Creating a strong business case for learning and development (L&D) initiatives shouldn’t happen after they occur. Business leaders should calculate the ROI for training and development activities during the planning stage and tie these activities to the organization’s strategic plan. “Unfortunately, the ROI of L&D activities are calculated after the fact about 90 percent of the time,” reports Susan Palmer, program director for Executive Development at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. “You wouldn’t invest in a new product or service without evaluating its place in your organization’s long-term strategy or estimating its ROI. L&D activities should be no exception,” notes Palmer. The following steps can be used to align L&D activities to your organization’s strategic plan and calculate their ROI: 1.      Read More