Learning or Training?

October 2009

Learning and training are the same thing, right?

Wrong, they are fundamentally different, but many organisations do not recognise the differences and so “train” their people and wonder why their business stagnates.

Training is about giving an individual the tools to do their job, so the focus is on the direct benefit to the organisation. Learning is all about developing the individual, enabling them to grow and is a benefit to the person, and ultimately, the organisation.

Every person is different and the classic “one-size-fits-all” style of training will not suit the majority and therefore will not benefit the organisation. The most significant studies in the USA (Baldwin, Ford and Weissbein’s research 20 and 10 years ago, admittedly, but still seen as representative) showed that only about 10% of training expenditure transfers into the job.

So why do organisations persist with investing money for such limited benefit?

I think the answer is that people are too busy and it is too easy just to provide training for staff. Most organisations do not calculate the return on training, they just spend the training budget and reduce it when times are tough! Therefore there is limited true accountability and managers are often just putting a tick-in-the-box on their objectives; “yes, I have trained my people this year”.

I believe that changing from “training” to “learning” is essential if organisations are to make the most of their people.

People respond to learning because it benefits and interests them, develops their natural abilities and enables them to make a difference. Organisations that treat their people as responsible individuals by facilitating a learning environment, will reap significant rewards in increased productivity and reduced staff turnover.

Don’t just train your people, help them learn, it benefits everyone!

Ginny Leppenwell – Head of People & Learning – Itica Consulting – October 2009

ginny.leppenwell@itica.co.uk

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