many factors, with the most obvious ones being the
economic crisis, web 2.0, demographic and social changes, globalization and an
increased competitive landscape. Companies are forced to be more innovative within a
context of reduced resources. As Whole Foods Market CEO John Mackey said in a
January 2009 Fortune article, We have to be more frugal, to think about every
expense, every capital investmentbecause we wont be bailed out by growth.
Within this context the strategic business value of workplace learning and performance
needs to be leveraged to a greater extent. The focus should be on performance and
productivity and not necessarily knowledge gain only. Bob Mosher from LearningGuide
Solutions confirms this view in a white paper by the American Society for Training and
Development (2009). The reason why a lot of learning departments are struggling right
now is because they are focused on knowledge gain. That sounds like a noble thing, but
the reality is that a lot of organizations are shifting to productivity, not knowledge gain.
There is not a middle manager who would argue that knowledge is a bad thing, but we
live in a world now where knowledge for knowledges sake is not helping.
This disconnect between the needs of the business and learning and development is
further illustrated by a new e2train survey (http://www.e2train.com/uncovered-2009)
that found that over 87% of Learning & Development professionals believe there needs
to be a stronger link between learning and development and core business processes
and strategy. In conjunction with this, industry analysts Bersin & Associates found that
one of the key challenges Learning & Development faces today is how best to make
use of informal learning and use it to generate valuable business and performancebased information.
The question that many workplace Learning and Development practitioners ask is: How
do we ensure that the learning and development function is responsive to these
challenges and deliver business value? As with most things in life, there is no simple
answer, but I found over the years that if you build the following elements into the
Learning and Development function, that your chances of success at delivering
business value is greatly enhanced. The elements are captured in the following 10
clusters:
Foundation
Enabling elements, systems and processes
Needs analysis methods
Learning and development strategy
Intervention design
Delivery methods
Learning and development streams
Assessment methods
Monitoring and evaluation
Outcomes
These elements and their main aspects are depicted in the following 10 Cluster
Learning and Development Blueprint:
Author: Lydia Cilli-Schmidt
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Foundation
Enabling
elements,
systems and
processes
Training and
learning needs
analysis
(TLNA)
Learning and
development
strategy and
plan
Intervention
selection,
design and
implementation
Delivery
mechanisms
Learning and
development
streams
Learner
Assessment
Monitoring and
evaluation
Outcomes
The following elements form the building blocks of learning and development:
Organisational values
Alignment with business objectives and strategy
Alignment with legislation/Codes of practice
Learning and Development policies and procedures
Learning and Development Governance structures within the organization, e.g. Learning and Development
Board, Quality Management systems
Competency framework and learning maps/paths

Certain elements, systems and processes facilitate optimal learning and development, e.g.:
Senior management commitment
Learning Culture
Integration with talent management strategy/systems
Performance management with clear links to learning and development
Structure of the learning and development function, e.g. corporate university, learning academy
Integrated Talent Management system, including a learning and content management system
Effective training logistics and programme management
Internal communication and branding of learning and development
Transfer of learning mechanisms, especially for formal training
Knowledge Management
Other, e.g. budget

Various methods can be used to identify training and learning needs for:
the organisation as a whole
a specific department, project or area of work
individuals
Individual: Personal Development Plans
Organisational: Workplace Skills Plan
and Learning and Development
strategy
Intervention selection
Intervention design/development
Intervention implementation
Formal methods, e.g.
Instructor-lead training
like short
courses/workshops/
seminars/conferences
Academic programmes
Learnerships
Business simulations
E-learning
Other
Self-guided methods, e.g.

E-learning
books/articles
videos/podcasts
Webcasts
Learning knowledge
portals
Other
Embedded methods, e.g.

Action research projects
Coaching and
mentoring
Performance support
tools
Rotational assignments
Project debriefings
Quality circles
Developmental feedback
Internships
/learnerships
Social media, e.g.

Wikis
Blogs
Forums
Social Directories
Social networks, e.g.
Facebook and Twitter
Communities of
practice
Second Life
Other
Leadership/management
Technical/professional
Customer Service
Onboarding
Sales
Project Management
Desktop application and systems
Compliance e.g. Health and Safety
Business skills
Interpersonal skills
Company products and services
Other
Competence (knowledge, skill and attitude) assessments before, during and after interventions
Measuring and monitoring the impact of interventions through:
Analysis of Organizational Performance Measures
ROI
Spin-offs
Savings
Business success and improved bottom line
Engaged workforce
Effective Talent development
Other
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The ten clusters will now be discussed briefly.

1. Foundation
The foundation elements create the context, content and direction for the Learning and
Development function. If these factors are not considered, any learning and
development function would find it difficult to add business value on a sustainable basis.
Many successful companies are committed to a values-based approach to managing
their people and strongly encourage workplace behaviours consistent with their
organisational values. This is reflected in people management policies and systems,
including learning and development. This means that all learning and development
approaches should support the organisational values and actively reinforce them
throughout the learning and development cycle.
A key issue for the learning and development function is the ability to translate the
companys strategy into action and to ensure that all its practices are in full alignment
with the companys overall business objectives. This can only be achieved if there is
a thorough understanding of the companys business strategy and when the learning
and development function is an active collaborator in the formulation of that strategy.
Learning and development in South Africa is shaped to a large extent by the
requirements of the Skills Development Act, The South African Qualifications Authority
and the BEE Codes of Good Practice. The intent of all of this legislation is to improve
South Africas competitiveness through skills development and to uplift society and
eradicate unemployment. There are also other objectives like creating an equal
playground with regards to qualifications and to ensure the recognition of prior learning.
Aspects of this legislation proved to be very successful in achieving their objectives, for
example learnerships and internship definitely created more employment opportunities.
Other aspects could however lead to a disconnect with business objectives, for example
where companies just train to achieve certain numerical targets. The legislation will
always be present and it is the role of the Learning and Development function to ensure
that the spirit of these regulations is being met in alignment with business goals.
Learning and Development policies and procedures need to be aligned with the
overall values and business objectives to ensure that the guidelines contained in them
steer the company towards the achievement of its strategy in a consistent manner. The
Corporate Executive Board (2007) identified certain drivers for HR policies, namely:
Adhere to regulatory requirements and legal obligations

Educate employees about possible sources of risk
Address practices specific to an organizations unique culture, operating model,
industry
Drive profitability via established operating procedures and performance
standards
Drive employee productivity through known procedures and performance
standards
Provide leaders/managers with tools to govern effectively
Drive ability to compete with organizations in a similar industry
Maintain consistent practices of importance to employees
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Provide equitable privileges and benefits across the employee population

