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Maturity models help companies and departments evaluate the effectiveness of established processes, identify gaps and pinpoint areas for improvement. They represent roadmaps that guide organizations in their activities. There are many such models, developed by both commercial and consulting companies, as well as subject matter experts. We have identified three interesting models, each suitable for different purposes and objectives.
- The Corporate Learning Maturity Model from Josh Bersin, a world-renowned expert in training and personnel development, shows growth points for companies and training departments;
- The Content Strategy Maturity Model for Corporate Learning from Filtered explains how to perfectly manage training materials;
- The Learning Development Maturity Model from renowned corporate training consultant Nick Shackleton-Jones describes how to move from developing standard courses to truly mastering the art of being a "learner".
Corporate Learning Maturity Model
The model, presented by The Josh Bersin Company in its 2022 Grow in the Flow of Work report, offers companies an effective tool for assessing their learning capabilities. This approach helps organizations determine next steps to achieve optimal results. The report is based on a survey of over a thousand representatives from various companies, allowing the authors to provide substantiated data on current operating principles. The document identifies four levels at which companies operate, allowing each organization to understand its position and develop a strategy for development.
At this stage, the key task of learning departments, or L&D organizations, is to create training courses and modules. Typically, these programs are developed internally, without the involvement of external providers. The developed trainings are mandatory for employees and cover mainly information about the company's products, rules, and processes, which does not contribute to their development. L&D specialization in this context includes instructional design and content development. Providing high-quality employee training through internal programs helps improve their professional skills and improve the overall performance of the company.
Employee training is often not linked to business goals and talent management strategy. This results in Tier 1 companies not recognizing the value of dedicated training departments and therefore not allocating significant resources to it. As a result, technology in this area is underdeveloped: often there is only a basic learning management system (LMS), which, as a rule, is not very user-friendly.
According to According to the report, 32% of organizations have reached this level.
At this level, companies have already formed a clear strategy, replacing mandatory training with "learning solutions" adapted to different stages of the work cycle and diverse audiences. This includes onboarding, leadership development, and performance management, for which separate, proven curricula have been developed. Content can be both internal and external, and the training department has the opportunity to engage not only its employees but also third-party experts to create effective educational programs.
At this phase, the authors of the report note, a transformation occurs from traditional training to a learning process. Second-tier companies place less emphasis on mandatory courses, as it is important for them that employees understand their responsibility for their own learning. This approach promotes the development of initiative and independence, which, in turn, improves overall performance and employee qualifications.
At this stage, the need for systematization of skills and a new approach to curation, search, and evaluation of content becomes evident. This, in turn, leads to increased training budgets and the choice of learning-based experience platforms (LXPs) over traditional learning management systems (LMSs). This transition allows us to more effectively meet the needs of learners and adapt to changing market demands.
According to a survey from The Josh Bersin Company, 44% of companies are at this level.
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The Six Most Promising Technologies for Corporate Training
In the rapidly changing world of business, corporate training is becoming a key element of the successful development of companies. Modern technologies offer new tools that contribute to more effective employee training. Let's consider the six most promising technologies that can significantly improve the corporate training process.
First on the agenda is virtual reality (VR). This technology allows you to create immersive learning environments in which employees can interact with the material environment and simulate real-life situations. This is especially useful for training in areas that require practical skills.
The second important technology is artificial intelligence (AI). AI is able to adapt educational programs to the individual needs of employees by analyzing their level of knowledge and progress. This allows for a personalized approach to training, which significantly increases its effectiveness.
The third promising technology is mobile learning. With the growing use of mobile devices, learning "on the go" is becoming increasingly relevant. Employees can access educational materials anytime and anywhere, which helps increase their engagement and motivation.
The fourth technology worth considering is game-based learning (gamification). Using game elements in training makes the process more engaging and promotes better information retention. Employees can develop skills by progressing through various levels and earning achievements.
The fifth important technology is an online learning platform. These platforms provide access to a variety of courses and materials, allowing companies to easily implement and manage training programs. They also allow for webinars and online seminars, which expands opportunities for interaction between trainers and participants.
The sixth technology worth considering is data analytics. Collecting and analyzing data on the learning process allows companies to track employee progress, identify weaknesses, and optimize educational programs for better results.
Incorporating these technologies into corporate training will help companies improve the skills of their employees and remain competitive in the marketplace.
The first two levels of learning are familiar to most organizations, but the third level is an exception. It involves the use of modern technologies and advanced learning tools. A clear taxonomy of skills and analytics for tracking employee learning are essential. Companies that have reached the third level have a deeply ingrained learning culture, and the learning and development (L&D) function is transformed from a supportive one to a strategic partner. This creates the conditions for more effective and targeted staff development.
