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The Future of Learning & Development: Why People Come First

Imagine sitting down for a conversation with someone who’s been in the trenches of corporate training, building programs that not only improve performance but also make people actually want to learn. That’s exactly what we got in our latest episode of Learning Matters when we spoke with Paul Stevenson, Director of Learning Client Relations at TIAA.

Paul’s career has spanned everything from government programs to Fortune 500 training teams, and if there’s one thing he’s learned, it’s this: L&D is always about the people.

People Over Tech: A Learning Philosophy That Works

There’s a lot of buzz about AI in learning and development right now—machine learning, chatbots, and virtual coaching. But as Paul puts it, “Without people, you don’t have large language models to program, and you don’t have AI to do your chat engineering.”

At TIAA, the L&D team focuses on coaching managers first—because when leaders support their people, employees thrive. That means moving away from generic job descriptions and creating competency-based career paths so employees can see how their skills translate into growth.

How to Actually Measure Learning Success

Here’s the challenge: L&D is often seen as a soft-skill-focused field. So how do you prove ROI?

Paul and his team take a Six Sigma approach—asking business leaders upfront what success looks like before training even starts. Then, they track real-world impact, like improved sales performance or better customer retention. Instead of just relying on quizzes and satisfaction surveys, they’re working with business leaders to tie training outcomes directly to key performance indicators.

And yes, sometimes that means relying on the ultimate corporate staple: Excel spreadsheets.

The Secret to Making Training Less Painful

Let’s be real—nobody loves mandatory compliance training. So Paul’s team came up with a simple solution: If you can pass the test at 100% before the course, you don’t have to take it.

Why force employees to sit through training they already understand? This opt-out model not only saves time but also ensures that when employees do engage with learning, it’s because they actually need it.

Next up? They’re working on a model where only the sections you struggle with are assigned, instead of making you redo everything. Smart, right?

How AI Fits into the Future of Learning

AI isn’t replacing people—it’s helping them. Paul’s team is developing AI-driven coaching tools for leadership development, giving employees real-time feedback on skills like difficult conversations and performance evaluations.

But here’s the key: AI is an enhancement, not a substitute. Employees still have real conversations with their managers to reinforce learning, using AI as a tool to practice before those high-stakes discussions.

Onboarding at Scale: Training 100+ New Hires Per Quarter

TIAA is in growth mode, hiring over 100 new employees per quarter. That means onboarding has to be fast, effective, and not feel like drinking from a firehose.

Paul’s solution? Cohort-based training.

Instead of five separate onboarding programs for similar roles, they’ve streamlined them into a single experience. Not only does this create instant professional networks, but it also cuts onboarding time from six weeks to four without losing effectiveness.

Doing More with Less: The Reality of L&D Today

Like many companies, TIAA has had to navigate restructuring and budget cuts. But instead of just slashing headcount, Paul’s team took a surgical approach, consolidating job functions and redeploying talent instead of eliminating it.

This kind of long-term thinking is part of the company’s DNA. As Paul explains, TIAA was founded by Andrew Carnegie to give teachers access to reliable retirement plans—a mission that has since expanded to ensuring everyone can retire with dignity.

Final Thoughts: Why Learning Matters

If there’s one takeaway from our conversation with Paul, it’s this: L&D isn’t about checking boxes—it’s about building people up so they can contribute meaningfully to the business and their own careers.

From AI coaching to smarter onboarding, the future of learning isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about creating experiences that actually work. And that starts by putting people first.

Want to hear the full conversation? Listen to the episode now and connect with Paul on LinkedIn to keep the discussion going! Paul is also the author of two books with more on the way! Check out his writing here and keep an eye out for new releases.