Define performance and behavioural expectations for employees
Enhance employee relations and engagement, thus driving performance and
retention
It is clear that if these drivers are taken into account during the development and review
of learning and development policies that the Learning and Development function will
add value to business.
The use of a governance structure with representatives from the most important
stakeholder groups ensures that learning and development is aligned with business
objectives and that all employees are fairly treated with regards to learning and
development opportunities. The implementation of various pieces of legislation in South
Africa requires the existence of some consultative forum to govern learning and
development. This usually takes the form of a training committee or joint forum,
representative of the interests of all employees, including unionized members, who deal
with issues of skills development and employment equity. The primary role of the
training committee is to ensure that all employees skills needs, irrespective of their
levels, are included in the Workplace Skills Plan. These collaborative work groups also
assist with the establishment of trust and good relations between management and
employees.
Another form of governance is the establishment of a learning and development
advisory board. The advisory board is usually a team of senior line and staff employees
who guide the planning and implementation of the leaning and development strategy
and its major components. The team meets at regular intervals, initially to review and
approve the strategy or designs of particular components and then to plan for their
implementation.
As part of the governance of learning and development in a company, a comprehensive
quality management system is also necessary to ensure competitiveness and greater
customer and stakeholder satisfaction. A quality management system ensures
consistent adherence to quality standards within the learning and development function
through standardisation of L & D processes and procedures.
A competency framework is a practical way to link individual performance to the
objectives of the business. DDI (www.ddiworld.com) defines a competency as the
specific behaviour, knowledge, and motivation that an employee must demonstrate in
order to be effective in a given job or role. By having a defined set of competencies for
each role in the business, it shows employees the kind of behaviours the company
values, and which it requires to help achieve its objectives (www.mindtools.com).
A core benefit of establishing a specific set of competencies for an organization, job, or
family of jobs is the ability to more accurately link learning and development
interventions to the requirements of the job. In this way, the company can more
efficiently develop the right competencies in the right employees at the right time. The
linking of the learning and development interventions to a competency framework is
usually done through the creation of learning maps/paths. Learning maps/paths
document the applicability of a course to a specific competency or areas of competency
and recommend appropriate entry levels. Primarily, learning maps/paths should be
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used to assist employees in designing personal development plans. Employees can

also match their current career development/competencies against any other profiled
job and determine which courses need to be done and which experience are necessary
for a career change. Learning maps/paths empower employees take ownership of their
development and careers.
Taking care of the foundational elements of learning and development allows for
increased chances of success later. If a foundational element is neglected, the whole
learning and development effort could be compromised.
2. Enabling processes
The enabling processes facilitate the achievement of learning and development
objectives, provided that the foundational elements are in place.
Learning and Development practitioners have long been aware that without senior
managements commitment, most development programmes are doomed to failure.
Rynes and Rosen (1994) confirm the importance of top management commitment by
stating that top management support (as is the case for most organisational change) is
an important predictor of training success more so than any characteristic of the
training itself.
Senior management commitment is required for various reasons:
to give credibility and prestige to the learning and development interventions;

to provide the overall organisational perspective;
to ensure that learning and development efforts are aligned with organisational
strategy;
to mobilise resources where necessary;
to act as champions for certain interventions;
to build ownership;
quality control;
to ensure the measurement of results.
It is clear that without this enabler, the impact of most learning and development efforts
will be limited.
Today it seems that organizations need to be able to do more than just adapt; they
must be able to do so quickly, in the face of ever changing conditions. And if
organizations are to adapt quickly and intelligently, they must make learning a central
part of their strategy for survival and growth. If leaders and the people within their
organization are learning all the time, faster than competitors, and applying the right
strategies at the right times, the organization has hope (Connor and Clawson). This is
supported by research from Bersin and Associates (2008) that found that among more
than 40 different dimensions that they have studied, the single factor which best
predicts the business impact of a learning organization is the learning culture.
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Bersin and Associates (2008) define an organisations learning culture as its ability
and willingness to embrace individual and organizational learning as a strategic part of
its business strategy. Farago and Skyrme (1995) listed the following characteristics of
companies with a learning culture:
Future, external orientation - these companies develop an understanding of their

environment; senior teams take time out to think about the future. Widespread
use of external sources and advisors e.g. customers on planning teams.
Free exchange and flow of information - systems are in place to ensure that
expertise is available where it is needed; individuals network extensively,
crossing organisational boundaries to develop their knowledge and expertise.
Commitment to learning, personal development - support from top management;
people at all levels are encouraged to learn regularly; learning is rewarded. Time
to think and learn (understanding, exploring, reflecting, developing)
Valuing people - ideas, creativity and "imaginative capabilities" are stimulated,
made use of and developed. Diversity is recognised as a strength. Views can be
challenged.
Climate of openness and trust - employees are encouraged to develop ideas, to
speak out, to challenge actions.
Learning from experience - learning from mistakes is often more powerful than
learning from success. Failure is tolerated, provided lessons are learnt.
The bottom line on learning culture is aptly summarised by Bersin (2008), A learning
culture is built through a symphony of business processes driven by the executives all
the way down the organization. The role of the Learning and Development professional
is to constantly be vigilant about the learning culture, ask questions to help others see
its value, and take on the role as cheerleader to continuously improve the learning
culture in each and every programme.
Many companies have sound business plans, yet struggle to implement an effective
talent management strategy. The reason for this might be as a result of senior
managements approach to talent management. It is usually seen as a tactical issue
and while they may endorse the talent initiatives, they often have a hands-off approach.
Another issue is highlighted by the recent Talent Management State of the Industry
Report by Talent Management Magazine (www.talentmgt.com). Although Talent
management functions need to collaborate regularly to leverage ideas, overcome
challenges and drive continuous improvement, less than 10 percent of enterprises
report that all of their talent management functions collaborate on a regular basis.
Moreover, more than 20 percent of organisations report that their talent management
functions do not collaborate at all.
This finding is alarming and unfortunate due to the overwhelming benefits that
collaboration can bring across various functions within talent management. A highly
collaborative talent management team enables better conversations, decisions and
planning around business-driven talent objectives. Without adequate collaboration,
many disparate, nonintegrated systems are perpetuated and divergent paths are likely
taken by various stakeholders (Talent Management Magazine, 2009).
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Learning and development is an important component in the total talent management

