When Should You Augment Your LXD Team? A Guide to Scaling Your Training Efforts
As a Learning and Development (L&D) leader, you know that a well-designed, impactful training program can make a world of difference for your organization. However, L&D teams often face the persistent challenge of limited resources. Whether you're short on staff, time, or tools to measure impact, scaling your training efforts can be a real challenge.
So, how do you tackle this challenge without sacrificing quality, missing deadlines, or overstretching your team? The smart solution is to augment your Learning Experience Design (LXD) team.
Here’s when and why it makes sense to augment your LXD team and how it can relieve the pressure of increasing demands on your internal team.
The Strain of Limited Resources in L&D
It’s no secret that small L&D teams often operate under significant pressure. With multiple projects on the go, competing priorities, and the constant push to demonstrate ROI, the workload can become overwhelming. When your team is stretched too thin, you may find that:
Training quality suffers: With limited time and resources, LXD teams do not have the bandwidth to produce high-quality, personalized learning experiences.
Teams face increased burnout: The pressure to deliver multiple training programs, all while managing stakeholder expectations, leads to burnout.
Timelines become delayed: Important projects get delayed, which affects the overall effectiveness and impact of your L&D initiatives.
These are all critical pain points that will hinder the success of your learning programs. But what if there was a way to scale your team’s capacity without hiring full-time employees?
That’s where staff augmentation and external training support come in.
How Staff Augmentation Fits into Your LXD Strategy
When it comes to augmenting your LXD team, it’s important to choose the right type of support. Some options include:
Freelancers and Contractors
Freelancers are ideal for short-term or specialized projects, such as creating an eLearning module or designing an interactive experience. You can bring them in for specific tasks without the commitment of a full-time hire.
Training Support Agencies
Agencies that specialize in L&D support offer a wide range of services, from instructional design to program management. They can offer strategic support for large-scale initiatives, helping you navigate complexity and tight timelines.
Full-Time Temp or Contract Roles
For longer projects, you may want to consider hiring a temporary full-time professional. This option allows you to integrate someone into your team temporarily, giving them more time to become familiar with your processes and culture.
Regardless of the option you choose, it’s essential to ensure that any external support aligns with your LXD vision and goals. By integrating them seamlessly into your team, you’ll get the most out of their expertise.
The Impact of Staff Augmentation on Your Training Outcomes
Ultimately, the goal of augmenting your LXD team is to improve the impact of your training programs. This strategy leads to better outcomes with:
Improved Learner Engagement: By tapping into specialized skills like UX design or gamification, you can create more engaging and interactive learning experiences.
Higher ROI: Faster delivery, enhanced content, and data-driven evaluation all contribute to a higher return on investment for your L&D efforts.
Long-term Success: A well-augmented LXD team can help your organization achieve long-term success by delivering consistently effective learning solutions.
Don't Let Limited Resources Hold You Back
When your LXD team is overwhelmed or lacks the necessary resources, augmenting your team can provide the support needed to scale your training efforts, improve learner outcomes, and meet organizational goals. Don’t let limited resources prevent you from delivering top-notch training programs that truly make a difference.
If your team is stretched thin and you’re ready to explore how staff augmentation can help, don’t wait! Book a call with us today and let’s discuss how we can help you elevate your LXD capabilities and drive success across your training programs.