Digital Learning Day #3: Why L&D Must Actively Demonstrate Its Business Relevance—and How to Do It

Panel discussion as part of Digital Learning Day #3: Julia Senner, editor of the trade magazines “neues lernen” and “personalmagazin” (top left), in conversation withexperts Liebelt, Sales Excellence @ Digital Industries Germany at Siemens (top right), Julia Hindorf, Learning & Development Consultant at the Haufe Group (bottom right), and Dr. Thomas Tillmann, Founder and Managing Director at Lernhacks (bottom left), on the business relevance of L&D in 2026.

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The elephant in the room: L&D is often not taken seriously in the business world (and it knows it)

When C-suite executives rank corporate functions by relevance, L&D regularly ends up at the bottom of the list. Not a pleasant outcome. But at least it was openly addressed during the panel discussion. Dr. Thomas Tillmann summed it up:

"In many organizations, at least as perceived by the business side, there is a significant gap between core business operations and L&D."

Is that true? Not necessarily. Often, there’s simply a lack of understanding of what L&D actually does and the complexity involved. But that hardly matters. The gap exists in perception. And perception shapes reality.

On this point, the panelists are in agreement: L&D is more important than ever. Markets are changing faster, and the leaps in innovation are getting bigger and bigger. It’s no longer enough to provide offerings only after the need has already become apparent. Britt Liebelt put it bluntly:

“L&D really needs to think ahead and anticipate changes to some extent so that we can present well-tailored solutions in this fast-paced business.”

So the question isn't whether L&D is relevant to the business. It's how L&D makes that relevance visible.

Regular Dialogue as a Bridge Between L&D and the Business Side

One thing became clear from the conversation: business relevance stems above all from regular dialogue. Anyone who truly wants to bridge the gap with the business starts by listening—in one-on-one conversations, in collaborative development processes, and in daily exchanges with those who drive the day-to-day operations.

Regular forums help with this: formats in which learning needs can be discussed regularly and specifically. However, building rapport also requires a structural framework. Dr. Thomas Tillmann cites two approaches that work in practice:

• Structured “sounding boards” or steering committees: They bring real needs to light and give decision makers into what L&D does and why. And as that insight grows, so does acceptance.
• Rotation: Business representatives who temporarily work in L&D. Anyone who has been there themselves understands the structures and sees things differently.

Yet “the business” is not a monolithic entity with a single, clear voice. Mediating conflicting perspectives and differing priorities has long been a core responsibility of L&D. However, it is rarely referred to so directly.

The bottom line remains simple: L&D must proactively engage where decisions are made—right from the start.

Identifying Needs—Between Personal Responsibility and Organizational Management

At the heart of the discussion was a fundamental question: How much autonomy should employees be given, and how much organizational guidance is needed? The clear answer: It’s not an either/or situation—both are necessary. Employees often know their own areas for improvement best. L&D should take this seriously.

At the same time, a clear agenda is needed. L&D should actively set the agenda and address strategic skill gaps across the organization. Especially in times of rapid change, there is a growing desire for structure among the workforce. With a clear agenda, L&D can meet this need. Structure is not at odds with personal responsibility; rather, it serves as the framework that makes personal responsibility possible in the first place.

Julia Hindorf summed up the overarching mission of L&D:

“It is our responsibility to strike a balance between these two goals: providing a core portfolio that addresses business needs at a high level and helps us set the agenda, while also supporting and shaping individual development journeys.”

In practice, this means working on multiple levels simultaneously. A centralized portfolio that addresses needs at the overarching level, alongside specific learning journeys for teams and departments that are often closer to the people on the ground. The challenge lies in knowing which offering makes sense at which level.

Measuring Effectiveness—Uncomfortable, but Inevitable

It couldn't be stated any more clearly. And that is precisely where the real problem lies: The industry has long hidden behind the complexity of measuring impact. All too often, the response is: "We simply can't measure effectiveness in our field." That excuse no longer holds water.

Julia Hindorf also openly admitted that she herself did not yet have a satisfactory answer to the question of how to measure effectiveness. In doing so, she voiced what many in the field are familiar with but are rarely willing to admit.