effort in a company. If it is not aligned with the other talent management functions, many
talent management efforts will not achieve the intended results, namely attracting,
engaging, developing and retaining the best skills for the business. A study by
Aberdeen Group (Martin, 2008) found that 52% of Best-in-Class organisations did not
only integrate their learning and development strategy with their companys overall
strategy, but have also integrated it with their talent management strategy. This was
viewed as a significant Best-in-Class differentiator for those companies as it made
learning a go-to enabler in both pre-hire and post-hire talent initiatives. An example of
how learning and development is aligned with recruitment is where an online learning
portal can demonstrate to passive candidates the companys commitment to its
employees professional development.
The Aberdeen Group (Martin, 2008) found that 80% of Best-in-Class companies
integrate learning and development with Performance Management. Research for
Bersin and Associates 2008 Corporate Learning Factbook identified that more than 25
percent of corporate learning and development (L&D) managers rate integration with
performance management as one of their top two priorities. In theory, all L&D programs,
interventions, activities and resources should support the performance management
process. As Conrad (2009) quotes, The majority of intersection and integration points
among the various talent functions pass through performance management. However,
accomplishing that and further demonstrating it can be a challenge.
Examples of how Performance Management is an enabler of learning and development
are:
Information from the performance management process is used to determine

potential learning and development needs that are then captured on the
employees development plan.
Best-in-Practice companies include learning and development as a key
performance objective in the performance agreement. This allows the direct
linking of learning activities to the performance review, as well as the review of
post-learning performance to determine howor ifspecific training has
impacted the individual's growth and performance.
Performance Management information is often combined with indices of
developmental readiness to determine the employees potential for career
movement, as well as for inclusion in certain talent development programmes.
Core competencies are included in the Performance Management system and
are measured regularly.
Most automated Learning Management Systems (e.g. Halogen) provides a tight
link with other talent management modules, e.g. performance management and
as such ensures:
Individual and group training programs are aligned with development plans,
performance gaps, succession needs and, most importantly, corporate
goals.
o Learning and Development functions can easily measure the effectiveness
of learning and skills development programs by tracking employee
o
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performance improvements over time via built-in Training Effectiveness

Reports.
o While managers are doing performance reviews they can instantly pinpoint
and assign development activities related to the competency or area
needing attention.
o Employees are provided a single set of tools to better track and complete
assigned goals and performance and development plans,
o Employees and managers also have access to the full training catalogue
when and where they need it.
The convergence of learning and performance creates a valuable opportunity to
diagnose critical talent development issues and the develop interventions to address
them optimally. Without this integration of performance and learning and development,
the value-add of learning and development to business objectives will always be
suspect.
The design of the learning and development function with regards to service delivery
has a major impact on its performance and subsequent value-add. The Corporate
Executive Board has conducted several benchmarking studies over the past ten years,
trying to identify the optimal structure for the learning and development function.
These studies showed that there is no clear answer as to the most optimal structure as
the various companies all had different strategic objectives and business contexts,
impacting on the design.
The optimal number of learning and development staff is also not easily determined.
The 2008 State of the Industry Report by the American Society for Training and
Development (ASTD) indicated that the consolidated average number of employees per
learning staff member grew to 227 in 2007, marking the second-highest average on
record. Research by the Corporate Executive Board (2005) suggests that there are
approximately 200 employees per L&D (Learning and Development) staff member.
However, profiled companies often fall outside of this range; for some companies, there
are nearly 500 employees per L&D staff member, while at others, there are only 40
employees. The differences may be caused by the following factors:
Budget constraints
Company size
Number and type of employee groups supported by L&D
Type of training delivered

Another issue that is commonly debated in the design of the learning and development
function is the issue of centralization versus decentralization. The Corporate Executive
Board (2004 and 2005) found the following benchmark results:
Learning and Development Strategy is the most commonly centralized element
of the learning function.
Content delivery is the learning function most often decentralized across the
organisation.
Content development and content delivery are the two functions most often
outsourced or out-tasked.
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Profiled companies favoured flat, non-hierarchical Corporate University

structures to facilitate communication processes. Typically, a senior member of
staff (e.g., CLO or Head of HR) oversees all aspects of the Corporate University
to ensure consistency and alignment of all Corporate University interventions
with the company strategy.
The higher the use of IT systems the smaller the Corporate University staff to
user ratio.
As structure follows strategy and processes that are unique to each organisation it is
difficult to prescribe a specific structure for the Learning and Development function. The
only guideline is that proper organization design principles should be used when the
function is designed and that it should not be built around individuals and their vested
interests.
Learning Management Systems (LMS) are designed to manage and administer
learning activities such as registrations, certifications, tracking and learner progress. In
the South African context they are also invaluable in terms of the various compliance
reports that are generated on a regular basis. Although an LMS is certainly capable of
delivering content, it cannot always easily and rapidly deploy, update, and maintain
content or link to outside supplemental sources such as graphics, video, and subject
matter experts (Blackboard ProEd, 2008).
As stated by Elliott Masie (2008), Most Learning Management Systems are focused on
the organization's perspectives on learning and training. They know how to track
attendance, participation and certification. These are important, but not sufficient. We
need to have our Learning Systems focus on the LEARNER. As robust and capable as
they are, Learning Management Systems need to be supplemented with true learning
content delivery systems.
This requirement should however be viewed in conjunction with a significant
transformation in the Human Capital Management market, as vendors seek to offer a
unified platform to help organizations attract, develop, motivate, deploy and manage
their workforces with an integrated approach (Levensaler, 2007). This new breed of
strategic human capital software (dubbed the talent management suite) aggregates
and shares talent data across multiple strategic HR processes and applications. In the
talent management suite, users (e.g., employees, managers, business leaders and HR
leaders) are provided with rich information experiences to enable them to have better
conversations, make better decisions and plan for the future in ways not previously
possible.
According to Levensaler (2007) the talent management suite should do more than what
is possible with independent applications it should support the business strategy by
providing a common platform for identifying workforce and competency gaps to drive
sourcing and development strategies. Ultimately, this talent management suite has the
power to turn compliance and transaction-driven HR systems into a strategic decision
support tool to build alignment and drive performance (Levensaler, 2007).
Levensaler further states that a comprehensive talent management suite includes
support for the following core applications:
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o
o
o
o
Workforce Planning Includes gap analysis, demand planning, workforce

