Title: Going Beyond L&D: Applying the 70-20-10 Model

to Employee Development
Category: Developing
Type of Article: Blog
Heading: Applying the 70-20-10 Model
Image alt tags:
Meta Description: Applying this concept, the 70-20-10 Model gives
emphasis on how employee development
happens not only through formal training but also
from work experience and social interactions.
Gaining recognition in many businesses around
the world today, the 70-20-10 Model provides a
strategic workplace framework that can be used to
boost staff effectiveness by supporting three types
of learning: experiential (70%), social (20%), and
formal (10%).
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Focus Keyword: The 70-20-10 Model
Focus Keyword Synonyms: The 70-20-10 Concept, The 70-20-10 Rule, The
70-20-10 Principle, The 70-20-10 Framework,
Training and Development, Employee Training
and Development, Learning and Development,
Employee Learning and Development
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Going Beyond L&D: Applying the 70-20-10 Model to Employee Development

As a common saying goes, “experience is our greatest teacher”. While we learn new skills and
information from training courses and learning materials, when asked how we learnt the majority of the
things we know, we usually say that we learnt them from experience.

Applying this concept, the 70-20-10 Model gives emphasis on how employee development happens not
only through formal training but also from work experience and social interactions. Gaining recognition in
many businesses around the world today, the 70-20-10 Model provides a strategic workplace framework
that can be used to boost staff effectiveness by supporting three types of learning: experiential (70%),
social (20%), and formal (10%).

Taking learning and development one step further, the 70-20-10 Model does not only provide employee
development, but also paves the way for career development. Specifically, the 70-20-10 Model is
recommended by experts for small businesses who do not have that much budget for learning and
development and who cannot afford to take their employees away from work, as a way to keep their
employees motivated through career development.

In this post I will be sharing with you what the 70-20-10 Model is, its advantages, the common problems
faced in its implementation and what you can do about them. Hopefully, this article will help you
understand the 70-20-10 Model better, as well as encourage you to go beyond learning and development.

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The 70-20-10 Model as a Framework for Career Development

In response to the arguments against e-learning, several HR managers around the world voiced out how
learning and development alone is still not the best option for employee development. Instead, career
development through the 70-20-10 Model has been raised to be the future of training.

Based on the notion that employees do not only learn through formal training sessions, the 70-20-10
Model of Career Development provides that employees learn 70% of what they know through on-the-job
experiences and challenges, 20% from interactions with other people, and 10% from learning courses or
formal training.

Originating from the 1960s work of Morgan McCall, and gaining popularity through the present efforts of
Charles Jennings, the 70-20-10 Model enables businesses to not only give their employees an
opportunity for individual growth, but also help them in their chosen career paths, by asking employees to
handle positions and jobs which allows them to maximize their potentials.

Also known as “performance-oriented learning”, the 70-20-10 Model focuses on learning within the
context of the workplace through three types of learning:

● Experiential learning (70%). Making up 70% or most of what employees know about their job is
experiential learning, or what is called informal on-the-job learning. In the absence of a formal
program, employees continue to learn and practice while doing their jobs through daily tasks and
challenges.

● Social learning (20%). Compared to experiential learning, social learning involves coaching,
mentoring, and developing through interaction with others. Under the 70-20-10 Model, 20% of
what employees know about their job they have learned with and through others, by drawing on
your personal network and by taking advantage of cooperative opportunities.

● Formal learning (10%). Formal learning is the learning and development we know today. In this
type of learning, staff members are learning through formal courses. Although it only makes up
10% of our learning, formal training is an essential part of any learning strategy. It forms the
backbone of successful learning. Take learning to drive a car for example. To succeed, you first
need to understand the rules of the road and theory that supports your growing practical skills.
Formal learning is the theory and facts that informal learning builds on.

The Advantages and Benefits of the 70-20-10 Model

While learning and development through online learning and virtual reality is the common trend in
employee development today, the 70-20-10 Model is now also gaining recognition around the world
because of the following advantages it provides businesses, especially new and small businesses:

1. Cost-effective Learning

When lobbying for the 70-20-10 Model, Charles Jennings emphasizes how application of the
model does not only lower spending on formal learning events in the form of development costs,
instructor time, travel costs for instructors and learners, but it also decreases workflow disruption.

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 Compared to classroom-based training and e-learning, the 70-20-10 Model relies largely on
experiential learning which is, by its definition, learning through real-time experience. This way,
the business will only spend minimal costs for support learning content, and focus more on
coaching and mentoring, or other forms of social interactions, which may help assists employees
while performing their tasks.

