The Emblem Editorial

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve sat across the table from a learning and development or training professional who had done “everything right” with their training, at least on paper. They had a learning platform and a course library, and their completion rates appeared respectable, yet something still felt off. When you dig a little deeper, the same pattern tends to emerge. People completed the training, but it didn’t translate into their work. That is usually when

Every organisation is different. So why should training be one-size-fits-all? Generic courses can feel detached from the realities of your team’s work. Custom training course design fixes that by building learning solutions that align with how your business actually operates. At Emblem, we take a structured approach to custom training design that aligns with your goals and boosts engagement. What custom training course design actually means Custom training design is the proce

When people hear the phrase L&D (Learning and Development), they often picture large organisations with entire departments dedicated to training, backed by detailed reports and endless data. Even the term “L&D” isn’t something everyone knows or recognises, which I’ve had to constantly remind myself when speaking to smaller businesses recently. There’s nothing worse than throwing around a load of acronyms and watching people wonder what on earth you’re talking about! At its co

If you've never heard the term time-to-competency (TTC) before, don't worry, you're definitely not alone. It's a phrase more often heard in corporate learning and development (L&D) department, where huge spreadsheets and formulas are used to measure how long it takes for someone to go from a new starter to fully competent in their role. This concept is just as important for small and medium-sized businesses. In fact, I think it might be even more important. But utilising it

Why it matters and how to get started It's the time of year when budgets, business plans and big goals for 2026 are being finalised or plans put in place for April spending. There's one thing we know always slips down the list...training. Not because it's not important (it's absolutely vital) but because for a lot of smaller companies it's an optional and costly extra, not a priority. Training should never be just a nice-to-have. It's an INVESTMENT . It saves time, strengthen

Future proofing learning for everyone Digital learning probably isn’t at the top of every charity CEO’s to-do list...and understandably so! When you’re busy managing projects, supporting communities and chasing funding deadlines, things like eLearning or digital resource design don’t always feel urgent. But it’s very much at the forefront of our minds at Emblem right now! We can see the difference that accessible, future-proofed learning makes. It saves time. It saves money.

You don't have to like AI. You don't even have to want to use it. But before you dismiss it, you owe it to yourself and your business to at least learn what it is and how you could use it. Because right now, conversations around AI are polarised: people are either terrified of it, or they're talking about it like it's a magic solution. For SMEs, neither of those extremes are particularly helpful. What we're seeing Over the last few months, I’ve been in rooms full of business

The answer will be different for everyone, but most of us have at least one experience that stands out for all the wrong reasons. Maybe you didn’t learn anything. Maybe you felt like your time was wasted. Maybe you walked away more frustrated than informed. Think about it. Did it look anything like this? It was boring Someone talked at you for an hour straight The slides were text-heavy and served no purpose There were no activities or engagement The content wasn’t relevant t

Most businesses believe their onboarding is “sorted” because the legal essentials are covered. The health and safety briefing is done, the fire exits are pointed out, GDPR is mentioned, and the handbook is emailed (or handed over in a plastic wallet that will never be opened again). Technically, that means the induction has done its job. But legal compliance is not the same as effective onboarding . Someone might know the procedures and policies, but that does not mean they u

Build it. Own it. Use it There's a common pattern we see with businesses of all sizes - even those in the training industry. They invest in an LMS (learner management system)....then they upload a library of generic courses. Staff engagement (and enthusiasm for them) is low and training gets forgotten until renewal time. The issues usually isn't the LMS - its the content sitting inside of it. If digital staff training doesn't feel relevant to someone's day-to-day reality, pe

Recently, I met with a business owner who put this perfectly. She was talking about confidentiality. In her workspace, confidentiality is second nature. Everyone knows the boundaries and understands how to behave. But what happens when a staff member sees a client outside of work? On the street. In a cafe. At the supermarket. It feels obvious how to respond when you've been in the industry for years. It is NOT obvious when it's your first job. And that's why scenario based le

I've spent a lot of time over the last two months attending networking events, both online and face-to-face, pitching our company and meeting new clients. Have you ever tried to explain what you do for a living and been met with a polite smile and confused nod? I have.... Even after more than a decade of working in training development and learning design, I still meet people who ask: "What do you mean by eLearning?" Depending on where you've worked, you might have heard it c

I’ll admit it – I’m a little jealous of small businesses. After 16+ years in learning and development, from personal training to...

Chances are, if you've worked in any corporate business, at some point in your career you've watched an annual training video that didn't...

This might sound strange (especially coming from the founder of a digital learning company!) but I don't believe digital training should...

I spend a lot of time thinking about branding, and so should you. It's about more than just a nice logo and choice of font. I’ve always...

How poor induction impacts staff retention Starting a new job should be exciting - an obvious statement, I'm sure! It should be a fresh chapter, new opportunity, and a chance to grow. But for many people, the reality is very different. I still remember joining a company years ago where, on day one, there was no manager, no clear plan and no real support. Staff turnover had been high, roles were shifting and departments were understaffed so I was left adrift. I had prior exper