How it works

Learning Councils actively and formally involve functional leaders and managers in aligning L&D with business goals by reviewing strategies, identifying learning program needs, monitoring progress and results, and guiding future learning investments and activities. These councils ease the burden on L&D leadership by partnering in strategy, approving investment decisions, promoting compliance and acceptance of policies and practices, and overseeing implementation to ensure alignment with business priorities. They have proven to be highly effective in improving the business alignment of learning and development efforts, programs, and activities. As a result, they foster greater leadership understanding, buy-in, and support for employee learning and development investments, while also strengthening the culture of continuous growth. 

looks_oneIdentify key management across the business to build an enterprise Learning Council

The L&D function should work with top executives (e.g., C-suite) to identify key stakeholders and end users for learning. Engaging leaders from the main groups that use learning and development programs and resources is the best starting point. For example, employees in manufacturing, operations, IT, sales, customer support, and finance often participate in training and development within the organization. As a result, involving their top functional leaders on the council can improve business alignment, budget distribution, and responsiveness to emerging skills development and strengthening needs.