Learning and Development (L&D) has long been considered a subset of Human Resources (HR) in many organizations. However, there is growing debate about whether HR should actually be responsible for L&D.
Here are several reasons why L&D should be separate from HR, each addressing critical aspects of organizational structure, employee engagement, and the strategic goals of a company.
1. Different Strategic Focuses
HR's primary focus is on managing employee relations, compliance, recruitment, and payroll. In contrast, L&D is focused on enhancing employee skills, fostering career development, and aligning learning opportunities with business objectives. This fundamental difference in focus means that HR and L&D often have diverging priorities. While HR may prioritize filling vacancies and ensuring compliance, L&D aims to develop a skilled workforce that can drive long-term business growth.
HR's Core Function: Administrative and transactional, focusing on policies, procedures, and compliance.
L&D's Core Function: Strategic and developmental, focusing on building skills, capabilities, and culture.
When HR manages L&D, there is a risk that development initiatives become secondary to the immediate administrative concerns of HR.
2. Potential for Conflict of Interest
HR is often involved in performance management and may use L&D programs to address perceived deficiencies in employee performance. This can create a conflict of interest, where L&D is used reactively rather than proactively. The risk here is that L&D becomes more about remedial action and less about holistic, proactive skill development and career progression.
Conflict Scenario: If HR uses L&D as a tool primarily for improving underperformance rather than developing talent, it can lead to a narrow focus that undermines the broader goals of employee development.
3. Need for Specialized Expertise
L&D requires specialized skills in adult learning theory, instructional design, and educational psychology. While HR professionals are skilled in employee management and organizational policy, they may not have the depth of expertise required to design and implement effective learning programs.
Specialized Knowledge: Effective L&D strategies need professionals who understand how adults learn, how to measure learning outcomes, and how to integrate technology into learning.
Having a separate L&D function allows for the recruitment and development of specialists who can focus solely on creating impactful learning experiences.
4. Enhancing Employee Engagement and Trust
When L&D is part of HR, employees might perceive learning initiatives as linked to compliance and performance management rather than genuine opportunities for personal and professional growth. This perception can reduce engagement with L&D programs.
Engagement Impact: Employees are more likely to engage in learning programs when they view them as growth opportunities rather than mandatory training dictated by HR.
By separating L&D from HR, organizations can promote a culture where learning is seen as an opportunity for self-improvement rather than a compliance obligation.
5. Agility and Innovation in Learning
The world of learning and development is rapidly evolving, with new technologies and methodologies emerging continuously. To stay ahead, organizations need to be agile and innovative in their approach to employee development. When L&D is housed within HR, it may be subject to more rigid structures and slower decision-making processes typical of HR departments.
Need for Agility: L&D teams need the freedom to experiment with new learning technologies, methodologies, and content without being constrained by HR's traditional processes.
6. Alignment with Business Strategy
L&D plays a crucial role in aligning employee development with the strategic goals of a business. When L&D is part of HR, there is a risk that learning initiatives become disconnected from broader business objectives. A standalone L&D department can work directly with business leaders to ensure that learning programs are aligned with the company's strategic direction.
Strategic Alignment: Separate L&D functions can better tailor programs to meet specific business needs, thereby creating more direct links between employee development and organizational goals.
7. Clearer Metrics and Accountability
When L&D is independent of HR, it's easier to develop clear metrics for success and hold the department accountable for learning outcomes. This separation allows for better assessment and reporting on the effectiveness of learning programs, driving continuous improvement.
Accountability and Improvement: Separate L&D functions can focus solely on the impact of learning programs, using specific metrics like skill acquisition, job performance improvement, and ROI of training programs.
In Summary
Separating Learning and Development from HR allows each function to focus on its core competencies, leading to more effective management of both human resources and employee development. This separation fosters a culture of continuous learning, aligns development initiatives more closely with business strategy, and ensures that learning is approached with the specialized focus it deserves. Ultimately, organizations can achieve greater agility, innovation, and employee engagement by treating L&D as a distinct function with its own strategic objectives.
Steps to Build an L&D Team Outside of HR
Establishing a Learning and Development (L&D) team outside of the HR department requires careful planning and strategic execution to ensure its success. Here are the key steps to build an effective L&D team that operates independently from HR, aligning with organizational goals and fostering a culture of continuous learning.
1. Define the Purpose and Scope of L&D
The first step is to clearly define the purpose and scope of the L&D function outside HR. This involves determining the goals and objectives of the L&D team and how it will support the broader business strategy.
Identify Key Objectives: Align L&D objectives with the company’s strategic goals. This could include improving employee skills, fostering leadership development, or supporting digital transformation.
