Learning & Development is Broken:

Ditch the Outdated Approach and

Start Tackling the Right Problems

Buzzwords like “quiet quitting,” “quiet firing,” and “the
great reshuffle” dominated conversations about the
modern workplace in 2022. But what do these phrases
really mean, and why do they matter? To find the
answers, we must consider the systemic causes at the
root of the issues—which affect at least 50% of the
American workforce—rather than placing blame on
disengaged employees.
The reality is, HR is not only facing an engagement
crisis—it’s also facing a skills crisis. “The need to
address skill gaps is more urgent than ever,” according
to McKinsey & Company, which reports that closing
these gaps is a high priority for 58% of executives.
According to Gallup, “U.S. employee engagement
took another step backward in 2022. The ratio of
engaged to actively disengaged employees is now 1.8
to 1, the lowest in almost a decade.”
So, what actions can you take as a C-suite leader to
better support your employees and drive results for
your company? In this white paper, we’ll discuss how
you can tackle the challenges facing your HR and
management teams today, and harness the power of
L&D for your organization at the individual level. We’ll
also help you evaluate the way you currently measure
success in your workforce, how well that method is
serving you, and how to make the necessary changes

2X
It’s easy to see why, since an HR crisis is, in effect, an to stop moving from crisis to crisis.
organizational crisis. It’s the kind of threat that has the
potential to impact not only a company’s executive
team, but also its shareholders, its position in the
market, and its entire future.

Learning and development (L&D) can provide

meaningful solutions, but today’s workforce is in dire
need of L&D that actually works. Not the tired, top-
down style—but a new, bottom-up approach that
trusts employees to self-direct their learning. And this
Employees are twice as likely
need is increasingly urgent. to be disenganged from their
work, according to Gallup

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Pitfalls of Tired, Top-Down Learning
& Development
To understand where organizations have gone astray
in their approach to L&D, we must explore how we
arrived at the current HR crisis. Prior to the COVID-19
pandemic—which brought the rat race to a screeching
halt—employees were used to having training and
development fed to them. However, the quality of that
learning wasn’t necessarily the focus.
During the Great Recession, companies started letting
“
go of training and development staff and began trying
to do more with less. This bred a culture of survival
mode. HR leaders became focused on self-preservation
and were forced to become detached from their
teams, for fear they’d have to lay someone off at any
moment.
“The generation of leaders who grew up in this
corporate environment became accustomed to
overwork,” says Rebecca Taylor, Co-Founder at
GoCoach. “This fueled a trend of managers focused
on productivity at all costs, and led to churn-based
working environments. And things continued on this
way until the pandemic.”
Fast forward to today, and employees have had
enough. According to Microsoft, “53% of employees
are more likely to prioritize health and wellbeing over
work than before the pandemic.”
In addition, talented people are disengaging or leaving
companies altogether because they see no career
growth opportunities. However, it’s increasingly difficult
to implement L&D programs that have an impact, are
cost effective, and don’t create more work for HR.
The cost of this turnover is extremely expensive. When
employees lack accessible and equitable career
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development paths, it costs six to nine months of salary
to replace them. This is yet another reason why it’s
imperative to keep your house in order.
“As a C-suite executive, you must think of your
company as a house of skills,” says Taylor. “Anytime you
lose someone who has a particular skill, you’re losing
value in the talent you have unless you can find a way
to retain those skills.”
As a C-suite executive, you
must think of your company
as a house of skills. Anytime
you lose someone who has a
particular skill, you’re losing
value in the talent you have
unless you can find a way to
”
retaain those skills.
Rebecca Taylor, Co-founder
and COO, GoCoach
But how do you train people in a way that serves both
your organization and individual employees? Before
we dive into that, let’s look at what hasn’t worked well
so you’ll know what to avoid.
A half-hearted kick at the can
Various L&D providers have attempted to address
engagement and retention challenges in different
ways over the years. These providers generally fall
into three categories, which we call: LMS dinosaurs, AI
matchmakers, and content candy stores.
LMS dinosaurs are robust L&D systems, but they lack
agility. They’re built for HR professionals or curriculum
designers, not for the people actually using the tools
who are supposed to be learning. In
addition, these platforms create
a significant workload for HR.
“HR teams have to build and
manage the system, it becomes
outdated, and it’s often highly
generic. The only time an LMS works well is for an
initiative like compliance training,” says Kristy McCann
Flynn, Co-Founder and CEO at GoCoach.
Matchmakers are tools that use artificial intelligence to
make forced matches. This approach tends to result in
low engagement because the people using the tools
aren’t bought into the process. The areas where an
individual employee needs to build skills, and how those
skills tie into their career, are often
not identified.
Turning down the dial on apathy
So, what’s at the crux of the engagement problem?
“In part, it’s that people hate being told what to do,”
Taylor says. “They need to be part of an idea in order to
meaningfully participate in it.”
A top down approach to L&D feels, to the employee,
like their employer is dictating to them or even
punishing them without asking for their perspective or
trying to understand their lived experience. This makes
workers resistant to participating in L&D initiatives and
drives engagement down.
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“This approach only scratches the surface of L&D,” says
McCann Flynn. “The learning serves a particular point in
time, but employees need continuous learning so they’ll
be bought into the process, applying the teachings, and
seeing results.”
Content candy stores contain glossy L&D content like
videos and PowerPoint presentations. But aesthetics
don’t matter if people don’t know
where to start on their learning
journey, since this means they
often won’t use the platform at
all.
“An employee’s manager might tell
them they need to enhance their communication skills,”
says McCann Flynn. “So, the employee scrolls through
numerous training options and finally picks one—only to
tune out because they’re not bought in. They wonder,
what does it mean to advance my communication
skills? Vague direction like this leads to generic training.”
“HR has the same amount of employees to look after as
your CEO, but the least amount of resources to support
them,” Taylor says.
HR is in a reactive mode, and the sector’s issues are
no longer reserved for industry magazines—they’re
making national news. When concepts like The Great
Resignation and quiet quitting become part of our
mainstream culture, it exacerbates the problems. This
is not economically feasible, because our population
needs jobs and companies need staff.
A Competitive Advantage that Enables
You to Thrive in any Economy
Enter a new approach to L&D. “Keeping the power in the hands of the person who is actually
forging their career path and setting their goals is critical,”
To thrive in your industry, you need an L&D strategy that Taylor says. “You hired professionals and they want to be

