Choosing the right employee education solution to address your organization's evolving skills needs can be overwhelming. Beyond selecting the right solution, leaders also need to consider how new education investments fit alongside existing learning programs, talent strategies, and workforce priorities.
For some organizations, one solution may be enough. For others, the right approach is connecting multiple education investments that serve different employee populations and business objectives.
At InStride, we help organizations connect education investments to workforce priorities without disrupting the learning programs and systems they already have in place.
Why workforce development looks different today
Organizations need education investments that are easier for employees to access and easier for leaders to measure. Leading employers are aligning education with workforce planning, priority roles, and business outcomes.
3 ways to connect education investments to your existing L&D strategy
Every organization starts from a different place. Some are modernizing employee education benefits. Others are expanding career development opportunities or connecting education investments more closely to workforce priorities. Here are three common approaches organizations take.
#1: Address workforce capability gaps
Organizations rarely need to replace every learning initiative they already have. More often, they need to address capability gaps that existing programs weren't designed to solve.
Whether the priority is preparing frontline managers, building AI skills, strengthening leadership pipelines, or developing talent for hard-to-fill roles, education investments can complement your existing learning programs instead of competing with or replacing them.
For example, one global manufacturer identified a gap between its existing leadership training and the capabilities needed to prepare high-potential leaders for more complex operational roles. Rather than replacing its existing learning programs, the organization introduced a cohort-based leadership accelerator focused on real business challenges. By layering targeted development onto its broader L&D strategy, it strengthened leadership readiness without rebuilding its entire learning ecosystem.
#2: Modernize your tuition reimbursement program
Another option is determining whether it's time to modernize an existing education benefit.
Many organizations are reevaluating their tuition reimbursement program because traditional reimbursement wasn't designed for today's workforce. Employees often need to pay tuition upfront, creating financial barriers that limit participation. At the same time, leaders have limited visibility into whether education spending supports priority roles, critical skills, or long-term workforce planning.
Rather than making an abrupt change, organizations often modernize in phases. Existing learners complete their current programs while new participants transition into an upfront education benefit that removes financial barriers and better connects education investments to workforce priorities.
For example, one large healthcare organization simplified multiple education policies into a single workforce education program that expanded access, reduced administrative complexity, and created a more consistent employee experience. Modernizing the benefit made it easier for employees to participate while giving leaders greater visibility into how education investments supported workforce priorities.
By eliminating upfront tuition barriers, we’ve opened access to higher education for colleagues who might not have otherwise pursued these pathways. As a result, we are enriching our talent pipeline, fostering internal career growth for everyone, and helping to build a workforce in service to our Mission and in alignment with our Vision to offer peace, hope and health for every person, family and community, especially those most in need.
- Roderick Nunn
Vice President of Culture and Team Member Experience at SSM Health
#3: Connect multiple education investments
Not every organization needs a single education solution. Many achieve better results by connecting multiple education investments around shared workforce priorities.
A medical technology company recognized that different employee populations required different approaches to development. Rather than relying on a single education solution, the organization combined skills-based hiring, career education pathways, employer-sponsored education, and leadership development into one connected talent strategy. Each investment served a distinct purpose while supporting shared workforce priorities.
The result was a more cohesive employee experience, stronger internal talent development, and education investments that supported career mobility, critical role readiness, and long-term workforce growth.
Organizations can also simplify administration, improve reporting, and create a more connected education and skills experience across multiple programs while continuing to use the tools and partners that already support their learning ecosystem.
There’s an approach for every organization
The right mix of learning programs, tuition benefits, and career development opportunities looks different for every organization.
The common goal remains the same: helping employees build the skills they need while ensuring education investments support measurable business outcomes.
InStride partners with organizations to connect education investments with workforce strategy, making it easier for employees to access opportunities and easier for leaders to measure impact.
Book a discovery call with us to learn how InStride can help align your education investments with your workforce priorities.
