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We all love a good statistic and I must admit that this one caught my attention…back in 2002!

It was widely quoted at that time: the dot com bubble had burst, and an avalanche of digital technologies had been thrown at training post 9/11 when the world stopped travelling for a moment. In the global chaos, online learning was necessary but messy. Unprepared (and to be honest unenthusiastic) learning professionals grappled with new tools and technologies to maintain an offering — and despite early promise, many failed.

The disappointment of digital learning wasn’t the thing that caught my eye. It was implied that 40% of projects were working! And for me, that data point alone was the trigger of 15 years of research and exploration — how do we define success in workplace online learning, and how can we improve success?

Learning leaders always want to make a business impact. However, in that first study, it was clear those that were successful in using technology didn’t just talk about business impact, they had business value as their north star influencing everything they did.

During these 15 years of exploration, the principles were tested and modified over and over again with over 8,000 global companies. New technologies and learning models came (and some went), and the economic climate ebbed and flowed, but the one critical factor that surfaced remained the same:

Business value is L&D’s bedrock of digital success 

Let’s pause for a moment to talk about value 

When you talk about the value L&D is providing to your organisation, what narrative of success do you use?

I have asked this question many times recently and have literally read hundreds of awards submissions over the years where L&D talk about their successes. 

What comes out is that L&D’s primary value focus has been on learning value. We talk about the connection with and activity around our programmes: hours, engagement, and efficiency. Our dashboards proudly reflect our savings and reach — those passing through or rating our offerings. Increasingly, and importantly, I am also seeing value being talked about in terms of the usefulness of our offerings, including user reflections of perceived relevance and intent to change.

Learning value provides us with a great indicator about how our formal or assigned learning is being received, applied, and used, but it is not a great starting point if we want to deliver business value. 

However, what I found in my first study 15 years ago was that every participant defined their success in terms of what was important to their organisation. This included discussions around business performance, such as customer service ratings, sales figures, and faster adoption of new technology. It also included discussions about the productive culture of the organisations: their ability to innovate and become more agile. In short, their focus was on business value.

As Jos Arets, Partner at Tulser (formerly 70:20:10 Institute), describes it: “Business value is about operating off the business scorecard vs the HR scorecard”[1].

My own research found that those focussing on business value were able to harness learning innovation to deliver business results such as:

28% improvements in the speed of rolling out new initiatives

21% improvements in the organisation’s customer satisfaction

Put simply, business value outcomes are achievable!

There is no denying the disruption and uncertainty that society is facing today — disruption that is impacting communities, organisations, workplaces, and individuals. 

But this means that now more than ever, organisations need to respond rapidly to change, and workers need to be able to pick up new skills, new processes, and adapt continually. There has never been more demand and opportunity for learning to add business value. For example:

Reskilling is on the CEO agenda: not just technical skills, but ‘people power skills’. Plus, business leaders see the challenge as a shared responsibility [3].

It’s all change: 57% of organisations are focussing reskilling on supporting critical new business initiatives (new processes, systems, new ways of working, and more), and 53% are focussing on emerging technology disruption [4].

 Employees are ready to go digital: 65% of L&D state that employees are willing to make greater use of digital learning [5].  In fact, during COVID, one study found 82% of business stakeholders and 71% of their end users are demanding more digital learning [6]. 

These are all great opportunities for L&D, offering a chance to work with organisations on the things that matter deeply. However, the way that we approach them will determine our success.

Discussions about business value, aligning learning to work, and even having or earning a seat at the table have abounded in L&D circles for decades. These conversations have been useful to drive change in our processes over the years. For example:

New evidence informed decisions about formal learning design [7] 

New methods to tighten up our understanding about learning transfer [8]

Learning value is a safe place for L&D to play, as the outcomes are under our control. They are safe and familiar.

Business value is scarier. We are part of a bigger system at play, and as a result, we lose control of determining our success.

Learning value must always work hard to make a leap into business value. It doesn’t help us to break out!