scenario modeling and progress monitoring;
Recruitment Management Includes candidate sourcing, and the management
of requisitions, approvals, rsums, interviews, events, assessments, offers,
onboarding and vendors;
Performance Management Includes goals management, performance plans,
assessments and writing assistance;
Career and Succession Management Includes the management of high
potentials, candidate ranking, position-based planning, pool-based planning and
career plan management;
Learning Management Includes support for instructor-led training, e-learning
and blended learning, compliance management, content development, and
management and collaboration; and,
Compensation Management Includes support for allocation management,
incentive management, compensation statements, job valuing and pay equity
analysis.
The management and administration of learning and development are greatly enhanced
by the use of a learning management system, but the effective implementation of an
integrated talent management system increases the value add in terms of the
achievement of business objectives.
Effective training logistics and programme management might seem like a strange
enabler of training and development, but experience has shown that formal adult
learning could be negatively impacted by poor administration and logistics. Invitations
that are not on time, pre-work that never reach delegates, venues that are not suitable
for learning, facilitators that are late, training material that are poorly packaged, etc. are
some examples of what could go wrong. In a context where time is precious, this could
lead to immense negativity from the learners and reduce the effectiveness of the
intervention significantly. The most important guideline here is that training logistics and
programme management must run like a Swiss clock there is no compromise.
If companies would like to encourage employees to take ownership for their career by
enabling them to proactively manage their own learning and development, internal
communication and branding of learning and development is crucial. Employees
need to be aware of the options and alternatives available to them to be able to design
comprehensive individual development plans. This information is not always available.
Laff (2007) reported for example that 75% of managers were unaware of existing
retention strategies in their companies clearly a lack of communication.
The branding of learning and development elements, for example the e-learning
offering, assists in communicating the benefits of the offering in line with business
needs and creates a constant awareness of the availability of performance enhancing
tools in the business.
Learning is not a once-off event and if formal interventions are used to address specific
learning and development needs, a formal process should be in place to ensure the
transfer of the learning to the workplace. This means that before the training certain
actions should take place to ensure the learning readiness of the employee. During the
intervention care should be taken that the learner can translate the learning content to
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the work situation and afterwards certain mechanisms should be in place to ensure that
the newly gained skills and knowledge can be applied.
An example of this is a large international telecommunications company that is running
a leadership programme. Before the employees are allowed to attend the programme,
they have to submit a contract that was agreed between themselves and the line
manager in terms of the objectives to be achieved by attending the programme.
Immediately after the programme there is another discussion with the line manager
where certain implementation actions are agreed. Six months after the programme
another monitoring discussion takes place and is recorded. Certification takes place
based on the evidence provided that the programme content was implemented in the
workplace and made a difference.
An effective approach to knowledge management in the company will enhance the
sustainability of learning and development and enable the learning to have a greater
impact. Knowledge management is more than having a system to store documents or
knowledge. Codifying, capturing and communicating knowledge is only part of the
problem knowledge management must solve, and perhaps the lesser of two parts. The
unquestionably central issue in knowledge management is that of being able to bring
relevant, valid knowledge to bear -- at will. It is the ability to deploy knowledge in the
service of the company that matters most (Nickols, 2000)
The deployment of knowledge must occur through people and therefore some
commonplace organisational practices have the potential to play a key role in
knowledge management. Recruiting, for instance, can be a means of acquiring certain
know-how; so can an acquisition of an entire company. Training is a way of
disseminating and diffusing know-how. So are rotational assignments. Encouraging
experimentation is also a means of fostering the creation of new knowledge and
innovation. Capturing and sharing best practices is a valid strategy; so is the systematic
improvement of performance (Nickols, 2000).
If the company does not have an effective approach to knowledge management many
hours could be wasted because the knowledge in the organisation is not easily available
and the same information is searched, generated and duplicated many times. Having an
effective knowledge management approach allows learning and development to focus
on the unique aspects of learning that creates a competitive advantage and not to focus
on content that should be at everyones fingertips in any case.
The ten enabling elements discussed in this section are not intended as the only
enabling elements in ensuring the effective implementation of learning and development
and the specific needs of a company could mean that other aspects are important
enablers, e.g. the availability of financial resources. This is merely an indication of some
of the enabling factors that should be taken into account in the management and design
of the learning and development function to ensure value-add to business.
3.
Training and learning needs analysis (TLNA)
Learning provision should be based on the accurate identification of business and

organisational requirements. It is important to identify training needs before trying to
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implement any training solutions. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and

Development (CIPD) (2009) defines this aspect as follows: Training and learning needs
analysis, formerly called just training needs analysis (TNA), can be seen as a health
check on the skills, talent and capabilities of the organisation. It is the systematic
gathering of data to find out where there are gaps in the existing skills, knowledge and
attitudes of employees. It involves collecting data about existing employees capabilities
and the organisational demands for skills, and the analysis of the implications for
changes in capability of new and changed roles. It should always flow from the business
strategy and its aim is the production of a plan allowing the organisation to ensure there
is sufficient capability to sustain business performance.
There are various models and classifications depicting the focus of TLNA and only two
will be mentioned here. The first model from CIPD (2009) states that TLNA can be
undertaken at a number of levels, namely:
For the organisation as a whole. The objective of this type of analysis is to

understand the amount of and types of learning needed to ensure that all
employees have the right capabilities to deliver on the organisations strategy. This
will focus on both the availability of skills in the short-term (within a year) and the
longer term (CIPD, 2009).
The information for this type of analysis is typically sourced from the companys
workforce planning process and the resulting workforce plan. The workforce plan
will indicate what type of strategies should be followed with regards to the
workforce, linked to the business strategy. The basic approaches in the plan could
include:
o
o
o
o
o
o
Bounce Strategy (Retraining, re-deployment or staff reductions)