2. Flexibility

Although called the 70-20-10 Model, the percentages 70, 20, and 10 are not set in stone. As a
reference model and not a formula, the 70-20-10 Model is flexible enough for businesses to use it
in a variety of ways. It does not matter if you make the proportions 80-15-5, as long as your
strategy involves learning mainly through experience, followed by social interaction, and lastly
formal learning.

Also, without specific techniques set to be used, the model enables businesses to use choose the
best techniques, methods and tools that will help their employees enhance what they learned
through their job experience.

3. Faster Response to Learning Needs

Another advantage often mentioned by Charles Jennings is the model’s timeliness. Not only does
the model enable employees to learn at the time of their need, but resources can be prepared
and deployed much more quickly than full-on learning events or classroom-based training.

4. Makes Learning More Effective

Compared to formal training and e-learning, the 70-20-10 Model relies on pull rather than push
learning. Instead of being told to complete a learning event (pushed) before the knowledge or a
skill is needed, workers seek out (or pull) resources when they need them. 

5. Learning Synergies

Lastly, the 70-20-10 Model may also be beneficial for businesses looking for learning synergies.
This is because the 20 informs the 70 while improving the 10. For example, you can use social
learning to guide the design of effective informal (experiential) and formal training programs.

Common Problems Faced with the Application of the 70-20-10 Model and What You Can Do About Them

While the 70-20-10 Model has many advantages, there are still businesses who are unsure about it and
still prefer sticking to learning and development because of several reasons. Here are the common
problems that keep businesses from going beyond learning and development, and what you can do about
them:

1. Current Training Culture

With Learning and Development only making its way in the last several years, many businesses
are still struck by the blight of the ‘training culture’. Used in their ways of formal training, many
businesses and employees alike are reluctant to change how they learn because they are already

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 comfortable with their current system. To overcome this and to be able to encourage your
employees to learn instead of just waiting to be trained, I recommend the following actions:

● Develop an empowered culture. By demonstrating openness to new ideas including

willingness to fail fast, you may help develop a culture of reflection, which would foster a
sense of passivity, where people are hungry for self-development.

● Support Knowledge sharing. By supporting knowledge sharing, you may encourage your
employees to learn by interaction with one another and not only during formal learning.

● ‘Detrain’ and reframe learning. The aim of reframing learning is to introduce the principles of
the 70-20-10 Model and encourage people to embrace what they inherently know, that
learning is something that happens by  them not to  them.

2. Risk of Continuous Mistakes and Errors

Since the 70-20-10 Model depends largely experiential learning, one common problem faced by
businesses in applying this model is the risk of continuous error and mistakes by the employees.
Many businesses feel that allowing employees to do a job they are not really trained to do may
pave way for mistakes by the employees which would be time consuming to correct and may
cause the business certain losses.

This is not the case. While on-the-job learning may indeed be risky for the business, the 70-20-10
Model does not stop in unguided on-the-job learning, but actually requires that this type of
learning be supported by social learning and formal learning. To ensure that your employees are
guided accordingly, you may apply coaching or mentoring 20% of the time, and bite-sized
learning or workshop facilitation for the remaining 10%.

3. Employees may Think They are Being Shortchanged

Since the 70-20-10 Model depends mostly on experiential learning which is informal and part of
the day to day job, your employees may think that you are not really invested in training them. To
avoid this, you need to explain to your employees how the 70-20-10 Model works and assure
them that they are being guided through social and formal learning.

Also, you can make it clear to them during the hiring process that you will hire them in a position
where they will grow and help in their career paths. This way, they are already made aware that
their job alone is made for them to learn during the course of employment.

Not Just a Formula but a Model

The 70-20-10 Model is a strategic workplace framework that can be used to boost staff effectiveness by
supporting three types of learning: experiential (70%), social (20%), and formal (10%). As a reference
model and not a formula, the 70-20-10 Model is flexible enough for businesses to use it in a variety of
ways.

It is not necessary that the learning be actually divided in the 70-20-10 ratio, rather it is enough that you
allow your employees to learn on-the-job, without forgetting to guide them through social and formal

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learning. In doing this, you will have an effective employee development system in your business, which
would allow you flexibility in application, without needing much financial investment.

While you may be hesitant to apply this model in your training system because of risks of mistakes and
errors, these worries may be countered by further educating yourself, exploring, and trying it out to see if
it will work for you.