The company actively continues to promote independent employee learning, reflecting its commitment to creating and integrating diverse resources for self-development and career advancement. In this context, "capability development academies" are being implemented—modern platforms focused on continuous skill improvement. These academies offer customized and personalized solutions that address the individual needs of employees. A distinctive feature of such initiatives is that they are led by business leaders, who help the L&D team set clear goals and objectives. This ensures a more targeted and effective approach to employee training, facilitating their professional growth and development within the company.
Only 13% of companies are at this level.
At level three, the emphasis is on the overall development of the company, while at level four, training takes on a personalized nature. Clear career paths and corresponding training resources appear. The primary goal of the learning and development (L&D) function is to unlock employee potential, demonstrate available opportunities, and align their talents with business needs. The authors of the report emphasize that this represents a shift from a learning culture to a growth culture, which contributes not only to the individual development of employees but also to the overall success of the company.
In companies at level four, internal employee mobility is becoming the standard and common practice. Career growth in such organizations is not limited to short-term moves, for example, from a regular manager to a team lead, but is an ongoing process of development. To manage talent, these companies use marketplaces and digital platforms that provide high-quality analytics and a wide range of tools. This allows not only to effectively analyze the skills and potential of employees, but also to create conditions for their further professional growth within the company.
According to the report, only 11% of companies meet such criteria.
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HRTech will have a significant impact on corporate training in the coming 3-5 years. With the development of technology and the implementation of innovative solutions such as artificial intelligence and big data, companies will be able to more effectively tailor their training programs to employee needs. Personalized learning will become the standard, allowing each employee to develop at their own pace and in accordance with their individual needs.
Furthermore, virtual and augmented reality-based learning technologies will be actively used to create interactive and engaging learning experiences. This will improve learning and increase employee motivation.
Data analytics will play a key role in evaluating the effectiveness of educational programs. Companies will be able to track employee progress, identify knowledge gaps, and promptly adjust training, leading to increased overall productivity.
The implementation of cloud-based learning platforms will ensure accessibility and flexibility, allowing employees to learn anytime, anywhere. This, in turn, contributes to the creation of a culture of continuous learning, which will become an important factor in talent retention.
Thus, HRTech will transform corporate training, making it more personalized, accessible and effective, which will lead to better results for employees and companies as a whole.
Content Strategy Maturity Model
Not all maturity models cover training in a company as a whole; some of them focus on individual elements of the system. One such model is offered by the international EdTech company Filtered. This model helps to assess the state of training materials and resources in a company, and also offers recommendations for their optimization. Using this model allows for more effective management of educational processes and improvement of the quality of employee training.
The model includes four levels.
At this level, companies often lack a unified training strategy. Each department independently searches for or acquires the necessary courses, while the training department focuses on the largest requests. As a result, the lack of a system for consolidating training materials leads to duplication, inconsistency, and low utilization of the distance learning system (LMS). This negatively impacts training effectiveness and can hinder employee development. To improve the quality of the learning process, it is necessary to develop a holistic strategy that considers the needs of all departments and ensures the integration of training resources.
To advance to the next level, you need to focus on developing your skills and knowledge. It is important to set clear goals and develop a strategy for achieving them. Focus on self-education: read books, take courses, participate in seminars and webinars to expand your horizons. Practice plays a key role in growth, so apply what you learn in real life. Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, seek new opportunities, and develop your network. Feedback from colleagues and mentors will help you identify weaknesses and improve your skills. Constant self-improvement and a willingness to change are the keys to successfully advancing to the next level.
Filtered offers two simple and effective steps to optimize your work. These steps will help improve processes and increase productivity. The first step involves analyzing current work practices to identify bottlenecks and identify areas for improvement. The second step involves implementing new technologies and tools that will enable more efficient task execution. Implementing these steps will help companies achieve better results and increase their competitiveness in the market.
- First, analyze the current state of the company and its employee development needs.
- Second, identify skill gaps and audit existing content to ensure it effectively addresses the objectives.
At the second level of development are companies with a clearly defined strategy for employee skills development. These organizations have developed plans for key positions and implemented technologies for the effective organization of content. However, this process is often managed by third-party providers, which leads to uncontrolled expenses for the business. This highlights the need for more careful monitoring and optimization of costs for employee training and development.
Moving to the next level in any field requires certain strategies and effort. To reach new heights, it's important to set clear goals and develop a plan to achieve them. Determine what exactly you want to achieve, whether in your career, personal relationships, or self-development. Next, analyze your current level of knowledge and skills to identify areas for improvement.
Don't forget the importance of learning. Reading books, attending courses, and seminars will help you expand your knowledge and develop the necessary skills. It's also worth finding time for practice, applying new knowledge in real life.
Building a network of contacts is another important aspect of reaching the next level. Connecting with like-minded people and professionals in your field can open up new opportunities and ideas.
