It's no secret that access to workout facilities or employee fitness and wellness programs can increase overall wellness in the workplace. These benefits, alongside other resources, such as financial wellness and volunteer initiatives, are often at the core of most corporate wellness programs. While a physically healthy workforce is healthy for the business, there's also a significant aspect of wellness — job satisfaction — that can only be achieved through the employee's actual job experience.
No amount of outside corporate perks can make up for either the empowerment or discouragement an employee can feel when they're "on the clock." This is why incorporating a strategic approach to ongoing corporate learning and development (L&D) for all employees is essential to creating a holistic approach to workplace "wellness."
People in the workforce are laser-focused on progressing their careers and are eager to stretch, grow, and learn new skills. And those who aren't learning are likely to leave. LinkedIn's 2023 Workplace Learning Report uncovered valuable insights on recent trends in corporate learning and development, including:
- Providing learning opportunities is the number one way organizations are working to improve retention.
- When considering a new job, people desire challenging and impactful work, career growth opportunities within the company, and opportunities to develop and learn new skills.
- Workers aged 18 to 34 are most likely to value skill-building, learning, and career growth.
- At the two-year mark, an employee who has made an internal move is 76% likely to stay with the company compared to 56% who don't make an internal move.
Throughout the report, one thing is clear –– having a corporate learning and development strategy benefits companies and employees. With focus placed on providing ongoing learning and training opportunities, employee satisfaction and engagement become a leading component in your company's overall "health."
What is corporate learning and development?
Before discussing the details of creating a corporate learning and development program, let's define it. The Association of Talent Development (ATD) defines learning and development as "a function within an organization that is responsible for empowering employees' growth and developing their knowledge, skills, and capabilities to drive better business performance." It encompasses any professional development an organization provides its employees, such as career development, ongoing training, leadership development programs, skills training, and more.
Building an effective learning and development program
Learning and development programs and strategies may look different across organizations, but there are some essential approaches that every company should consider.
- Set a goal for your organization
- Gather employee feedback
- Create mentorship and coaching opportunities
- Offer ongoing training on various topics
- Leverage the expertise of your people
- Measure your results
Set a goal for your organization
Setting a clear and strategic goal is fundamental in designing a successful corporate learning and development program. Before embarking on the development process, you should outline your organization's objectives, aligning them closely with the overall business strategy. Look at the company's current and future needs, identify skill gaps, and get to know your employees' specific challenges.
Whether the objective is to enhance technical skills, foster leadership qualities, or improve overall team collaboration, a well-defined goal provides a roadmap for crafting a targeted and impactful program.
Gather employee feedback
Before building an L&D program, having a general idea of what your employees want and need is a smart approach. Take some time to connect with them to learn more about their interests. Find out what their goals are within the company and their careers. For example, someone in customer success may be interested in shifting to another department or advancing to a management role. Once you have an idea of their interests, you can use that to support them in their goals. With this information, you can create a program that'll be beneficial and adequately utilized.
Create mentorship and coaching opportunities
Some of the best learning can be through shared experiences and connecting with those around us. A mentorship or coaching program that matches employees with experienced people within the company is valuable to a learning and development program. Individuals learn new skills, receive career coaching, gain an increased understanding of the business, and connect with leaders uniquely.
This program gives everyone involved organic learning experiences and strengthens the company culture. Your company can also facilitate mentorships and coaching online, so you can provide connection no matter where your employees are.
Offer ongoing training on various topics
Training programs and learning experiences are in place to help individuals make an even greater impact on the company. Providing employees with access to various learning and training opportunities allows them to constantly reskill and upskill, contributing to their personal and professional growth and benefiting the company.
Training can be self-directed learning through an organization's library of recordings and training materials or by providing them with access to solutions like LinkedIn Learning or Udemy. Additionally, your company can offer group training opportunities that allow them to connect and collaborate with their coworkers and subject matter experts.
Leverage the expertise of your people
Every organization has subject matter experts who can speak to their field or focus. Focus on this internal hub of expertise and share it with the rest of your organization. Doing this creates a win-win situation for employees and the experts, with employees becoming more aware of the person and topic related to the business and for the expert to explore thought leadership opportunities.
Measure your results
Measuring the results of a corporate learning and development program is essential to gauge its effectiveness and ensure a return on investment. Quantitative metrics, such as employee productivity, retention rates, and skills acquisition, can provide concrete evidence of the program's success.
Moreover, qualitative measures, like employee feedback, engagement levels, and anecdotal evidence, provide a few valuable insights into the program's influence on the work culture and employee satisfaction. Regular assessments, surveys, and performance reviews help identify areas of improvement and allow for necessary adjustments to align the program with evolving organizational goals.
A successful L&D program is just one part of tackling workplace wellness. If you're interested in investing in your employees' overall well-being by implementing fitness benefits into your corporate wellness program, contact the ClassPass Corporate team today.
