Forbes recently published the article, “L&D In 2025: How To Move From Good Intentions To Tangible Impact,” which asserts that for Learning & Development (L&D) to secure a strategic seat at the executive table, it must fundamentally change its narrative from a reactive cost center to a proactive problem-solver. The article outlines five key goals for L&D leaders, emphasizing that success hinges on aligning learning initiatives directly with core business challenges, such as revenue growth or operational efficiency, and measuring outcomes not by completion rates but by demonstrable impact. It stresses the necessity of the L&D team itself upskilling in data analytics and AI-driven learning to modernize their function and leverage new technologies with clear intent.

Our Take Aways from Forbes:

• L&D Must Own the Narrative: To be viewed as a strategic business partner, L&D teams must stop reacting to training requests and start proactively leading conversations, proving their value as solvers of critical business problems. While this isn’t “hot off the press” kind of news, it is an important reminder. While most companies will already have their budgets planned for 2026, this new narrative is so important to demonstrating that L&D is not just a cost suck, but we can provide measurable ROI on the investment.
• Alignment is Non-Negotiable: Building on the previous point, learning programs must tie directly to business strategy, being really clear about how they can directly and indirectly impact KPIs like revenue, efficiency, or customer satisfaction. Otherwise, L&D risks losing relevance, being overlooked and being the first on the chopping block when cost cutting measures need to be made.
• Upskilling the Function: L&D professionals must modernize their own skill set in areas like data analytics, AI-driven learning, and adaptive learning to design, measure, and deliver programs that genuinely drive business value. We need to be more knowledgeable about the business to be able to ‘speak the language’ when pitching learning strategies, understanding critical skills and how to develop them, and measuring impact in a way that resonates with business leaders.

Viante Talent Solutions Recommendations:

1. Shift Measurement from ‘Activity’ to ‘Impact’: Immediately pivot L&D metrics away from traditional measures (course completions, hours spent) to hard business outcomes (e.g., reduction in equipment downtime, increase in sales conversion rates, faster time-to-competency). Our FORWARD™ methodology is specifically designed to re-enforce this application-to-outcome connection.
2. Integrate L&D into Business Planning: Embed your L&D team in executive strategy sessions. Instead of asking what training is needed, ask what the biggest business challenges are, and then design learning solutions that offer a clear path to resolving those specific, quantifiable issues.
3. Audit Your Tech Stack for Personalized Learning: Move beyond one-size-fits-all training by leveraging technologies (including AI) to create personalized Learning Journeys. This ensures employees are focusing only on the most critical and relevant skills needed for their current and future roles, maximizing investment efficiency. 

Ready to transform your L&D function from a good intention to a strategic growth driver? The future of your business hinges on its ability to learn and adapt. We invite you to reach out and schedule a discovery call with Viante Talent Solutions to explore how we can help you evolve your L&D strategy, measure tangible impact, and ensure your people development initiatives are fully aligned with your business transformation goals.

Schedule a Discovery Call to learn more about how Viante Talent Solutions can help you build your L&D strategy to deliver maximum impact.