Constantly evaluating your progress will help you adjust course and stay on track. Be prepared for change and adapt to new conditions to successfully move towards your goals.
To achieve progress, you need to take two key steps:
- Analyze the cost of content and establish a benchmark - find a resource for comparison. Ready-made libraries offer hundreds and even thousands of materials for rent - it is unlikely that anyone will really study them all, and it is easy to get lost in them. Therefore, you can analyze whether purchasing is really profitable. To do this, you need to select the truly needed resources or courses in the library and divide the total cost by one unit of content.
- Take curation into your own hands. Filtered recommends regularly conducting "health checks" of your library: perhaps something has lost its relevance, something is missing, and, on the contrary, some unfairly overlooked content is important to highlight for employees.
The third level of development implies a clear understanding of the current and future needs of the company. The training strategy must be flexible enough to effectively respond to these requirements. In accordance with this strategy, the training department is responsible for purchasing, curating, and distributing content. At the same time, both content and communication channels are adapted depending on the target audience. This approach ensures maximum efficiency of educational processes and contributes to the achievement of the company's business goals.
At the LMS (Learning Management System) level, the situation remains complex. Content is often lost due to the lack of necessary audits and metadata. Lack of content information provided through indexing in an LMS hinders its full use and assimilation. This underscores the importance of implementing effective content management and metadata organization practices to improve the accessibility and quality of educational materials.
To move to the next level, it's important to define your goals and create a clear action plan. Start by analyzing your current state: assess your skills, knowledge, and resources. Then, set specific, measurable, and achievable goals. Develop a strategy that incorporates training, practice, and new experiences. Regularly monitor your progress and adjust your plan as needed. It's also important to surround yourself with a supportive environment where you can share experiences and receive advice. Continuous development and adaptation to change will help you confidently move forward and reach new heights.
The authors of the model recognize that reaching this level is a significant success. Now the goal is to achieve the "holy grail" of content management. This can be accomplished in two main ways: first, focus on indexing content to archive irrelevant materials, and then update the remaining "value" as needed. This approach will optimize content management, increase its relevance, and improve search engine visibility.
At this level, organizations develop detailed and customized development plans for their employees. Technical solutions exist that facilitate the search for necessary content and ensure its effective management. Using content analytics allows for informed decision-making at three levels: for the entire company, for a specific department, and for each individual employee. This promotes more targeted staff development and increases their professional effectiveness.
At this stage, it is necessary to focus on continuous improvement of the system. This will not only increase its effectiveness but also adapt to changing conditions. Regular updates and improvements will help achieve optimal results and ensure stable operation of the system in the long term.
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The L&D brand, or training and development brand, represents the image and reputation of a company in the field of professional training and employee development. Building a strong L&D brand helps attract and retain talented professionals and fosters a corporate culture focused on continuous learning.
To build an effective L&D brand, it is necessary to focus on the quality of educational programs and career development opportunities. It is important not only to offer relevant and interesting courses but also to ensure their accessibility for all employees. Regular trainings, seminars, and master classes, as well as the implementation of mentoring programs, contribute to the creation of a positive image of the company as an employer that cares about the development of its personnel.
Furthermore, it is worth actively sharing the successes and achievements of employees who have completed training or improved their skills. Publishing case studies and reviews on the corporate website and social media will help strengthen the L&D brand and demonstrate its value.
It is also important to consider the needs and interests of employees. Conducting regular surveys and collecting feedback will help identify relevant topics for training and adapt programs to employee needs. Thus, creating a compelling L&D brand requires a comprehensive approach that includes high-quality educational initiatives and active engagement with staff.
The Instructional Design Maturity Model
The model, developed by Nick Shackleton-Jones, reflects his unique approach to learning. In his book, How People Learn, he emphasizes that most roadmaps merely describe various ways of presenting content to users. When technology is mentioned in the model, it often turns out to be an attempt to sell something "needed." However, even the most advanced platform will not yield results without skilled implementation. It is important to understand that the effectiveness of educational technologies depends not only on their capabilities, but also on how they are used in practice.
The expert developed a simplified model that Focuses not on how to organize training, but on how to transform traditional courses into a meaningful learning experience. This model helps us understand how to effectively move from a standard approach to deeper, more meaningful learning that fosters skill and knowledge development.
The first level of the educational model is mandatory, but often ineffective, "training." Experts point to its roots in the technological revolution, which changed approaches to learning. Previously, people acquired knowledge through hands-on experience or stories that had meaning. With the advent of factories, learning became reduced to rote reading and repetition of texts. Similarly, corporate training is built on the same principle: adult employees read information from computer screens and then take tests. This highlights the need to rethink training methods to make them more effective and relevant in today's environment.