Related Videos:

Video 1:

Charles Jennings - The Four Ways Adults Learn : Learning Technologies 2013

In this video, Charles Jennings explained the following (1) How training supports the four ways of
learning -- or doesn't; (2) why 'information transfer' training fails; (3) The vital role of experience in
the 70 of the 70:20:10 model; (4) How practice works, and the usefulness of failure; and (5) Why
reflective time is vital, and usually ignored.

Video 2:

Charles Jennings et al -70:20:10 - Challenges for L&D - LT16 Conference

In this video, the following topics were discussed: (1) challenges for L&D; (2) the 70-20-10 Rule; (3)
challenges of adopting 70:20:10 for L&D; (4) the new thinking and new roles that need to be put in place
to support the ‘70’ and ‘20’; and (5) experiences and tips of enior L&D leaders who are successfully using
the 70:20:10 model.

Video 3:

Going Beyond Learning & Development The Zalora Story

In this talk, Foo Chek Wee, the Group HR Director, SEA and Hong Kong, Zalora, a leading E-commerce
company in South East Asia talks about how the company approaches its learning strategy to tackle the
millennial workforce. Apart from the components of employee engagement, performance management
and career development, Wee highlights how the company implements its 70-20-10 right from the
onboarding stage where every employee is required to work at least for four hours at the company's
warehouse, the approach to internal mobility, self-driven learning initiatives, guest talks by experts, Zalora
library and leadership interactions.

Research Outline:
Going Beyond Learning and Development: Advantages, and Common Problems of the 70-20-10
Model

Structure of the Blog:

1. Introduction

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2. Understanding the 70-20-10 Model
3. Advantages of the 70-20-10 Model
4. Common Problems of the 70-20-10 Model and What You Can Do
5. Conclusion

Notes:
1. Understanding the 70-20-10 Model

a. History
● The 70 20 10 learning and development model is a very interesting topic and has been much
discussed over recent years. While it dates from the 1960s and the work of Morgan McCall, it
was subsequently updated by Lombardo and Eichinger in their 1996 book The Career
Architect Development Planner.
● In more recent years it has been Charles Jennings who has provided significant thought
leadership and very successful delivery of the 70 20 10 training approach.
● Today Charles is considered a thought leader on 70 20 10 learning along with the
increasingly influential Cindy Pascale of Vado Inc.

b. Also known as performance-oriented learning that happens on the job. While traditional models of
learning through formal programs might be most-effective in cases of skills deficits, performance
problems or retraining, 70:20:10 focuses on learning in the context of the workplace, to make
good employees even better.
c. Essentially It's a strategic workplace learning framework that can be used to boost staff
effectiveness by supporting the three types of learning: experiential (70), social (20), and formal
(10). 
● Experiential learning can be described as informal, on-the-job learning. Employees are
learning and practising while doing the job, in the absence of a formal program.
o A massive 70% of what we know is learned through hands-on experience, daily tasks
and challenges. Just like children learn through play, most adults still learn best by doing.
o Stepping outside our comfort zone is worth it. Yet, putting our new skills to the test in the
real world can be scary. Whether we’re learning to swim, drive or become a public
speaking pro – we won’t learn much until we act. So, get in the water, take to the road
and speak up!
● Social learning involves coaching, mentoring, and developing through others. You learn with
and through others, by drawing on your personal network and by taking advantage of
cooperative opportunities.
o The second part of the 70 20 10 model shows social interaction is responsible for 20% of
our learning. McCall’s research discovered we learn through our relationships by sharing

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 knowledge, observing others and nurturing mentorships. Social learning is another type
of informal learning because it is usually self-directed, spontaneous and less structured
than formal learning.
o Social learning is growing together by observing, asking questions and getting answers-
not just from Google but from your colleagues, friends or fellow online gamers! Whatever
you’re trying to master – your day job, that perfect recipe or the next game level – ask for
help and learn together!

● The third type of learning is what we commonly understand as traditional training and
development at work. In this type of learning, staff members are learning through formal
courses.
o Although it only makes up 10% of our learning, formal training is an essential part of any
learning strategy. It forms the backbone of successful learning. Take learning to drive a
car for example. To succeed, you first need to understand the rules of the road and
theory that supports your growing practical skills. Formal learning is the theory and facts
that informal learning builds on.
o The 70 20 10 research also shows formal training can act as an amplifier, boosting what
we’ve learned through experience and social interaction. So, it is worth seeing formal
training as the supportive framework that creates successful learning outcomes.