Bound Strategy (Retention and Succession planning)
Build Strategy (Learning and Development)
Buy Strategy (External recruitment)
Borrow Strategy (Contractors and temporary workers)
Status Quo
Learning and development is involved in most of these strategies, for example a

needs analysis can support decisions about whether to buy in talent (if it is
available) or to make it in-house by growing the capabilities of those currently
employed.
For a specific department, project or area of work. New projects and

opportunities require new ways of working or reorganisation. Restructuring also
necessitates changes in roles.
For individuals. Linking their own personal learning and development needs to
those of the business.
The second model is by Robinson and Robinson (2008) who created the following need
hierarchy for performance consulting purposes:
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Business Needs
Performance Needs
Work environment and
capability needs
Business needs are the business goals and objectives that the company must achieve
for success. Performance needs describe on-the-job accomplishments and behaviours
required of employees who are performing a specific job and who contribute to the
business goals. Work environment and capability needs are factors that have a direct
impact on the performance of work groups. They can also contribute to, or obstruct,
accomplishment of business goals. Work environment refers to the infrastructure of the
organizations, including work processes, information systems and incentives (Robinson
and Robinson, 2008).
No matter what mental model or classification is used, the level of TNLA will determine:
who will conduct the TNLA

how the TNLA will be conducted, and
what data sources will be used
It is necessary to ensure that analyses at these levels are considered in conjunction

with one another. Kleynhans (2005) reiterates this alignment between the various levels
by stating that customary thinking regarding skills audits (i.e., that they serve to identify
skills gaps) should be transcended. An effective skills audit must be broader in span so
as to ensure that business information and business-enabling requirements are met at
various organisational levels, since the skills audit is in fact only one step in a larger
process designed to achieve successful individual and organisational development.
Several basic Needs Assessment techniques include:
direct observation
questionnaires/surveys
consultation with persons in key positions, and/or with specific knowledge
review of relevant literature
interviews
focus groups
tests
records & report studies
work samples
psychometric assessments
multi-rater evaluations
review of Performance Management information
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review of career counseling information

focus groups
assessment centres
review of workforce plan and information
competency audits
other
The TLNA outputs may include the following (CIPD, 2009):
A report of overall training needs for the company or department. This may be a
formal document that forms the basis of the Learning and Development Strategy
or be part of the business planning process. It will also be an important input in
the budgeting process to obtain the resources needed for learning which
supports business objectives.
Prioritisation of the learning needs identified. Not all the gaps in knowledge, skills
and attitudes will be urgent. The company might also not be capable of
addressing some of the needs within a short timeframe or have all the resources
to address all the needs. Discussion with senior management will give guidance
on which gaps are most critical. Once it is agreed which learning has priority,
learning and development professionals can start to work out how learning can
be facilitated and budget the time and resource that will be needed.
Learning and talent development plans. Once priorities and budgets are set the
Learning and development team will be able to set plans for learning
interventions. These plans will prioritise content and methods for development
processes. Line managers will also have a clear idea of where they need to
coach or develop skills in their teams.
Personal development plans. Plans for personal learning can be aligned with the
resources available.
All learning and development professionals know the importance of conducting a proper
training and learning needs analysis, but very few actually take the time to do this. For a
practical approach to this the Performance Consulting approach by Robinson and
Robinson (2008) can be recommended.
4. Learning and development strategy and plan
As already mentioned, if learning and development interventions are not intimately
linked with the business strategy, they are not adding value. You need to be able to
show that you can deliver results.
Learning and development strategy in the company can be defined at three levels,
namely
Organisational level in the form of the Workplace Skills Plan and either a standalone learning and development strategy or as part of the overall business
strategy.
Individual level in the form of individual/personal development plans.
Page 14
The ideal is that the strategy at organisational level be part of the overall business
strategy. If this is not the case, the development of the learning and development
strategy should follow the same format as the business strategy and include the
following elements:
Business purpose
-
Define the business and the role of learning and development within the
business
Stakeholders
Purpose
Vision
Values and culture
Goals
Strategic Analysis
-
External analysis
Industry and competitor analysis
Internal analysis, using the results from the Training and Learning Needs
Analysis
Strategy development
-
Strategic imperatives and key objectives
Scenario planning
Strategic alternatives
Strategy evaluation and choices
Strategic guidelines
Strategy implementation
-
Business planning
Budgeting
Action plans
Monitoring and review
The Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) that is submitted to the SETA on an annual basis
should be based on the learning and development strategy and should technically be a
reflection of a section of the learning and development action plan. Jeff Sacht at
Page 15
www.workinfo.com lists the establishment of the companys skills development priorities

as the third step in the development of the WSP. According to Jeff this step involves
identifying specific skills development needs in the context of the companys strategic
business priorities. This step should also be done as part of the learning and
development strategy. It is clear that the Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) and the learning
and development strategy should be an integrated document and that the WSP is not
just an exercise to ensure legal compliance.
Jeff suggests that in order to establish the organisation's skills development priorities,
the strategic business priorities need to be investigated in search of answers to the
following six key questions:
Which of the strategic business priorities require "know how" that does not currently
exist within the organisation and therefore needs to be acquired?
Which of the strategic business priorities imply new technologies and more
sophisticated working methods that will require particular "up-skilling" of certain
employees?
Which of the strategic business priorities imply staff redeployment to different jobs
and different kinds of work that will require "re-skilling" of certain employees?
Which of the strategic business priorities implies upgrading of lower level
employees that will require "multi-skilling" of the affected employees?
Which of the strategic business priorities imply reinforcement of current business
practices that will require "refresher training" of current employees?
Which of the strategic business priorities imply business expansion that will require
"initial training" of new employees?
Answering these questions will create useful input for the overall learning and
development strategy too.
The Personal Development Plan is in essence the individual employees learning and
development strategy for the current role as well as any future role that they could be
aspiring to. The format of the Personal Development Plan is fairly standard across
companies and usually includes the following:
Component
Description
Competency
Usually the competencies that are relevant to the role (linked to the business need) and
that has been identified as development areas for the employee will be listed.
Development
Objective
The specific development objectives to be achieved with regards to the specific

competency and business need are described on the Personal Development Plan, for
example, To be able to negotiate better discounts for the company on the procurement of
various products.
Priority
This indicates the urgency of developing the specific competency. It could be a short term
(0 - 3 months), medium term (3 - 6 months), or long-term (6 - 12 months) development
objective. It is necessary to indicate priorities, especially where there are several
development areas.
Development
Strategy
This indicates the agreed strategy in achieving the specific development objective.
Examples of development strategies are:
Page 16
Target Date
Short competency - based Company visits

courses
local
international
Self study
books/manuals
Special projects
videos
Social
multi-media
Networking
Job assignments
Indicates the date by when the development strategy should have been implemented.
Review date
Indicates the date on which achievement of the development objective is reviewed
Progress to date
A brief description of whether the development need has been addressed or whether there
are still areas for improvement
Academic programmes
Conferences & seminars
On-the-job training, coaching &
mentoring
As learning and development professionals we should be aware of the trend noticed by

