The Learning With Impact report is based on a poll of L&D practitioners from more than 100 companies. It also suggests only one-third (33%) of respondents believe their work has a lasting impact on their people or organisation.
Almost half (41%) said they didn't believe their L&D activity aligned with their employers' business strategy. This is despite the fact that 45% see L&D as critical in executing this strategy.
The learning methods cited as least effective are video learning (3% see it as effective) and e-learning (12%). Almost three-quarters (69%) think learning on the job is the most effective way to train staff. This is followed by one-to-one coaching from a line manager (57%).
ProfitAbility general manager Chris Howgego told HR magazine involving L&D teams earlier in the process of creating training solutions is key to assuring they are aligned to business needs.
"When it comes to training, most companies react to gaps as they appear," he said. "The key things to do are look at the goals, identify what resources are necessary to achieve them and proactively train to reach them."
ProfitAbility founder Brian Helweg-Larsen added that in many companies L&D is "actively falling short of what it needs to deliver".
"Unless activities are aligned to the needs of the business and designed with L&D tactics that can deliver lasting impact on behaviour, knowledge or skills, then they are unlikely to deliver value," he said.