20%
is durable in any economy—a solution that nurtures the potential successful.”
of your employees and your organization.

According to a Capterra survey of nearly 300 HR leaders, “49%

of organizations are increasing their learning and

development (L&D) spend in 2022—up from 41% in 2021.”

So, if your company is going to increase your investment in

L&D, we want to help make sure you get it right. In contrast HR Leaders are increasing
their L&D budgets by 20% this
to the tired, top-down approach, a bottom-up approach
year, according to Capterra.
treats your team members like the adults that they are, and

allows them more of a say in what and how they’re going to Data backs this up. Harvard Business Review reports that

learn. This leads to higher engagement because employees
have greater control and autonomy over their learning
journey, and they feel supported to succeed.
97% of employees want to maintain or increase the amount
of time they spend learning. The key is to ensure that
learning is meaningful and effective.

3 transformative effects of the

bottom-up approach
1. Improved employee lifecycle
A bottom-up approach to L&D enhances every stage
of the employee lifecycle.
Recruitment: Your HR team has a better chance at
recruiting top talent when you can offer cutting-edge
L&D programs to both support staff and management.
Keep in mind, high-performers want to work for
managers who are being developed.
Onboarding: When you can provide a better
onboarding experience, people can acclimate to your
organization’s culture and learn what they need to in
a smooth manner. This shortens ramp-up time. Your
new hires will be more productive 90 days in when they
have the right support and a manager who knows how
to properly onboard them.
Engagement: Engagement levels increase significantly
when employees feel like they’re part of not just
a company, but a movement. This kind of high
engagement works wonders for business growth and
leads to greater results.