The reason that business value is L&D’s bedrock for digital success is that success is driven when you start with the end in mind.

If the end you have in mind is learning value, you may get some quick wins, but will always be seeking validation in the eyes of business leaders. You will probably stick to what you know (e.g. ‘how can I get my most popular programmes online?’). A learning value mindset fixes us to the rigid ways of the past.

If the end you have in mind is business value, you will be looking at the business problem in the context of wider factors. This means constantly questioning, looking for new ways to achieve the goal in a complex system of work dynamics, and testing those hypotheses. A business value mindset allows us to work with a perspective of exploration and growth.

Let me give you some examples of what that looks like. Those reporting business value (called High performing organisations in our studies) were:

Uncovering the business KPIs: 85% discussed the business indicators that needed to shift up front with business leaders involved from the very start (vs 25% on average).

Understanding the complexity of the environment the problems were occurring in: 80% of L&D leaders spent time in operations (vs 49% on average).

Not just responding with content solutions: they were 3x as likely to leverage available support systems within the organisation as part of their recommendations.

Harnessing organisation wide support: learning initiatives, when used, were supported by steering groups of stakeholders (79% vs 35%)[9].

What’s more, this type of business value mindset triggers curiosity.

The types of opportunities outlined above give us permission to be curious — how can we add value through our involvement in solving the problem?

 It’s all change: OK, we say ‘What is the business-critical issue that really needs to change right now, let’s see how I can help.’

 Reskilling is on your agenda:  OK, we say ‘What will happen if we don’t, is this a skills issue or a performance issue? What are we trying to achieve if we do? Let’s work on those challenges.’

Ready for digital: OK, we say, ‘let’s focus first on you and what you need now, so we can work out how I can help you do your job faster and smarter.’

Business value: L&D’s bedrock for success. Period.

Approaching our problems with a business value mindset might bring us out of our comfort zone as we need to explore and ask more questions. But our credibility moving forward lies in our ability to ask the right questions vs knowing all the answers. It is also about finding the right solutions to solve the problem vs relying completely on our old models of formal learning.  

It sounds uncertain — less like a bedrock and more like shifting sands! But the data backs us. Technology does not correlate to business success. How we apply our tools, our processes, and our thinking does. It’s time to adopt business value as our bedrock for success.

3 tips for building a bedrock of business value

Ask the right questions to uncover what is important

'An ounce of performance analysis is worth a pound of skills training’ – Charles Jennings [10]

Understand the bigger picture — use process to uncover what else is influencing this situation

Don’t just shoehorn an old offering into a new problem

Solve the problem as close as possible to the cause

3. Get technology into perspective — it is not a silver bullet! 

These tips are by no means exhaustive, but we need to start somewhere, so I’d love for you to share more of your own thoughts or tips!

[1] Learning Uncut Emerging Stronger Interview with Jos Arets 

[2] The Transformation Journey 2019 Overton - Published by Emerald Works

[3] This and more in 5 themes in business conversation about skills: literature review by Redthread Research 

[4] Beyond hiring - how companies are reskilling to address Talent Gaps  McKinsey

[5]  Playbook: Managing remotely during disruption- Brandon Hall 

[6] COVID L&D research authored and published -  Fosway

[7] Check out Mirjam Neelam and Paul Kirshner’s work on Evidence informed Learning design

[8] Check out Will Thalheimer's excellent LTEM model

[9] Taken from The transformation Journey and ‘Back to the future’ - published by Emerald Works

[10] Taken from https://tulser.com/escaping-the-skills-vortex-new-opportunities-for-ld/

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Now more than ever, organisations need to respond rapidly to change, and workers need to be able to pick up new skills, new processes, and adapt continually. At the same time, it has never been more important for learning to show business value, so what do high performing organisations do to achieve this?

