Learning and development is an all-inclusive activity that involves the acquiring of knowledge (learning) to better perform new or existing skills (development) in the workplace. L&D is traditionally an arm of the human resources branch in an organisation.   
 
There are several different approaches an organisation can use to deliver learning and development, quite often through a learning management system (LMS): 

• Instructor-led: Learning that is delivered via a teacher, instructor or facilitator in sessions such as face-to-face lessons, masterclasses or lectures.
• Coaching: Where coaches usually attach meaningful goals and strategies to coursework to encourage teamwork.
• Mentorship: A learner will shadow or receive advice and guidance from a mentor (usually someone in a senior role) to gain deeper on-the-job knowledge in their sector.
• Social Learning: A collaborative, learner led process through which knowledge is shared and affirmed via social interaction like forums and group activities.

Learning and development is important to employees because it gives them a purpose outside of their pay cheque by providing a goal to strive towards. This in turn helps make them more engaged in the workplace.  
 
The reason L&D is so important for organisations is because 80% of their value tends to come down to their relationship with their people. If people are the source of better productivity and growth, then resources are best devoted to giving them avenues to learn skills that lead to a more efficient and creative output.  
 
Humans learn in different ways, which means it will likely take a combination of different strategies to create a successful L&D program: 

• Learner-centric: Personalised learning pathways that combine with workforce goals means not only is the content they consume adapted to their needs, but so is the way in which they consume it.
• Strength-based: Learning that enhances existing skills. When an employee shows great leadership potential, providing L&D to harness that potential can increase engagement, create a sense of belonging and boost overall performance.
• On-the-job: On-the-job training reinforces what is learned via an LMS through real-life development. This could be through teamwork, mentorship or even on-the-job skills-based assessments.

Developing a good L&D strategy starts at the end, by establishing an outcome to expect from the beginning. Consider these steps when developing a strategy: 

• Clearly define goals: Without goals, you may find yourself getting swept up in eLearning trends. While trends are important to stay abreast of, they don’t all have a long-lasting impact. The latest buzz isn’t necessarily the greatest fit.
• Analyse skill gaps: Determine which gaps need addressing by conducting a skills gap assessment. Such an assessment helps to identify the skills needed for future L&D investment, workforce planning, succession planning and any other crucial organisational functions.
• Align with business strategy: An L&D strategy will go nowhere fast if not aligned with existing business strategy. The core mission of L&D is to support professional development, build or bolster capabilities, enhance company culture and reinforce company values – many of which translate to business objectives.

For a more in-depth look at L&D strategies, have a read of the full article.