The Impact of COVID-19 on L&D Strategy: A UK Organization Perspective

This oral presentation delves into the critical evolution of Learning and Development (L&D) strategies for a large UK-based organization in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. It begins with an introduction highlighting the changing operational landscape and the necessity for enhanced employee capabilities, referencing the case of Sainsbury's. The presentation then explores the pivotal role of L&D strategies in fostering employee success and adapting to new work environments, including contactless operations and effective customer communication. It emphasizes the need to invest in and focus on leveraging technology and online modes. The presentation further addresses training needs, including a systematic approach to identify gaps and tailor training programs, outlining factors like motivation, enthusiasm, and clarity. It discusses various training methods, such as classroom and online training, along with their advantages and disadvantages. The evaluation of L&D interventions using the Kirkpatrick Taxonomy is also covered, alongside the importance of Return on Investment (ROI) and external factors impacting L&D plans, such as technological, environmental, and economic changes. The presentation concludes by emphasizing the vital role of L&D in organizational progress, especially in the post-COVID era.

ORAL
PRESENTATION

TABLE OF CONTENT
• INTRODUCTION
• Learning and Development (L&D) strategy
• To focus and invest in
• training needs and systematic approach
• Factors
• Training methods
• evaluate and measure
• ROI
• External factors
• Conclusion
• References

INTRODUCTION
• It is vital to note that Covid-19 has changed the way of operations in various organisations.
• It is seen that the companies are working to enhance the capacities of their employees so that they
can work effectively (Shanks, 2017).
• The report is based on Sainsbury’s.

LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT (L&D)
STRATEGY
• Learning and Development (L&D) strategy plays a vital role in formulating strategies by an organisation. It
shows the company enhance the capabilities of the employees, to make them successful. It helps to study about the
main stakeholders that are involved in the growth of company and then work on enhancing their skill development.
• It is seen that learning and development department plays a vital role in imparting training and development. It
is seen that now there is need to train employees to work in a contactless manner and to communicate effectively
with customers to understand their needs and wants. The strategy that is formulated by the company is based on the
training being provided to them. The deportment is responsible to train the employees as per the requirement of
business strategy.

TO FOCUS AND INVEST IN
• In relations to Sainsbury’s the company is in retail sector. It is now time to use latest technology
and allow the system to self-checkout in the branch (Gozes, and et.al., 2020). It is important for the
company to enhance the operations of business on online modes.
• There is direct impact of providing training to the employees. It is seen that there is both short term
and long term impact. In short term it can be said that the employees are unable to understand the
use of latest technology and is difficult for them. On the other side long term impact is effective as
it helps to develop the skills of employees that is beneficial for the organisation as well.

TRAINING NEEDS AND SYSTEMATIC
APPROACH
• To know about the training needs in the various department of the organisation. It is vital to take a test of
all the employees. It helps to know the position of the employees and then provide them training. Along
with that by taking feedback from them and asking those about the gaps that they face will also be
helpful for to provide them training.
• It is vital to provide training to the employees in a systematic manner. There are some step that help to
provide the training in a systematic manner.
• 1. Analyse Organisation's aim
• 2. Analysing training needs
• 3. Setting aims and learning objectives
• 4. Designing training strategy
• 5. Implementing training strategy

FACTORS
• The factors that affect the process of formulating learning and development strategy are
as follows:
• Motivation
• Enthusiasm
• Involvement
• Clarity and understanding of own role
• Increased responsibility

TRAINING METHODS
• It is vital to know about the training methods that are used. Along with that it is important to study about
the advantages and disadvantages of the methods used for training.
• Classroom Training Method: Classroom training refers to education given to trainees in a structured
manner by a trainer using a lesson plan.
• Advantage: It allows workers to be taught in a secure, quiet, and clean setting away from the distractions
of the workplace (Rowe and et.al., 2017). Training groups can range in size from big to tiny. The crucial
“human touch” that is frequently absent in technology-based training is provided by the classroom setting.

CONTINUE
• Online training Method: In online training method the employees are provided e-learning facility
with the help of mobile, laptop and internet.
• Advantage: It is a flexible method of learning (Gründler and Krieger, 2018). Along with that it is
economic that saves money and time of both trainer and trainee.
• Disadvantage: It is less appropriate as there is no personal touch. Along with that there are various
technological problems that are faced by the employees.

EVALUATE AND MEASURE
• To evaluate and measure a Learning and Development intervention
• The Kirkpatrick Taxonomy
• The Kirkpatrick Taxonomy is the most frequently utilised approach for determining the efficacy of
training. This framework, created in the 1950s by Don Kirkpatrick, provides a four-level method
that anybody may use to assess the efficacy of any training course or programme.
• Reaction: Some questions are asked to the employees and their reaction is noticed.

ROI
• Return on investment is a measure to know about the efficiency and profitability from an investment
in comparison with the other options of investment that are available in the market. It helps to know
the amount of return on a particular investment.
• The Balanced Scorecard will help to know about the financial performance of the company. It will
help to find out the key elements that are used by company to formulate its strategies (Parisi, and
et.al., 2019). It helps to analyse the current status of return on investment by using the formulas and
evaluating and comparing it with the other companies ROI. It helps to analyse the profitability
position of the company by checking the return on investment.

EXTERNAL FACTORS
• The external factors the impact the learning and development plan are as follows:
• Technological change: New technology and update in technology has direct impact on the learning
and development plan.
• Environmental changes: The changes in the environment will also impact the process of providing
training.
• Economic Condition: The change in economic condition are also external and impacts the process
of learning and development plan.