Business value: L&D’s bedrock of digital success 

Whether you’re struggling to find your keys, need a second pair of eyes on a piece of writing, or you’re searching for ‘how to’ videos on YouTube, we all need a little support sometimes. Mental health is no different. There’s nothing worse than struggling alone, so when things get tough, a helping hand, a supportive ear, or a shoulder to cry on can be just what we need. This is why it’s so important to reach out and offer support to friends, loved ones, or colleagues who may be going through a difficult time. 

However, this can be easier said than done. It’s often difficult to identify who actually needs support, and even more challenging to figure out how to offer support in a constructive, non-judgmental way. That’s why we’ve put together this helpful guide to providing social support in times of need. We cover the importance of a strong support network, how to identify the signs, practical ways to offer support, and how to care for your own mental wellbeing in the process. 

Before we get started, it’s important to note that supporting others should not come at the expense of your own wellbeing. It’s essential to strike a balance between being supportive, and not overloading yourself. This may mean not biting off more than you can chew when another, more qualified person may be able to offer support, ensuring you don’t dedicate so much time to others that you leave none for yourself, and ensuring that any situations where you are offering support are not mentally, physically, or emotionally triggering. 

For more tips on striking this balance, be sure to check out our blog post about Developing your mental health self care plan. 

What is a social support network (and why is it important)? 

Put simply, a social support network is a group of people who you can turn to for support in times of need — particularly if you are experiencing a mental health crisis. This network may include family, friends, colleagues, or even online communities. 

Building your social support network can be as simple as identifying the people in your life who you feel comfortable sharing important thoughts and feelings with. 

It is also important to note that you shouldn’t feel pressured to include someone in your support network if you don’t feel comfortable sharing with them — no matter how ‘close’ you are in other areas of life. If someone doesn’t quite understand what you are going through, or offers unnecessary judgment, turning to them for support can be counterproductive.

According to Very Well, some of the key benefits of social support include increased motivation, healthier choices, and reduced stress. They add, “Psychologists and other mental health professionals often talk about the importance of having a strong social support network. When trying to reach our goals or deal with a crisis, experts frequently implore people to lean on their friends and family for support. Research has also demonstrated the link between social relationships and many different aspects of health and wellness.”

Due to COVID-19, offering social support in person is more difficult than usual, leading many to seek online alternatives. A few helpful resources for online social support include Beyond Blue’s forum, the Australian Government’s Head to Health website, as well as Facebook communities such as Blokes vs Black Dog. 

In order to offer social support, it is important to be able to recognise common warning signs.

The number one rule is simple: a change is worth a check in. In essence, if you notice a change in a friend or loved one’s behaviour — particularly if they start behaving more erratically — it’s worth checking in. It rarely hurts to ask “are you okay?”. Ideally, the change may have a simple explanation, but it’s usually worth asking, just in case. 

Additionally, the American Psychiatric Association lists a number of common signs that someone may be experiencing mental health issues, including: 

Drop in functioning at work, school, or socially

Beyond Blue also offers several common warning signs, such as: 

Withdrawing from close family and friends

Avoidance of situations that result in anxiety

If you’re worried a friend or loved one is exhibiting some of these signs, a good first step before reaching out can be completing this checklist. While the K10 checklist should not be substituted for a professional diagnosis, it is a quick and confidential way to attain further insight, and serves as a good guideline. 

Finally, it’s important to remember everyone will exhibit different signs in different ways, so the above lists are by no means comprehensive. Instead, remember the number one rule: a change is worth a check in. 

According to Health Behaviour and Health Education, there are four types of social support: 

Emotional support is defined as “expressions of empathy, love, trust, and caring”. An example of this type of support may be a friend offering a kind, empathetic ear during a difficult time. 

Instrumental support means offering “tangible aid and service”. An example of this type of support may be parents offering to assist with childcare while you are recovering from a broken leg. 

Informational support includes offering “advice, suggestions, and information”. An example of this type of support may be a friend offering information and advice about a similar situation they experienced recently. 