Larry Bossidy & Ram Charan (2002) that leaders placed too much emphasis on what
some call high-level strategy, on intellectualizing and philosophizing, and not enough on
implementation. People would agree on a project or initiative, and then nothing would
come of it." (Bossidy and Charan, 2002). Learning and developments impact on the
business is magnified when good communication, customer-centricity and creativity
turns into action. Execution is a systematic process of rigorously discussing hows and
whats, tenaciously following through, and ensuring accountability. (Bossidy and
Charan, 2002). The learning and development strategy should therefore be supported
by a comprehensive action plan, implemented by competent and committed Learning
and Development professionals.
5. Intervention selection, design and implementation
Learning and development has evolved from a training programme focus into
interventions. Interventions are relevant, focused initiatives designed to cultivate the
capabilities the company needs to identify opportunities in the business environment,
define strategies to pursue those opportunities, and execute on those strategies.
Intervention design and development is a much broader concept than instructional
design, as it covers all types of interventions and not just formal learning interventions
as is the case with instructional design. Examples of interventions that might have to be
designed are feedback systems, performance support tools, recruitment criteria,
recognition systems, knowledge management systems, etc. The American Society for
Training and Development (Rothwell, 2000) identified the role of Intervention
Selector/Designer/Developer/Implementer as part of their competency model for
workplace learning and performance professionals.
Rothwell (2000) describes the following steps in the selection, design/development and
implementation of interventions:
Phase
Intervention
selection
Steps
1
2
3
4
5
6
Description
Verify that the root causes of the performance problem have been distinguished from the
symptoms or consequences
Consider the range of possible interventions to close the performance gap by addressing
the root causes
Identify the constraints or limitations on the choice of the intervention
Identify possible changes in the performance problem that may influence the interventions
Consider the possible side effects of interventions if implemented and plan for addressing
them
Determine the necessary stakeholder support, involvement and ownership
Page 17
Select the appropriate intervention to close the performance gap and thereby addressing
the performance problem
Clarify the initial and eventual scope of the intervention
8
Intervention
Design and
Development
1
2
Examine the characteristics of the participants

Examine the competencies necessary for the achievement of the relevant business
objectives
Examine the characteristics of the work environment
Formulate the performance objectives to guide the intervention
Formulate specific methods to measure the performance objectives
Create a detailed project plan
Create a detailed communications and marketing plan to clarify what is happening, what
has happened and what will happen
Make, buy or buy and modify the materials and media to support the implementation of the
intervention.
3
4
5
6
7
8
Intervention
Implementation
1
2
Work with partners and stakeholders on a daily basis to implement the action plan
Test the materials and media supplied during intervention design and provide feedback on
areas of improvement
Deliver, or facilitate delivery of the intervention to targeted participants
Ensure that communication about the intervention is carried out effectively
Track short-term results against the interventions performance objectives
Deal with barriers to implementation and ensure that the intervention is implemented as
planned
Provide clear, specific and continuing feedback to stakeholders about the results of the
intervention
3
4
5
6
7
If the intervention entails formal learning, e.g. instructor-lead- and e-learning, the
principles of Instructional Design will be followed during the intervention selection,
design and development phase. There are many sources describing the Instructional
Design process and it usually entails the following phases: analyze, design, develop,
implement and evaluate. The aim of Instructional Design is to strengthen the relevance
and efficiency of the learning by systematically linking the curriculum content and
learning methods to the job tasks, the specific learners and specific work contexts. This
results in better transfer of learning to improved performance on the job (IntraHealth,
2007). The steps in instructional design can briefly be summarized as follows
(IntraHealth, 2007):
Analyse
1. Skills and
knowledge gaps
and learning
goals
2. Learners and
their work setting
3. Resources and
requirements
4. Job
responsibilities
and tasks
5. Essential skills
and knowledge
6.
7.
8.
Design
Learning
objectives
Learning
assessment
methods
Learning
activities,
materials and
approaches,
and the
instructional
strategy
Develop
9. Lessons, learning
activities and
material, and
learning
assessment
instruments
(develop, pre-test
and revise
Implement
10. Preparation
11. Implementation
and logistics
monitoring
Evaluate
12. Effectiveness
(assess and revise)
In the South African context all instructional design should SAQA/NQF aligned. This
means that the design must align the curriculum to unit standards and qualifications.
Page 18
The business impact of the intervention relies to a large extent on the systematic
implementation of the steps mentioned. Too often we are under pressure to deliver an
intervention quickly and do not consider all the necessary aspects, not delivering the
intended results.
6. Delivery mechanisms
Training and development professionals need to consider the evolution of the
mechanisms available to deliver learning and development to ensure that the methods
fit the target population and the business objectives to be achieved. Bersin (2009)
tracks the evolution of learning and development delivery mechanisms over the past
thirty years in corporate training as follows:
Time period
1980s to 1990s
1998 to 2004
1995 to today
2008+
Characteristics
Traditional and Computer-Assisted Training: Traditional instructor-led
training (which still makes up more than 60% of all training delivery today), was
the primary form of training, and it was complimented by various forms of
technology (CD ROMs, VideoDisks, VHS tapes, Video Broadcasts) with a goal
of increasing reach and reducing cost. In those days technology-supported
training was called CBT or CAT.
The e-learning era: This was characterized by a mad rush to put everything
online. Originally organizations started repurposing all their programs and
developed linear, formal training programs for the web. During this second
phase the modern LMS was born, as were many of the new rapid e-learning and
other web-based development tools we have today.
Blended and informal learning: Organizations realized that e-learning was
not as all-powerful as once imagined, and the concepts of blended learning
began. As organizations adopted more and more blended learning concepts
and the internet became more widely available, it was realised that many of the
original concepts of e-learning (replacing instructor led training) were incorrect.
The notion now was that learning and development professionals needed to
create a new learning experience on the web, one which included both formal
(structured) programs as well as a wide variety of informal (unstructured) forms
of content.
Collaborative, Talent-driven Learning: Employees today have access to
formal training, overwhelming amounts of other information, and actual human
beings online. The internet and social networking creates a variety of
mechanisms for learning delivery. Employees can gain skills or information by
attending a class, taking an online course, looking up support information on the
web, reading a book, or finding someone who knows what to do and get help.
In the organisational context all of this must be align with the companys talent
initiatives.
According to Bersin (2009) this shift has created tremendous challenges for the
corporate learning and development function and states that, Our research shows that
68% of knowledge workers now feel that their biggest learning problem is an
overwhelming volume of information. This information exists in many formats, it is
often out of date, and they are not sure how to find what they need. In some sense the
need for formal training is greater than ever (you can make sure you get the right
information presented in the right way). Yet in fact, now corporate training professionals
must grapple with a whole new set of issues: how do I create a complete learning
environment (not a learning programme) which supports this new world of formal and
informal learning?
Page 19
Some of the delivery mechanisms that are available today are:

