Understand how learning and development connects with other areas of the organisation.

About this package

Learning and development (L&D) needs to connect with the work an organisation is trying to achieve. This package examines those connections, from strategic priorities and relationships with other functions to the evidence used to identify capability gaps. It explores the shift from measuring training activity to understanding what employees can do and how development contributes to business performance. The opening content examines trends shaping workplace learning: business alignment, evidence-informed practice, digital solutions and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, augmented reality and virtual reality. Learners consider how government policy and globalisation influence capability requirements and learning provision. The 70:20:10 framework provides a way to examine learning through experience, other people and formal development, alongside the growth of self-directed, informal and social learning. The package then considers where L&D sits within an organisation and how that affects its priorities, responsiveness and working relationships. It compares positioning within HR and business functions, and explains business partnering and performance consulting. Connections with IT, finance, marketing and line managers show why effective development depends on more than course delivery. Specific applications include induction, reducing time to competence, maintaining workforce capability, supporting innovation and making development accessible and inclusive. These topics also explore how learning becomes part of everyday work rather than a separate activity. The final part evaluates ways to identify development needs at organisational, team and individual levels. Learners examine performance measures, financial information, customer feedback and evaluation findings alongside gap analysis, future state analysis and environmental analysis. Job analysis, skills audits, assessments, surveys, interviews, observations and performance reviews are considered as different sources of evidence. A central distinction runs throughout: a performance shortfall does not automatically mean training is needed. The package helps learners investigate whether knowledge and skills are contributing factors, compare methods and justify development priorities rather than respond to every difficulty with a course.

Who it’s for

Suitable for L&D and HR practitioners, managers with responsibility for staff development, and learners studying how workplace learning supports organisational performance. It is particularly relevant to those developing their ability to analyse needs and advise on development priorities.

What’s covered

1. Business-aligned, evidence-informed L&D

   Examines why L&D is increasingly judged by its contribution to performance rather than the volume of training delivered. Covers the role of evidence, data and metrics in setting priorities and explaining the value of development.

2. Digital solutions and emerging technologies

   Explores how digital provision supports access across locations, guidance at the point of work and opportunities to practise. Considers artificial intelligence, augmented reality and virtual reality in relation to what learners need to do.

3. The 70:20:10 framework and learner-led learning

   Explains learning through experience, other people and formal development. Connects the framework with self-directed, informal and social learning, including feedback, coaching, mentoring and knowledge-sharing.

4. Government policy, political agendas and globalisation

   Examines external influences on capability requirements and learning provision. Distinguishes political commitments, funding rules and legal requirements, and considers the implications of government priorities and cross-border economic activity.

5. Positioning L&D within HR and business functions

   Compares how organisational structures affect L&D priorities, budgets, accountability and strategic alignment. Considers the connections each structure creates and the working relationships needed to support wider business goals.

6. Business partnering, performance consulting and functional relationships

   Explains how ongoing partnerships help L&D understand operational priorities and investigate performance requirements before recommending training. Examines how strategy and collaboration with IT, finance, marketing and line managers shape effective development services.

7. Induction and workforce development

   Connects induction and continuing development with reliable work performance, service quality and retained expertise. Covers preparation for safe working, understanding the organisation, beginning useful work and reducing time to competence.

8. Innovation, inclusion and a learning culture

   Explores how L&D helps people question assumptions, investigate problems and test improvements. Considers accessible and fair development opportunities, alongside the conditions that allow learning to continue within everyday work.

9. Performance and customer data

   Examines how KPIs, operational measures, financial information, evaluation findings and customer feedback can indicate development requirements. Emphasises investigating causes rather than assuming that every performance shortfall reflects insufficient knowledge or skill.

10. Gap, future state and environmental analysis

    Explains how to compare current capability with defined performance requirements. Considers how future needs and changing external conditions can alter the capabilities required at organisational, team and individual levels.

11. Job analysis, skills audits and assessments

    Evaluates methods for establishing what work requires and what people can currently do. Distinguishes knowledge, skill and competence, and considers the breadth offered by skills audits alongside the more specific evidence available through assessments.

12. Consultation, observation and performance reviews

    Evaluates surveys, interviews and performance consulting as ways to investigate reported difficulties and development requirements. Compares these accounts with workplace observation and performance reviews, considering the strengths and limitations of each source.

Learning outcomes

By completing this package, learners can:

• Analyse how emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, augmented reality and virtual reality, and external drivers, including government agendas and globalisation, influence organisational learning and development provision.
• Explain the 70:20:10 model of workplace learning and its relationship to self-directed, informal and social learning.
• Assess how business alignment, evidence-informed practice, data and digital solutions are shaping learning and development priorities and measures of organisational performance.
• Compare the implications of positioning learning and development within HR or business functions for collaboration, responsiveness and strategic alignment.
• Explain how business partnering and performance consulting connect learning and development with IT, finance, marketing and line managers to address business performance requirements.
• Analyse how organisational strategy informs learning and development priorities and services, including induction, reducing time to competence and building workforce capability.
• Assess how learning and development initiatives support innovation, competitive advantage, accessibility, inclusion and a learning culture.
• Apply gap analysis and future state analysis to organisational, team and individual performance data to identify current and anticipated learning and development needs.
• Evaluate the suitability of needs-identification methods, including environmental analysis, job analysis, skills audits, surveys, observations, assessments, performance reviews and interviews, at organisational, team and individual levels.
• Justify prioritised learning and development requirements for a given organisational scenario by combining evidence from KPIs, financial data, evaluation findings and customer feedback, distinguishing learning needs from non-learning performance issues.

Frequently asked questions

Related training packages