L&D teams know how important they are to the business, but they often struggle to build the kind of strategic relationships with business stakeholders, that can make them a true business partner. L&D also has challenges demonstrating learning’s impact on the business, which helps perpetuate the view that learning is strictly an HR/compliance function. One area where L&D can significantly support the business and have a direct impact on its goals is via extended enterprise learning.
Companies increasingly recognize the value of delivering their learning assets outside the four walls of the organization to reach external learning audiences. These audiences include non-employee learners, such as customers, channel partners, distributors, resellers, franchisees, and more; They are diverse, dispersed, and incredibly complex – and do not work for your company.
Extended enterprise learning presents such a great opportunity – and challenge – for L&D teams because it often involves many other parts of the business. These audiences can be owned by Sales, Marketing, Operations, or any number of other groups. The opportunities lie in the ability of L&D to lend its expertise in developing and delivering training while forging strategic relationships with these functions. The right approach to learning can help improve customer relationships, increase sales, and even generate revenue. The challenges lie in coordinating the internal stakeholders, the external audiences, the various technology required, and measuring the results.
To serve the extended enterprise properly, L&D must work closely with the audience owners. The Sales team knows more about what will help resellers get better at selling their products, and Operations knows more about how customers can best use the company’s products. So, L&D can work with these teams to translate that knowledge into engaging, impactful learning experiences.
Brandon Hall Group is partnering with one of its Smartchoice® Platinum Preferred Providers LearnUpon to present a webinar that delves into the complexities of extended enterprise learning. We will look at the various benefits the approach can have, how to address challenges, and examples of L&D working with internal groups to provide effective external training that directly impacts the business.