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Retention: Retention is the low hanging fruit of the
bunch. When your employees are participating in
valuable learning, and feel connected to their roles and
your organization’s purpose, they’re more likely to stay.
Succession Planning: Every company has to prepare
for staff to leave. We’re no longer in the age where
people retire from their first job. This means you need
someone on deck to take over every role within your
team, or certain components of every role, so turnover
is less detrimental and you lose less time onboarding
new hires.
2. More equitable workplaces
Equality in L&D isn’t just about demographics—it’s
about giving everyone in your company an equal
access to programs and tools to develop their skills.
“In this day and age, we need to ensure we are
meeting all people from all walks of life with the ability
and agility to enhance their skill bases for today and
tomorrow,” says McCann Flynn. “Too often, we’re
seeing companies providing the gift of continuous
learning just to preferred groups of individuals, rather
than offering it to all.”
Regardless of whether you consider a particular
employee to be a high performer, it’s critical to make
an equal investment in their success and give them
the same dollar amount of L&D funding, because the
systems we’ve used to date to determine whether
someone is “worthy” of investment are biased. The
good news? Equal distribution of funds to develop
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every employee will help more of your staff actually
become high performers.
Equality also means understanding the different needs
of every single team member. What does this look like
in action? For example, it could mean ensuring that
your training platform adheres to the Americans with
Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design. It’s
about providing equal opportunity to access learning.
nhances every stage of the employee lifecycle.
3. Better business results
Companies taking a bottom-up approach to L&D know
that it increases the value of their organization. Any
company doing things differently right now is going to
have a competitive advantage. All of the things that
make them competitive—hiring well, developing well,
and training well—lead to a more successful business.
“By focusing on creating an engaged workforce,
companies can enjoy distinct business outcomes,
including: 10% higher customer ratings, 17% higher
productivity, 20% higher sales, 21% higher profitability,”
according to Gallup.
As a C-suite executive, think about what you could
accomplish and the difference you could make in your
organization and industry if you didn’t have to worry
about persistent staffing issues. Many of these problems
occur due to a lack of engagement—and engagement is
always derived from learning. When you proactively lead
with learning, you’ll see better outcomes.
Bottom-up learning & development:
7 key focus areas
How can you transition away from a top-down style
and toward a bottom-up approach to L&D in your
organization? The key is to provide ongoing learning
that makes it crystal clear for your employees to
1. Pause to redirect
“HR needs to take a pause,” says McCann Flynn.
“Acknowledge to your HR team that you know things
have been rough these past few years, and that you
appreciate all of their hard work.”
2. Evaluate your current situation
Assess the HR systems you currently have. Find out
what people are using, what they’re not using, and
what your main problems are. Often, companies
uncover they have an unprepared workforce that
needs help with ongoing learning.
“Gone are the days of kegs and ping pong tables. What
is really important to your people? Look at this and give
them what they need. People are under pressure for
results and don’t know how to get outputs,” McCann
Flynn says.
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understand what they need to do to progress in their
roles. A personalized learning ecosystem is a must-
have. Here are a few steps to focus on to create this
kind of working environment.
3. Get executive buy-in
Assess the HR systems you currently have. Find out what
people are using, what they’re not using, and HR leaders
and other managers need more than just the C-suite’s
belief in the idea of bottom-up learning. They need
money to develop staff and buy-in to make it happen.
According to Microsoft, “74% of managers say they
don’t have the influence or resources to make change
for employees.”
L&D is an investment, but executive leadership must
support investments in talent in order for people and
solutions to stick.
4. Designate ownership of L&D
HR has limited interaction with staff, while managers
truly dictate an employee’s experience at their job.
However, managers are often resistant to this idea.
“As a result, people are starting to pursue L&D on their
own,” Taylor says. “The danger is that they no longer
need their company, so they’re less likely to stay. The
learning will go with them whenever they want to leave
if they’re funding it themselves.” This is where you can
step in as a C-level executive and steer the ship right.
5. Invest in a complete learning ecosystem
We’ve known for decades that we need to provide
guidance to employees, but this often takes the form of
a lackluster annual review.
“People don’t like this approach because they get
feedback and don’t know what to do with it. We need
to look at what’s going to start something new, not an
end-of-year engagement survey that was probably
only sent out because there was a problem, then the
data goes nowhere,” says McCann Flynn.
So, play offense instead of defense. Start with learning
that drives engagement, and you’ll get feedback that will
play an integral role in helping your staff perform better.
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6. Create personalized learning paths
People are used to personalized recommendations
from hair care to food delivery subscriptions, so it only
makes sense for L&D to follow this same vein. Gone
are the days when every employee followed the same
career trajectory.
“Personalization is a key factor in learner engagement,
with nearly 70% rating it as an important feature,”
according to Valamis.
Personalized learning can also help mitigate burnout,
which often occurs because employees aren’t properly
equipped to perform their roles well, or don’t feel
valued because those around them aren’t equipped to
lead them.
7. Use data to iterate
Employees often fear what data will
show in a performance review, but this
fear doesn’t exist when it comes to
learning. When you start with learning
instead of a performance review, the
data begins to carve out applicable
learning paths that address the gaps
and stresses your staff are facing. This
can spur positive change without the
overwhelm.
“Employees see learning as an
opportunity. They start to dig in and
feel empowered about how they can
progress,” says McCann Flynn. “For
example, instead of simply stating
that you want a VP title, a data-driven,
learning-first approach uncovers the
competencies and attributes you need
to achieve that title.”
5 Questions to Ask to Evaluate the Way
Your Organization Measures Success
Employees want different outcomes from their careers
than they did even five years ago. So, it’s time to
change the way we measure success. It’s clear that
companies benefit from developing and housing skills
1. Where are your employees stuck right now
in their day-to-day work?
Understanding this is the first step to being attuned
to why they’re stuck. People get frustrated when
they can’t get to the next step. So, helping them be
confident in their communications and collaborations,
and removing fear, is essential. Performance is not just
about technical skills. These “power skills” are critical to
how people do their jobs well.
2. Are you listening to your employees when
they’re telling you they want to grow, and
are you having discussions with them about
their growth?
People want to see themselves grow and develop.
They don’t want to figure it out on their own in survival
mode with no support. Empowering your staff on their
learning journeys is central to their growth, and that of
your business.
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within their organizations, which signals the need for an
L&D solution that supports retention, career paths, and
professional development. Here are five questions you
can ask to begin building skills in a meaningful way.
3. Does your L&D system enable all of those
types of growth?
Many organizations do not have the resources to provide
the level of support their employees need. “Partnering with
an objective third party can provide an unfiltered view to
your employees, and give them a safe place to talk about
navigating the workplace,” says Sonali Goel, Sr. Director,
Talent and Development at Macmillan Learning..
4. Has your definition of success changed
since the global pandemic?
People are pushing back against traditional corporate
culture. They want to make sure their identity is not
completely defined by work. So, what does that mean
for the traditional definition of business success? Today,
successful organizations are those with thriving cultures.
5. Have you measured the cost of turnover
due to employees seeing a lack of growth,
and considered how you’ll address it?
Turnover carries a high cost, but you have the power
to address it. Employees need support in myriad areas
in order to grow. “For example, you may have leaders
stepping into bigger roles or inheriting teams that have
experienced challenges in the past,” Goel says. Supporting
these leaders through tricky transitions is crucial.
Summary
Empowering your managers and HR leaders to focus
on developing a happy, productive workforce is integral
to your company’s success. But between onboarding,
retention, and DEI, there are a lot of priorities for
organizations to handle on their own.
At GoCoach, we know that growth is fundamental
to the happiness of all human beings. It is our mission
to make it easy for everyone to grow in their careers,
unlock their potential, and achieve greater happiness
at work. That’s why we created the employee learning
and development platform for everybody. With our
scalable, measurable employee coaching and learning
experience platform, you can upskill anyone and
everyone in your organization.
Changing the way you understand and measure
success doesn’t just move the needle on business
metrics—it brings your company in alignment with the
modern global workforce. When your employees grow,
a rising tide lifts all ships. The key is to leave the generic
band-aid solutions at the door and provide meaningful,
personalized, bottom-up learning.
Ready to upgrade or launch a new L&D program in your
organization? We can help. Book a call with us today.

