Analysis and Planning
Learning Strategy
What is a Learning Strategy?
A learning strategy is the organisation’s overarching plan for how learning will build the capability needed to achieve business goals. It defines priorities, desired outcomes, key audiences, delivery approaches, governance structures, and measures of success. It provides a clear and unified direction for capability development.
Why does a Learning Strategy matter?
Without a learning strategy, organisations often invest in training reactively, creating programs that feel disconnected or misaligned. A strong learning strategy ensures learning efforts are targeted, sustainable, and tied to organisational outcomes. It helps leaders decide where to invest and how to structure learning so capability develops consistently.
What does a Learning Strategy include?
What organisational or strategic elements shape a learning strategy?
A learning strategy must reflect the organisation’s goals, operating environment, leadership expectations, culture, workforce needs, and capability ambitions. Emergent Learning links learning priorities to organisational outcomes so the strategy becomes a practical decision-making tool.
What analysis informs a learning strategy?
Analysis may include capability reviews, workforce insights, performance challenges, risk areas, future skills, and success indicators. Emergent Learning interprets insights and translates them into clear strategic directions.
What implementation or resource considerations must the strategy account for?
A learning strategy defines how learning will be delivered, supported, governed, and resourced. It considers development effort, technology platforms, facilitator capability, and leadership involvement. Emergent Learning helps set realistic implementation plans.
What results or outcomes does a learning strategy produce?
A clear learning strategy provides focus, alignment, prioritised investment, and a roadmap for capability development.
What partnership or support elements are required?
Strategy development involves collaboration with leaders, SMEs, HR, and operational teams. Emergent Learning facilitates these partnerships and guides strategic decision-making.
What investment considerations influence a learning strategy?
Strategy development involves collaboration with leaders, SMEs, HR, and operational teams. Emergent Learning facilitates these partnerships and guides strategic decision-making.
What does an effective learning strategy process look like?
Where do I start?
Start by clarifying the organisation’s capability needs, business goals, and the performance challenges learning must address. Emergent Learning helps leaders articulate these needs and prioritise opportunities.
What is involved in developing a learning strategy?
It involves consultation, capability analysis, identifying priorities, defining programs and pathways, determining governance, and articulating success measures. Emergent Learning guides each stage with strong consulting oversight.
What does the process produce?
A clear and actionable roadmap that outlines learning priorities, delivery approaches, responsibilities, and measures of success.
What is the expected outcome?
A stronger learning function with clear direction, confident decision-making, and a practical plan for building capability. Emergent Learning provides ongoing support to refine and embed the strategy.
How can organisations improve their learning strategy?
How can we make our learning strategy clearer and more actionable?
Focus on clarity of purpose, alignment to capability needs, and realistic delivery plans. Emergent Learning simplifies strategy documentation to support decision-making.
How do we keep the learning strategy relevant over time?
Review and update priorities regularly. Emergent Learning supports organisations to treat strategy as a living framework.
How can we improve leadership engagement in the strategy?
Show clear links to outcomes leaders care about. Emergent Learning helps leaders understand their role in enabling learning success.
How do we measure whether our learning strategy is effective?
Look for stronger capability, better alignment between learning and performance outcomes, consistent delivery, and effective use of learning resources.
Examples of Learning Strategy in organisations
A fast-growing organisation creates a strategy to support emerging leadership capability.\nA government agency modernises its learning approach to support hybrid working.\nA business undergoing digital transformation prioritises critical skills through a new learning strategy.