Formal methods usually entail a set curriculum and content and could entail some
formal qualification on successful completion. These methods are usually instructorlead, although some forms of e-learning also fall in this category.
Self-guided methods are more informal and involve the employee accessing the
learning content when and where they need it.
Embedded methods from part of the day-to-day job and takes place in the work
situation. Sometimes the learning is seamless and forms part of the work-process or
work device itself. In other cases it is designed to provide just-in-time learning as the
employee needs it and in other instances the learning happens as a form of reflection
on the work done and further experimentation.
Methods using social media take advantage of the growth of web 2.0 technologies.
The evolving world of Internet communication involving blogs, wikis, tags, file
swapping etc. offers employees radically new ways to learn. One of the basic drivers
of these technologies is the need to share user-generated content with each other.
For example users want to share their photos, videos or presentations with others.
The application of such patterns of behaviour to workplace learning is still in its
infancy, but it seems promising, especially when considering Generation Y in the
workplace.
As Learning and Development professionals we have to know how the various delivery
mechanisms work, as well as their advantages and disadvantages. We then have to
create guidelines that will help employees and managers decide what to use under what
business conditions.
7. Learning and development streams
Bersin and Associates (2008) distinguishes between two types of interventions provided
by corporate learning organizations. They call the first type performance-driven
learning interventions and the second type talent-driven learning interventions.
Performance driven interventions drive near-term competitive advantage and help the
organisation with timely, urgent problems. Examples of these types of interventions are:
a major blended learning programme to assist sales and service people understand a
product rollout, a coaching program to help managers understand how to deal with a
business downturn or shift in employee demographics, or an e-learning programme to
help employees understand how to use a new IT system.
Talent-driven interventions focuses on long-term competitive advantage, enabling the
company to grow, adapt to change, attract and retain great people, innovate, focus, and
meet customer demands. Examples of this type of solution include a multi-tier
leadership development programme, a complete sales curriculum and a corporate wide
quality and process improvement programme. These programmes go far beyond the
development of skills they focus on deep-rooted competencies, behaviours and
culture. In order to succeed they must be integrated with career development models
and performance management. They also take years to build and mature, demanding a
long-term investment(Bersin and Associates, 2008).
Page 20
Within these two clusters of interventions there are many development streams. These
development streams address all the possible learning and development solutions that
a company may need e.g.
Leadership/management
Technical/professional
Customer Service
Onboarding
Sales
Project Management
Desktop application and systems
Compliance e.g. Health and Safety
Business skills
Interpersonal skills
Company products and services
Other
A new learning and development function may initially only focus on a few streams, but
as the organization matures and the needs of the business expand, the focus will
include more development streams.
8. Learner Assessment
The importance of learner assessments is illustrated by Aberdeens (2008) finding that
the most utilized software in companies that were ranked Best-in-Class for learning and
development were assessments and learning management systems.
Learner assessment entails the evaluation of the employees competence before,
during and after the learning and development intervention. Learner assessment is
covered in the Kirkpatricks (2005) training evaluation model by the evaluation of:
- Learning where the extent of the learning that was accomplished is
determined by for example written tests, and pre- and post-training interviews.
Questions like Do employees have a new understanding of the ideas and
methods taught? Are their skills and attitudes better? are answered by this
type of evaluation.
- Behaviour where the on-the-job behavioural change is examined and
quantified. Before and-after comparisons are conducted and supervisors and
co-workers are asked for insight into an employees performance. The
question that is answered in this type of evaluation is: Has the employees
behaviour changed as a result of training?
The following table illustrates the various stages of learner assessment and its
objectives:
Page 21
Stage
Before training
Objectives
During training
(formative
assessment)
After training
(Summative
assessment)
After training
(Sustainability
assessment)
To determine learners competency gaps (needs analysis)

To establish a baseline from which the effect of the intervention will be
measured
To provide recognition for prior learning
To determine level at which learning and development intervention must be
pitched for learner
To determine learners progress against learning objectives
To determine areas for remedial action during training
To provide learners with constructive feedback with regards to areas of
improvement
To aid the learning process
To allow learners to demonstrate that they can perform the outcomes,
which have been decided on for the particular competence they were being
trained in e.g. by submitting a Portfolio of Evidence
To certify achievement of learning objectives
To aid the transfer of skills, knowledge and attitudes to the workplace
To facilitate lifelong learning
To ensure that critical competencies are kept up to date
To provide learners with useful feedback for the refinement of
competencies
To extend the impact of the learning and development intervention
Jeff Sacht (www.workinfo.com) mentions that both the South African Qualifications
Authority Act, 1995, and the Skills Development Act, 1998, requires that education and
training programmes and practices are based on Unit Standards registered on the NQF,
and where appropriate (e.g. in the case of learnerships) result in national qualifications
on the NQF. The Unit Standards determine what the assessment must test for. He
further states that both Acts also require that education and training practices have
internal and external assessment practices built into a quality assurance system.
Learner assessment in this context must follow strict guidelines and various
mechanisms are in place, e.g. internal and external moderation, to ensure that learners
are being assessed in a consistent, accurate, and well-designed manner. Formal
learning interventions therefore always should have a learner assessment manual and
an assessment manual for the facilitator. These manuals describe the unit standards
and the associated assessment criteria and methods to prepare the learners for the
formative and summative assessments. The intent of all these mechanisms is to ensure
a consistent and acceptable standard of training provision and assessment across
different training providers.
Learner assessment is something that should be built into the intervention during the
design stage and if done correctly, will assist the Learning and Development function to
help employees and business to succeed.
Page 22
9. Monitoring and Evaluation

The monitoring and evaluation function concerns the effectiveness (output) and
efficiency (input) of the learning and development intervention. If learning and
development is to add value to the organization, one has to be able to answer the
following questions:
How do we know the value of training?

