Learning Governance: The Underutilised Tool for Proving L&D Value Add

Having gained experience in various organizations across diverse industries, I’ve often contemplated why Learning and Development (L&D) struggles to demonstrate its value to the business. It consistently contends for resources, budgetary allocations, and management attention. It’s unfortunate that L&D is frequently perceived as discretionary, often limited to compliance training, rather than recognized for its potential in preparing organizations to address both present challenges and future opportunities.

The crux of the issue may lie in L&D’s approach—or lack thereof—to proving its value. Instead of engaging in sporadic or tactical efforts, L&D should adopt a robust, integrated approach that is sustainable and practical.

Reflecting on my involvement in ISO 9001 implementation at VIP Luggage, where training the workforce to maintain quality standards was crucial for maintaining ISO 9001 certification. It did not require selling the idea of L&D—it was simply accepted as an essential part of doing business.

In the realm of L&D, effective governance can play a transformative role. It establishes mechanisms to measure value, prioritizes resources, ensures stakeholder buy-in, and supports change management. This governance must be agile and directly tied to tangible outcomes.

By embedding effective Learning governance, L&D can evolve from a reactive, order-taking function into a proactive, value-adding partner on the organization’s journey. This shift not only justifies L&D resources but also cements its role as a pivotal driver of organizational success.

To be successful, governance must align with the organization’s L&D maturity level, being lightweight and pragmatic initially, proving its value before scaling up. It should not only oversee but also foster continuous improvement within L&D and its contributions.

Unfortunately, a recent mini-survey on Learning governance revealed challenges that echo broader issues in the L&D field, particularly concerning governance, strategic alignment, and change management. Results are shared below.