The success of any L&D program depends on relevant training. If courses aren’t necessary, accurate, or engaging, they won’t be completed. Or worse, employees will skip through them in seconds.

L&D directors know this. But with the pressure of KPIs and organizational goals, coupled with the complexity of sourcing quality training, we’re often forced to compromise on learning content.

So how can L&D teams make sure training is relevant? Beyond completion rates, L&D teams need to know that training is actively engaging employees and helping them grow their capabilities.

1. Tailor training to career paths.

Training that’s meant to inspire, develop, and grow core skills should feel enriching, not frustrating. One way to achieve this is by tailoring training to align with specific career paths, helping employees see a direct relevance to their roles.

For instance, if someone is aspiring to move from an analyst role to a manager role, offering them leadership courses will feel directly tied to their goals. When training helps employees see a clear connection to their future, they are far more likely to engage with it.

2. Take a skills-based approach.

A training library built around specific skills can help employees find learning that’s relevant to them. This approach directly ties learning to real, actionable capabilities that employees can use in their day-to-day tasks and future roles.

To get started with skills-based training, explore how to build a skills taxonomy to better understand the skills within your organization, then build up your training library accordingly.

3. Don’t overwhelm employees.

More is not always better. L&D teams with an abundance of training content risk bombarding employees with too many options—which can be counterproductive. Even with quality training, having to sort through courses can overwhelm employees, making development just another task on their already packed to-do list.

Instead, be selective. Curate and stagger training programs so employees can take the time to absorb, apply, and reflect on what they’ve learned.

4. Embrace blended learning.

Relying solely on digital courses can sometimes feel too removed or disconnected from the workplace reality. Blended learning—mixing digital courses with in-person training, job shadowing, and coaching—adds depth to the learning experience.

Explore ways to make learning practical. For example, employees may complete a digital course on negotiation techniques, then attend an in-person workshop where they practice these skills in real-life scenarios. This kind of hands-on reinforcement helps employees see how the training is immediately relevant to their day-to-day work.

5. Encourage microlearning.

We've all felt frustrated by courses that drag on too long. Whether it’s an all-day workshop or an online course with endless required reading. Microlearning solves this by offering bite-sized learning modules that employees can take in 5–10-minute bursts.

Short, targeted learning sessions are easier to fit into a busy schedule and allow for incremental learning without feeling overwhelming. They also reinforce key information by delivering it in small, digestible doses, making it more likely to stick.

6. Leverage AI for personalized content.

AI-powered learning platforms can help L&D teams create custom training targeted to individuals, roles, or departments to address specific training needs. This could mean writing new course material or working with existing content to create custom quizzes to test knowledge.

AI-driven LMSs can also be used to recommend courses by analyzing available data. For example, they can recommend specific courses on advanced Excel to an employee who frequently works with budgeting, or suggest leadership development courses to those interested in management roles.

7. Connect it all with performance conversations.

Training is only as valuable as the support it receives from leadership. If learning is siloed and separate from performance discussions, employees may see it as optional or irrelevant. When managers regularly discuss training as part of performance reviews and one-on-one meetings, it signals that learning is a priority and connected to their professional development.

Managers should help employees identify gaps in their skills and offer relevant training as part of their development plan. When employees can see that their training leads to tangible improvements in their performance or prospects, they are more likely to invest their time in it.

Empower Growth Through L&D

Relevance is the key to creating successful L&D programs. But ultimately, this hinges on having high-quality content. Whether you develop it in-house with subject matter experts or source it from trusted e-learning providers, ensure your training content is relevant, engaging, and shared strategically to help employees grow.