How do we measure the effectiveness of training? (Meyer et al, 2003).
Kirkpatrick (2005) supports the notion that companies want to evaluate learning and
development interventions to determine how effective they have been and how they
might further improve them. According to Kirkpatrick (2005) other reasons for evaluating
programmes might include determining whether or not to continue a programme and to
assess the importance (or continuation) of a training department by showing how it
contributes to the companys objectives and goals.
The assessment of the impact of interventions is specifically covered by the following
levels of evaluation in the Kirkpatrick (2005) model:
Reaction evaluation is where the employees reaction to the learning

intervention is determined, based on a pre-set standard. This information is used
to improve the experience of the participants of the intervention.
Results evaluation measures the final results of the intervention from an
organizational perspective. Results could be increased production, improved
quality, decreased costs, reduced frequency or severity of accidents, increased
sales, reduced turnover, heightened regulatory compliance, or higher profits.
Often these results are why the company implemented the intervention in the first
place, and the interventions final objectives were stated in these terms, based on
corporate priorities. These results can be more difficult to measure, since many
other internal (i.e. turnover, etc.) and external influences (i.e. market pressures,
etc.) can affect them. Kirkpatrick (2005) recommends that Learning and
Development professionals still should link what happened in learning and
development to these broader organisational goals as much as possible.
The information from the learner assessments are used as input to measure the results
and overall impact of the learning and development intervention. Various methods could
be used to evaluate the results of the learning and development intervention, for
example:
Analysis of Organizational Performance Measures. The use of organizational

performance measures to assess training allows business units managers to be
results-oriented and business-focused in their prioritization of training
requirements (Carr, 2002).
Analysis of Training Return on Investment (ROI). ROI is a measure of the
monetary benefits obtained by an organisation over a specified period in return
for a given investment in a learning programme. It is the extent to which the
benefits (outputs) of training exceed the cost (inputs) (Meyer et. al. 2003).
Page 23
Additional outcomes or spin-offs. According to Maccauvlei (2006) the process of

learning itself can have effects that extend well beyond the learning consciously
intended for it. These include the impact on the learners, the trainer, the
sponsoring organization and people not directly associated with the training
programme at all. Examples of these outcomes are employee motivation and
retention; increased morale; innovation; continuous professional development;
mentoring and coaching and increased self-esteem.
Training savings is for example a comparison of the cost of delivering the training
in-house versus delivering the training via an outsourced supplier.
A systems approach to evaluation is recommended which means that the total process,
namely the inputs, transformation processes and outputs should be measured. It implies
a constant monitoring of the process and its outcomes. By following this approach,
necessary changes can be made quicker, for example if contextual factors impact on
the effectiveness of the intervention, it can be identified and dealt with sooner.
10. Outcomes
If the training and development function pays attention to all the cluster elements as
discussed in this article, the chances of achieving the desired results are high. Various
research studies have shown that learning and development can deliver very positive
business results. For example, research by the Corporate Executive Board (2005) on
employee engagement revealed that learning and development activities considerably
impact employees discretionary effort, or their willingness to go above and beyond the
call of duty, such as helping others with heavy workloads, volunteering for additional
duties, and looking for ways to perform the job more effectively. More specifically, the
effectiveness of general skills and job-specific training can drive discretionary effort by
17.8 percent.
The Corporate Executive Board (2007) cited a study conducted that found that
companies with learning functions that excelled at key business alignment capabilities
outperformed their peers in the following measures of
business success:
Net Income Growth (50% higher than peers)
Revenue Growth (40% higher than peers)
Productivity (27% higher than peers)
It is clear that there are definate rewards for a learning and development function with a
strong foundation based on business values and strategy, legislation, good governance,
effective quality management and a robust competency framework. By making sure that
the enablers of learning and development are in place; that needs analysis happens on
a scientific basis; that the learning and development strategy aligns closely with
business strategy; that intervention selection, design and implementation is executed
flawlessly; that the delivery methods match business needs; that the learning and
development streams cover the business priorities; that learner assessment helps the
employee and business to succeed and that intervention results are determined and
used for continuous improvement, the desired business results will be achieved.
Page 24
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Blueprint For Learning and Development in A Nutshell

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Blueprint For Learning and Development in A Nutshell

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Blueprint for the Learning and Development function in a nutshell

Alignment with business objectives and strategy

Alignment with legislation/Codes of practice

Learning and Development policies and procedures

Competency framework and learning maps/paths

Senior management commitment

Integration with talent management strategy/systems

Performance management with clear links to learning and development

Effective training logistics and programme management

Internal communication and branding of learning and development

Transfer of learning mechanisms, especially for formal training

Other, e.g. budget

the organisation as a whole

a specific department, project or area of work

Self-guided methods, e.g.

Embedded methods, e.g.

Social media, e.g.

Desktop application and systems

Compliance e.g. Health and Safety

Company products and services

Analysis of Organizational Performance Measures

Author: Lydia Cilli-Schmidt

The ten clusters will now be discussed briefly.

Adhere to regulatory requirements and legal obligations

Author: Lydia Cilli-Schmidt

Provide equitable privileges and benefits across the employee population

used to assist employees in designing personal development plans. Employees can

to give credibility and prestige to the learning and development interventions;

Author: Lydia Cilli-Schmidt

Future, external orientation - these companies develop an understanding of their

Author: Lydia Cilli-Schmidt

Learning and development is an important component in the total talent management

Information from the performance management process is used to determine

Author: Lydia Cilli-Schmidt

performance improvements over time via built-in Training Effectiveness

Number and type of employee groups supported by L&D

Type of training delivered

Author: Lydia Cilli-Schmidt

Profiled companies favoured flat, non-hierarchical Corporate University

Workforce Planning Includes gap analysis, demand planning, workforce

Training and learning needs analysis (TLNA)

Learning provision should be based on the accurate identification of business and

implement any training solutions. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and

For the organisation as a whole. The objective of this type of analysis is to

Bounce Strategy (Retraining, re-deployment or staff reductions)

Learning and development is involved in most of these strategies, for example a

For a specific department, project or area of work. New projects and

Author: Lydia Cilli-Schmidt

who will conduct the TNLA

It is necessary to ensure that analyses at these levels are considered in conjunction

Author: Lydia Cilli-Schmidt

review of career counseling information

The TLNA outputs may include the following (CIPD, 2009):

Author: Lydia Cilli-Schmidt

Values and culture

Industry and competitor analysis

Strategic imperatives and key objectives

Strategy evaluation and choices

Monitoring and review

www.workinfo.com lists the establishment of the companys skills development priorities

The specific development objectives to be achieved with regards to the specific

Author: Lydia Cilli-Schmidt

Short competency - based Company visits