Many organizations lack a clear understanding of how their employees work and what their real needs are. They are well aware of training processes, believing it necessary to develop courses and define topics for their content. However, this often boils down to a formal approach, and the actual learning outcomes are of little interest to them. It is important to understand that effective training should be aimed at meeting the needs of employees and promoting their professional development.
At the first level, training is often limited to mandatory programs that bring no real benefit to either the business or its employees. This creates problems not only for employees but also for the creators of training materials, whether internal specialists or external experts. At some point, they realize that their efforts are not justified, and the programs developed do not generate interest among participants. This, in turn, leads to doubts about their professional qualities and reduces motivation for further development. Effective training must be focused on the real needs of the business and employees to ensure growth and positive results.
Not all is hopeless. Most companies today are truly at the entry-level of development. However, there are organizations reaching the second level, where the focus is not only on content but also on the real-world challenges employees face. This allows them to effectively solve problems and increase productivity. Development in this direction opens up new opportunities for optimizing business processes and improving the work environment.
At the moment, the concept of training is gradually disappearing from the equation, since, according to Nick, it has virtually no connection to effectiveness.
Traditional training is being replaced by performance consulting, where internal training specialists understand the real needs and challenges of employees. This allows for more precise training programs that meet business requirements and contribute to increased productivity. This approach enables deeper engagement with teams and helps identify key areas for development, which ultimately leads to an improvement in the overall workflow.
Internal knowledge and expertise become valuable resources that can be utilized in the workflow. According to Nick, the primary focus should be on practical benefits, which minimizes time wasted on unnecessary training. A resource is considered effective if it finds real application and generates discussion among users. The expert argues that the less frequently the terms "training" and "educational" are used, the more likely it is that people will be interested in such a resource and pay attention to it.
Two key challenges arise at the second level. The first is the need to engage employees in training: if they are not interested in developing or simplifying their work, introducing new and useful tools becomes a difficult task. The second challenge is that employees sometimes require not just help, but a radical transformation. These two problems become the basis for the transition to the third level of design.
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Evaluating the effectiveness of training without using numerical data: 7 alternative metrics
The effectiveness of training is often measured using quantitative indicators, but there are also alternative methods that allow you to get a more complete understanding of the learning process. In this article, we will consider seven alternative metrics that can help evaluate the quality of the educational process.
The first alternative is analyzing participant engagement. Observing student activity during classes, their participation in discussions and completing assignments can give an idea of how interested they are in the material.
The second method is student feedback. Collecting opinions on the course, its content and teaching methods helps to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the program.
The third metric is satisfaction. Surveys and interviews can help understand how satisfied students are with the process and learning outcomes.
The fourth alternative is the development of critical thinking. Assessing how students apply their knowledge in practical situations allows us to see how effectively they have learned the material.
The fifth metric is interaction between participants. Observing how students communicate and work in groups can reveal their level of collaboration and teamwork.
The sixth alternative is application of knowledge in practice. Assessing how students apply acquired skills in real-world situations helps understand the success of the training.
Finally, the seventh method is analyzing long-term results. Studying how acquired knowledge and skills influence career advancement and personal development allows us to evaluate the effectiveness of training in a broader context.
Using these alternative metrics will help us gain a deeper understanding of the learning process and make it more effective.
The highest level of the model is human-centered design. By this, Nick Shackleton-Jones means a data-driven systems approach that allows us to analyze employee actions and their key needs. As a result, a support system is created that helps them in their work. In the context of the maturity model, this level involves not only providing useful resources but also creating transformative experiences for employees.
Such experiences not only help in specific situations but also significantly change a person's behavior and, in some cases, their thinking. This influence can lead to a more effective perception of the world around them and improved problem-solving skills.
An expert shares an interesting example from practice: at the end of a standard safety training course, which already seems boring, employees are asked to sign their family photos with the phrase "This is the reason we are safe at work." These photos remain in the workplace, reminding them of the importance of observing safety measures and supporting the personal motivation of employees. This approach helps make training more memorable and personal, reinforcing responsibility for safety in the workplace.
One company faced a safety problem: employees continued to put their hands into the mechanisms of dangerous equipment, despite warnings and training. The solution came unexpectedly: one of the employees suggested that the employees wrap their hands in a red bag for one day. This simple yet effective step created physical and psychological discomfort, which became a catalyst for behavioral change. As a result, employees became more cautious and attentive when working with hazardous equipment. This approach demonstrated how innovative methods can lead to significant improvements in occupational safety. An effective induction program for graduates should be a transformative experience, providing all the necessary resources for a successful start. A leadership program should be not only an impressive event but also a set of practical tools to foster leadership development. This is the essence of effective "blended" learning, which combines theoretical knowledge and practical application.
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