Corporate Learning
Building an Effective Corporate Learning System
Get Things Done, Not Stuck in a Loop
Part 1
Part 1
As a company grows, there comes a point when employee training needs to become its own process. This means shifting from occasional training to a structured, ongoing function that aligns with company goals and supports continuous learning.
Some organizations figured this out long ago—they have top-notch training teams, great Heads of Learning, corporate universities, and effective LMS platforms. We look up to them and strive to get there too.
Let’s imagine a company where this isn’t the case
The number of employees is growing, training needs to be done quickly, but resources are limited
Our Company would really like an impressive corporate university
The company dreams of having modern programs to make it a strong advantage for the HR brand. Employees should value and share knowledge within the company. The university should also address practical problems: save time on routine training, quickly update knowledge, train future leaders, and free up experts.
Let's imagine that you are the specialist responsible for launching a systematic training program. Perhaps you’re tasked with implementation or need to find the right expert for the job.
Where do we start?
The idea of creating a learning system will probably sit on the shelf for a few more years because it never feels urgent. That’s a problem—over time, the mess will only get worse. But this is what happens when there are no leaders willing to start the process before it becomes a real issue.
What if we don’t rush into building a full system and instead set aside a budget for external training, letting employees choose their own programs?
Inner voice
External training is a good idea, but...
What might not be covered by external training?
This is by no means an exhaustive list. I'm sure you can think of more to add
- OnboardingA new employee is overwhelmed with a lot of information. At the same time, it's crucial to inspire and create a strong impression of the company. Plus, it takes time from the HRBP and manager. It needs to be effective, while saving resources.
- ComplianceCourses that everyone must complete—safety, legal requirements, internal processes. It should be compact, quick, and simple. Monitoring progress, viewing reports.
- Quick learning for updatesSome processes are changing in the company, and we need to train a lot of people quickly and easily. Ideally, the training should be simple, fast, and effective.
- PDPAfter conducting a performance review and identifying areas for employee development, the next step is to work on them. It's important for the employee to see their progress, apply what they've learned, and notice improvements. For this, tools and processes are essential.
- Sharing knowledge from internal expertsThe company has experts whose knowledge is invaluable. However, this knowledge doesn't translate into the company's intellectual capital and isn't systematically shared with others. When an expert leaves, all their knowledge leaves with them.
Sooner or later, relying solely on external training becomes too costly. It only covers about 30% of the needs, and cuts will be inevitable, which employees won’t take well.
What pitfalls can arise in the steps of creating a learning system?
1
Hiring a wrong specialist
The trap at this stage is defining the competencies that are needed
On one hand, we've already seen that it's a large-scale goal—building a system with its own processes, KPIs, and digital infrastructure. It seems like a managerial role.
But it turns out that, to begin with, we need to solve all the operational tasks: conduct training on various topics, review and update manuals, and develop new ones. These are not managerial tasks. And somewhere between these operational tasks, some superhero is expected to wave a magic wand and build a world-class training system that rivals competitors. This is unrealistic.
But it turns out that, to begin with, we need to solve all the operational tasks: conduct training on various topics, review and update manuals, and develop new ones. These are not managerial tasks. And somewhere between these operational tasks, some superhero is expected to wave a magic wand and build a world-class training system that rivals competitors. This is unrealistic.
Either we allocate resources for change, or it's better to honestly lower our expectations to something more achievable
This is a common trap. To overcome it, you need to understand the different training formats and their possibilities
2
Treating learning as just training
Everyone has experience with learning—whether it's school, university, or courses. And we imagine that we need an expert, an audience, material, and practice. Employees usually like training sessions, and they look impressive.
But learning doesn’t happen in the classroom—it happens in the mind. For a company, the goal is to see changes in employees’ behavior. This means we need to create conditions where knowledge is not only learned but also applied outside the classroom. This involves working on motivation, attention, memory, reflection, and integrating learning into personal experience.
But learning doesn’t happen in the classroom—it happens in the mind. For a company, the goal is to see changes in employees’ behavior. This means we need to create conditions where knowledge is not only learned but also applied outside the classroom. This involves working on motivation, attention, memory, reflection, and integrating learning into personal experience.
The training is over—are the skills being applied?
No. You need to ensure recall, implementation, and feedback. Without these, the knowledge will be quickly forgotten, even if the training was well-liked.
Training is just one part of the learning system. To create different formats that align with goals, you need to master the process of product creation and have professional experience. There are various learning formats.
Training is just one part of the learning system. To create different formats that align with goals, you need to master the process of product creation and have professional experience. There are various learning formats.
3
In Learning, It's Always Win or Lose
Let’s imagine a situation: you attended a workshop and found it useful. Great. There’s no guarantee you’ll remember or apply what you learned, but you liked it. You had a positive experience, you’re grateful to the company, and you feel inspired.
Option 2: You attended a workshop and found it useless. Can you say you feel indifferent? Probably not. You spent your time and energy. Someone overloaded you with information, drained your resources. Why is the company running this unnecessary training? No value, just wasted time.
This leads to demotivation and distrust in all training—a result of poorly designed learning.
Option 2: You attended a workshop and found it useless. Can you say you feel indifferent? Probably not. You spent your time and energy. Someone overloaded you with information, drained your resources. Why is the company running this unnecessary training? No value, just wasted time.
This leads to demotivation and distrust in all training—a result of poorly designed learning.
For this reason, course design shouldn't be based on intuition; it's important to follow a structured approach. This will help stay aligned with employees' needs.
Let’s pause and summarize
Before we move on
- Система обучения - это кровеносная система компанииОна должна нести кислород в любую точку компании, где это нужно. Быстро и удобно для сотрудников и организаторов.
- Откладывать - множить проблемыСоздание такой системы обычно не горит, не стоит в приоритете, поэтому может медленно тлеть долгие годы.
- Типичные ошибкиИз-за того, что у всех есть опыт обучения, специализированные компетенции не считаются необходимостью. Хотя нужны специалисты, которые понимают, как организовать процесс от целей, наладить работу, обеспечить удобство и скорость.
- ПоддержкаВ компании могут возникать энтузиасты, которым интересно сделать работающую систему. Таким людям нужна поддержка на всех уровнях. Не получится локально принять такое решение и красиво воплотить его в жизнь, если за этими изменениями не стоит руководство компании. Важно не просто поддерживать, а поставить в приоритет и терпеливо идти к реализации.
Мы с вами обсудили, как выглядит состояние компании, которой уже очень пора переходить к системному обучению. И какие неверные, но распространенные решения принимаются на пути к системе.
Время взять паузу и обдумать
Скоро появится вторая часть статьи, там мы обсудим, как создать систему с теми вводными данными и ресурсами, которые у вас есть.
А пока берегите себя, ваша энергия очень важна.