Contributors
Kristy McCann Flynn, Co-founder and CEO, GoCoach
Kristy has 15 years of experience as a Strategic Human Resource Leader, Change Manager
and Organizational Development Expert. She has served in senior leadership positions
throughout her career – most notably with Pearson Education and Constant Contact. Kristy
brings a big picture perspective and a hands-on, tactical approach to her leadership that she
is now bringing to life with GoCoach. Kristy’s goal is to help and educate companies to meet
their ultimate goals by empowering their employees to take ownership of their career.

Rebecca Taylor, Co-founder and COO, GoCoach

Rebecca brings her years of experience in the HR and People space to GoCoach as the
first official employee and Co-Founder. Throughout her 10 years in HR, she developed
programs that optimized talent acquisition, employee retention, upskilling/reskilling, employee
engagement, employee experience, succession planning, and more. She used this expertise
to build People strategies that made her companies successful and protected their most
valuable asset – the people

Sonali Goel, Sr. Director, Talent & Development, MacMillan Publishers

Sonali joined Macmillan Publishers as the Sr. Director of Talent and Development in March
of 2019. She specializes in partnering strategically with business leaders to define, articulate,
and sustain a high performing, inclusive culture, where people are excited to learn and do
their best work. As a people practices leader, Sonali crafts and executes forward thinking
development, engagement and retention strategies that align with company values and
address immediate and emerging talent needs.

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