Finally, Appraisal support is “information that is useful for self-evaluation“. An example of this type of support may be reminding a friend of all their positive qualities when they are feeling particularly down, to help them realise they are capable of overcoming a stressful situation. 

Obviously, different types of support are appropriate in different situations, so it is important to take individual context into consideration when reaching out to offer support. Generally, you will know the person you are offering support to well enough to ascertain what will best suit their needs in that moment. 

It may also help to make a support plan in advance, to ensure you don’t become overwhelmed while offering support, and are able to stay calm in the moment.

Above all else, lending a kind, compassionate, and non-judgmental ear to ensure a loved one’s problems don’t remain bottled up can often be all the support someone needs. For more information on starting these important conversations, check out our article There’s more to say after R U OK?: Keeping the conversation going. 

Maintaining your own mental health while providing support

As mentioned, supporting others while maintaining your own mental health can be a delicate balancing act. To help you achieve this balance, Go1 has a number of useful resources. 

For starters, you can check out our article What’s your stress score?, as well as Stress management: how to use meditation to manage stress.

We’re also offering a number of free courses from providers such as Beyond Blue and Blisspot throughout October to support World Mental Health Day on October 10th. To access your free courses, simply visit mentalhealthmonth.mygo1.com and sign up! 

Lastly, for a full list of upcoming events and resources to support mental health awareness, you can go to Introducing Go1’s ‘Learning with Purpose’ initiative for mental health awareness. 

As always, please remember, if you are experiencing significant distress, you can reach out to Lifeline 131 114 or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636 for immediate support. If you, or anyone you know, is feeling suicidal you can also call the Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467 for immediate support.

When things get tough, a helping hand, a supportive ear, or a shoulder to cry on can be just what we need. That’s why we’ve put together this helpful guide to providing social support in times of need. 

How to provide social support in times of need

Nearly half of Australians (45.5%) will experience a mental health condition at some point in their lifetime, including 20% over the last 12 months. With 2020 proving to be a particularly challenging year (to say the least), it has never been more important to take the time to start open, meaningful dialogues about mental health, and honestly assess your own mental wellbeing. 

The good news is that the number of Australians seeking support continues to rise, with 4.3 million people receiving mental health-related prescriptions in 2018-19. We want that positive trajectory to continue, ensuring everyone feels comfortable and supported accessing mental health support services. 

With this in mind, we’re very excited to introduce Go1’s new Learning with Purpose initiative, in the lead up to World Mental Health Day on October 10th. 

At Go1, we believe in lifelong learning, as well as learning as an avenue for positive social and mental wellbeing. So, in addition to donations and traditional corporate social responsibility, Go1 launched our Social Impact initiative in 2019. This initiative aims to enact positive, real-world change. The process is simple: we’re connecting workforces to learning created by organisations that are on the frontline of social change. 

To achieve this, Go1 has partnered with leading organisations to train more than 300,000 people worldwide in domestic and family violence prevention and mental health awareness, providing over $250,000 AUD back to a range of NFP organisations. 

With World Mental Health Day on the horizon, our Learning with Purpose initiative follows a simple, three-step method:

Partner with leading organisations such as Lifeline and Beyond Blue to add their resources to workplace learning libraries. 

Consult with experts to determine how that learning fits into the broader picture (often on live webinars for the public). 

Design learning playlists so that people at work can find the content they need, when they need it.

For more information about Go1’s Learning with Purpose initiative, be sure to check out our corporate social responsibility page. 

Organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO), World Mental Health Day is observed on October 10th each year, with a stated purpose of “...[providing] an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide.” 

This year, we’re taking things a step further. During October, Go1 is placing a month-long spotlight on mental health to support this excellent cause, with the aim of reducing stigma, increasing awareness, and starting important conversations. 

To promote mental health awareness, we have broken the month down into four key topics: Stigma, Self-Care, Crisis and Advising Others. To support these themes, we’ve created a number of helpful blog articles, including an in depth guide for Developing your mental health self care plan as well as some practical tips for Reducing mental health stigma at work.