Determine Scope of Activities: Outline the specific activities and responsibilities of the L&D team, such as designing training programs, managing learning technology platforms, and measuring learning outcomes.
2. Establish L&D as a Separate Function
Once the purpose and scope are defined, formalize L&D as a separate department within the organization. This involves creating a distinct organizational structure and ensuring that L&D has its own identity and resources.
Create an Organizational Structure: Design a structure for the L&D team that aligns with the organization's needs. This may include roles like L&D Director, Instructional Designers, Learning Technologists, and Learning Facilitators.
Allocate Budget and Resources: Ensure that the L&D function has its own budget and resources, separate from HR, to enable it to operate independently and effectively.
3. Hire and Develop the Right Talent
Building an L&D team requires hiring professionals with the right skills and expertise to design, deliver, and evaluate effective learning programs.
Identify Key Skills and Competencies: Look for individuals with expertise in instructional design, adult learning theory, digital learning tools, and data analytics to measure the impact of training programs.
Recruit Diverse Talent: Consider a mix of internal and external hires to bring fresh perspectives and ideas. Internal hires may already understand the company culture, while external hires can introduce new L&D strategies and innovations.
Foster Continuous Learning Within the Team: Encourage L&D team members to engage in their own professional development to stay current with the latest trends and technologies in the field.
4. Develop a Comprehensive L&D Strategy
With the right team in place, the next step is to develop a comprehensive L&D strategy that aligns with business objectives and addresses the learning needs of employees.
Conduct a Training Needs Analysis: Identify gaps in skills and knowledge within the organization. This analysis can be done through surveys, interviews, and performance data reviews.
Set Clear Learning Goals and KPIs: Define measurable learning goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the effectiveness of the L&D programs.
Choose the Right Learning Modalities: Determine the most appropriate learning methods for different needs, such as e-learning, workshops, coaching, or on-the-job training.
5. Implement Learning Technologies and Tools
An effective L&D function requires the right technologies and tools to facilitate and measure learning.
Select Learning Management Systems (LMS): Choose an LMS that can deliver, track, and manage training programs. The system should be user-friendly and integrate with other tools used by the organization.
Incorporate Innovative Learning Tools: Use a variety of tools like virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI) to create engaging and interactive learning experiences.
Ensure Data-Driven Decision-Making: Utilize learning analytics to collect data on employee engagement, learning progress, and program effectiveness to continuously improve L&D initiatives.
6. Promote a Culture of Learning and Development
Building a successful L&D team outside of HR also involves fostering a culture that values continuous learning and development across the organization.
Communicate the Value of L&D: Regularly communicate the benefits of learning and development to employees and leadership to build buy-in and support.
Encourage Leadership Support and Role Modeling: Leaders should actively participate in and promote learning initiatives, setting an example for employees to follow.
Incorporate Learning into Performance Management: Tie learning and development objectives to performance appraisals and career progression to emphasize their importance.
7. Evaluate and Refine L&D Programs Continuously
Finally, it is crucial to regularly evaluate the effectiveness of L&D programs and make adjustments as needed to ensure they continue to meet organizational goals and employee needs.
Collect Feedback and Measure Outcomes: Gather feedback from participants and use data to measure the impact of learning programs on performance and business outcomes.
Conduct Regular Reviews and Updates: Review L&D programs regularly to ensure they remain relevant and aligned with the organization’s strategic goals and evolving needs.
Foster a Cycle of Continuous Improvement: Encourage a mindset of continuous improvement within the L&D team to adapt and innovate in response to feedback and changing organizational dynamics.
Building an L&D team outside of HR involves establishing a clear purpose, creating a dedicated structure, hiring specialized talent, developing a strategic plan, implementing the right tools, fostering a culture of continuous learning, and continuously evaluating and refining programs. By taking these steps, organizations can create a dynamic and independent L&D function that drives employee development and supports business growth.
About LMS Portals
At LMS Portals, we provide our clients and partners with a SaaS-based, multi-tenant learning management system that allows you to launch a dedicated training environment (a portal) for each of your unique audiences.
The system includes built-in, SCORM-compliant rapid course development software that provides a drag and drop engine to enable most anyone to build engaging courses quickly and easily.
We also offer a complete library of ready-made courses, covering most every aspect of corporate training and employee development.
If you choose to, you can create Learning Paths to deliver courses in a logical progression and add structure to your training program. The system also supports Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) and provides tools for social learning.
Together, these features make the LMS Portals platform the ideal SaaS-based platform for our L&D clients and partners.
Contact us today to get started or visit our Partner Program pages
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