Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2025 - 57

time and money that might have been
spent developing learning content and
debating over modalities. " Learners
were able to speak directly with SMEs,
ask their questions and immediately
apply what they learned, " says LePage.
THE IN-PERSON
LEARNING DAYS
HAVE PROVED
GREATLY
BENEFICIAL FOR
LEARNERS AND
THE GREATER
ORGANIZATION
ALIKE.
Of course, this approach took some
adjustments: " My team's focus had to
shift from traditional learning design
methods to spending more time with
SMEs, coaching them on how to deliver
effective learning sessions. "
This, LePage says, was a much better
use of time, instead of " trying to
create content that was difficult to
keep up to date and for our learners
to find time to engage with. " With
the time saved by fostering direct
connections between learners and
SMEs, LePage's team is freed up to
focus on higher level administrative
decision-making.
Like many L&D teams, the primary
challenge LePage's team faces is their
limited capacity. With learning and
communication spread across multiple
channels, learners quickly become
overwhelmed when presented with new
training. " Because people are getting
bombarded with communications every
day, " says LePage, " it's difficult to have
the time and 'white space' to learn
something new, which is why we were
passionate about getting everyone one
day a quarter to focus on just that -
learning. " By adjusting their approach
and acknowledging the struggles their
learners were facing, LePage's team
was able to meet their learners' actual
needs, even as they evolved to meet
changing business demands.
While directly linking training to
business outcomes is complicated,
learner survey results look promising:
" We have a 96% survey result on
learners committed to incorporating
what they've learned to their
says LePage.
role, "
" I think we're on the brink of a lot of
technology transforming learning in
so many ways, " says LePage. " I think
technology will do a lot for content
creation specifically and allow for
better on-the-job learning with
augmented reality (AR), virtual reality
(VR), etc. "
One specific area of advancement
LePage is looking forward to is in the field
of AI-assisted translation. With learner
needs spanning multiple languages,
requiring fast and intuitive translation and
localization, Chick-fil-A's various learning
functions will greatly benefit from
these advancements.
With business and learner needs
changing almost on a daily basis,
it's hard to predict how the future of
learning design will look, other than
the fact that it will have to be agile.
LePage sees the future of learning
at Chick-fil-A as less obtrusive, more
collaborative and occurring within the
flow of work. " We will use technology
for quick access to content, " says
LePage, " and it will show up more in
the moment or at the time of need.
So, I think our focus in
learning
will be more about connection
and collaboration. "
One aspect of this is a more
experiential approach to learning: " As
an L&D function, " says LePage, " our
contributions will transition to create
memorable learning experiences -
with experiences being the key word
here. " By using AR and VR to deliver
content on a day-to-day basis, the
team hopes to provide learning that
looks and feels like the real world,
as well as functioning as more of an
extension of the learner's job activity,
TRAINING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE - WINTER 2025 I WWW.TRAININGINDUSTRY.COM/MAGAZINE
rather than providing reading or video
modules that take the learner out of
the flow of work entirely.
This type of tech-assisted learning
also has the potential to be more
collaborative than traditional methods,
by allowing teams to see and interact
with the same virtual situations. Soft
skills, LePage says, such as " coaching,
consulting, mentoring and leadership, "
are likely
to
benefit from AR/VRassisted,
situation-based learning:
With these tools, public-facing
learners can practice speaking and
interacting in a safe and comfortable
environment, where they will feel free
to make mistakes and can practice
uncomfortable conversations.
While the future of L&D is uncertain
and ever-changing, LePage is looking
forward to the ways that she and
her team will be able to meet these
challenges for Chick-fil-A. By embracing
new technologies like AR and VR and
organizing recurring learning events,
LePage and her team are striving
to meet the evolving needs of their
global workforce.
WITH THE
TIME SAVED
BY FOSTERING
DIRECT
CONNECTIONS
BETWEEN
LEARNERS AND
SMES, LEPAGE'S
TEAM IS FREED
UP TO FOCUS ON
HIGHER LEVEL
ADMINISTRATIVE
DECISION-MAKING.
M. Allen, CPTM, is an editor at
Training Industry. M.'s areas of
focus include B2B marketing for the
corporate training sector and editing
Training Industry Magazine. Email
the author.
57
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