We’ll be publishing more mental health and wellbeing articles all throughout the month, so be sure to check back in with our blog regularly for more useful tips, resources, and expert advice! 

All throughout October, we will also be hosting a number of live events to support mental health awareness via our Learning with Purpose initiative. 

Follow the links below to learn more or register for each of these live events. See you there! 

October 6th: Real Life Stories; Battling the Stigma of Mental Illness


October 9th: How to Conquer Life Invaded by Mental Illness


October 13th: What Does Effective Self-Care and Sleep Look Like Today?


October 30th: Mental Health Training for Small Business

Finally, Go1 is offering a number of free courses throughout mental health month, which have been specially curated to support positive mental health and wellbeing. From sleep to self-care to simply taking some time to check in with your feelings, there’s something helpful for everyone. 

Mental Health Continuum: Checking in with yourself


To explore Go1’s entire free mental health awareness playlist, please visit the mental health month playlist and sign up to get started. You can also check out our corporate social responsibility page for more information on Go1’s Learning with Purpose initiative. 

At Go1, we believe in lifelong learning, as well as learning as an avenue for positive social and mental wellbeing. So, we’re very excited to introduce Go1’s new Learning with Purpose initiative, in the lead up to World Mental Health Day on October 10th. 

Introducing Go1’s ‘Learning with Purpose’ initiative for mental health awareness

At any given time 1 in 5 Australian employees are likely to be experiencing a mental health condition. 

With so many people suffering in silence from the effects of anxiety, panic and depression – possibly even that person you talk to every day who always seems fine – why is there still such a stigma attached to talking about mental health? 

Mental health stigma poses significant barriers to participation in the workforce, as well as many other areas of life. Eliminating this stigma while increasing mental health awareness can support employees to seek help sooner, recover faster and maintain productivity. 

When the word ‘stigma’ is used, it generally focuses on the uninformed and negative attitudes held by many in the general community based on distinguishing characteristics such as a mental illness, health conditions, or disability.  

While stigma is not limited to just mental conditions, it’s been clear that attitudes towards psychiatric illnesses tend to be more negative than that toward medical conditions. A SANE Australia survey found that almost three-quarters of respondents living with a mental illness (74%) had experienced stigma.  

Other research has shown that stigma is one of the leading risk factors contributing to poor mental health outcomes - leading to delays in treatment and reducing the chance that a person with mental illness will receive appropriate care.  

To truly debunk the myths around stigma, we need to understand that it comes in many shapes and forms. It is important to note that improving one component may not necessarily impact the others. These include: 

personal stigma ‐ a person’s stigmatising attitudes and beliefs about other people (“People with depression should snap out of it.”)  

perceived stigma ‐ a person’s beliefs about the negative and stigmatising views that other people hold (“Most people believe that a person with depression should snap out of it.”)  

self‐stigma ‐ the stigmatising views that individuals hold about themselves (“I should be able to snap out of my depression.”)  

While people have become more informed about mental disorders in general, stigma continues to be a reality. Some elements of how stigma is perpetuated include: 

perceptions that a person is ‘weak, not sick’ – “My father and my sister don’t believe in mental illness. If you can’t cope with something it’s a weakness of character, not an actual illness.” Person with depression 

perceived danger – “All mentally ill are tainted by reports of the extremely unusual ‘crazy and dangerous’. As if at any time, they could become horrific mass murderers!” BeyondBlue blueVoices member 

beliefs that a person is responsible and can control his/her condition – “Most people seem to think depression is...something that is within your character to control.” Person with a mental health condition 

feelings of guilt, shame and embarrassment – “You keep it to yourself because you’re ashamed of it.” Person with depression 

a reluctance to disclose a diagnosis, due to concerns about discrimination and harassment – “When he [husband] was looking at applying for jobs, his psychiatrist said, ‘I wouldn’t mention he’s got a mental illness. They don’t need to know’.” Carer 