Yet the complexity is very real. L&D aims to drive changes in performance, but performance depends on many factors. It is nearly impossible to prove, in isolation, whether a single training session has directly influenced sales success. A direct correlation rarely exists. However, that does not mean L&D should dismiss the question of effectiveness so easily.

Rather, according to Dr. Thomas Tillmann, what is needed are impact chains—formulated as working hypotheses. Specifically, L&D should ask itself: What behavioral change are we aiming for? What must be learned to achieve it? What evidence shows whether it is occurring? With this foundation, L&D can move toward a meaningful evaluation. This is an important step toward increasing business relevance. L&D can also learn from other corporate functions: in marketing, for example, many aspects are similarly complex. Nevertheless, a culture of metrics-based decision-making has long existed there. In any case, the widespread illusion that “it doesn’t work for us, but it does for others” no longer holds water.

"As long as L&D wants a budget, it will have to justify itself, just like any other corporate function."

AI in Education: Huge Potential When Used Correctly

Produce more learning opportunities, faster and more affordably. That’s the obvious temptation when L&D meets AI. And according to Dr. Thomas Tillmann, that’s exactly the wrong approach:

“Much of what we have today was created with love and passion, yet it still fails to resonate with people. So we shouldn’t assume that soulless AI-generated content is now going to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.”

The real potential lies elsewhere: AI as a personal learning coach that refines learning goals and supports the application of what has been learned in everyday life. This is precisely where L&D still falls short today.

At the same time, it’s true that uncritical use of AI risks intellectual atrophy, because our own thinking is increasingly being outsourced. That’s precisely why professional expertise remains indispensable—especially in the age of AI. One must master the craft in order to even be able to assess whether an AI output is useful or not.

What remains is the human side of learning. Psychological safety, genuine dialogue with employees, and human interaction—these are and will continue to be core competencies of L&D. And thanks to AI, they are becoming even more important than ever before.

Outlook: Where Learning Is Headed

The panel was unequivocal on this point: The business world’s patience is limited. L&D must move away from a reactive role—and into the spaces where decisions are made. It must identify changes before they are articulated as needs. And it must make its own contribution visible before anyone else asks the question.

Three trends will have a particularly significant impact on L&D in the future:

1. Expertise remains essential, especially in light of AI: To evaluate AI outputs, one must master the craft. Technical expertise is not losing its importance—it is gaining it. Only people who make judgments position can guide AI effectively.
2. AI as a learning coach, not as a content machine: AI only adds value when it’s used wisely. The temptation to use AI primarily to create more content faster is strong. But soulless offerings don’t help L&D move forward. Instead, the real power of AI lies elsewhere: in personalized learning paths, in supporting the transfer of what’s been learned into everyday life, and in intelligently matching needs with offerings.
3. Business relevance is becoming a top priority: The question of how L&D contributes to the company’s success is being asked—more and more often, and in increasingly concrete terms. “We can’t measure that” is no longer an acceptable answer. Despite all its complexity, L&D must find ways to robustly demonstrate its relevance, and that starts with no longer sidestepping the uncomfortable questions.

Digital Learning Day #4 – Save the Date 

Tuesday, October 13, 2026, 1:00 p.m.

The next Digital Learning Day is already in the works. In October 2026, you can once again look forward to fresh ideas, compelling insights from the field, and a shared perspective on what drives digital learning forward.

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What We Take Away from DLD #3: Three Personal Perspectives

L&D is relevant to the business when ...

Britt Liebelt: “I wouldn’t say ‘if,’ but rather ‘because’ we are still, today as well as tomorrow, human beings. And human beings have needs that cannot always be met by systems and tools. Instead, you simply have to respond to each individual on a more personal level. And that’s why I believe that L&D will still be relevant tomorrow.”

Julia Hindorf:“We’re relevant to the business when we listen carefully to what’s needed, recognize expertise, allow people to take ownership and manage themselves, and build bridges here and there.”

Dr. Thomas Tillmann:“I would say that L&D is relevant when it manages to create something like ‘learning-rich work’—that is, a form of work that is permeated by learning and that naturally incorporates appropriate forms of learning into everyday life.”