2. Advanatges of the 70-20-10 Model

a. Deakinco.com
i. Flexibility
● Since 70:20:10 is a reference model and not a formula, it's flexible enough for businesses
to use it in a variety of ways. Some organisations use it to target specific performance
development outcomes, while others use it strategically, to assist with wider learning
philosophies.

ii. Learning synergies

● For organisations looking for learning synergies, 70:20:10 can be particularly beneficial
because the 20 informs the 70 while improving the 10. For example, you can use social
learning to guide the design of effective informal (experiential) and formal training
programs.

iii. Staff engagement

● Organisations that implement the 70:20:10 model have observed enhanced staff
engagement. Staff are realising development happens all the time, and this is driving higher
engagement.

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 iv. Increased involvement of managers
● Organisations using the 70:20:10 approach see increased involvement of supervisors and
managers in employee development.

v. More effective problem solving

● Experts suggest the problems in organisations are best solved with a 70:20:10 approach
rather than traditional learning models. This means with a 70:20:10 model, you can more
effectively solve your organisation's problems, whether it’s through communities,
collaboration, sharing, increased access, and greater motivation.

vi. Potential challenges

● Research suggests potential challenges for organisations are getting buy-in and measuring
the impact of their 70:20:10 strategy. Some organisations also find convincing stakeholders
that learning and development can occur outside a traditional setting a challenge.

● Some have also had difficulty helping managers understand their role in a 70:20:10
approach. Others experience resistance from HR and their learning and development
teams. 

b. Skillbuilderlms.com

i. Makes learning more effective

● Formal training often teaches skills days, weeks or months before they’re needed.
● 70:20:10, on the other hand, relies on pull rather than push learning. Instead of being told
to complete a learning event (pushed) before the knowledge or a skill is needed, workers
seek out (or pull) resources when they need them. 

ii. Offers a faster response when learning needs are identified

● Charles Jennings has found that one of the advantages of the 70:20:10 model is
timeliness. Not only do workers find the learning they need when they need it, but
resources can be prepared and deployed much more quickly than full-on learning events.

iii. Provides cost effective learning

● Jennings also notes the cost-effectiveness of 70:20:10. Not only does it lower spending on
formal learning events – development costs, instructor time, travel costs for instructors and
learners, technology – but it also decreases workflow disruption.

3. Common Problems and What You Can Do

a. Businesses have a training culture

● The Problem

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 o Too many organisations have been struck by the blight of a ‘training culture’. L&D must
take some responsibility for our role in fostering a sense of passivity, where people,
hungry for development, believe that they are dependent on courses and events, but the
problem runs much deeper. 

● What We Can Do

o Developing an empowered culture. This is a huge topic in itself but includes leaders
demonstrating openness to new ideas including willingness to fail fast, and develop
a culture of reflection.
o Supporting Knowledge sharing. Leader led initiatives supporting #WorkingOutLoudcan
make a huge step in this direction and can be extended to support user generated micro
content to develop a library of just in time resources.
o ‘Detraining’ and reframing learning. I usually recommend a formal ‘Learn to Learn’
element as part of our 70:20:10 solutions. This might consist of a 3 minute video, or
incorporated into a 20 minute intro webinar. The aim of this reframe is to introduce the
principles of 70:20:10 (without using the name) and encourage people to embrace what
they inherently know, that learning is something that happens by them not to them.

b. Managers are not up for the challenge

● The Problem

o Lack of executive support 

● What We Can Do

o Leadership support. Ensuring there are vocal and proactive executives backing the
solution
o Marketing approach. Investing in a marketing campaign style communication plan that
targets Managers as well as participants, focusing on WIIFM and key benefits
o Leveraging champions. Identifying key Managers who are influencers to champion
the roles we need them to play
o Support Managers to support each other. Establishing group coaching for Managers
with the view to seed ongoing communities of practice
o Support Managers with on the job toolkits. Providing toolkits and micro-learning to
provide just in time support for coaching conversations, mentoring and embedding a
culture of reflection

c. People don’t access micro-learning or performance tools

● The Problem

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 o Lack of pay off. People mightn’t see a clear return on investment for their time and effort
in using the new resources
o Hassle. People might be used to a particular workflow and not motivated to change it to
incorporate other tools or support
o Time. The process of finding and accessing a ‘just in time’ tool might take too long. How
long is too long? Think how long you’re prepared to spend googling an answer when
you’re trying to get something done. This shortfall is usually caused by the lack of
platform or technological infrastructure to simply and efficiently search, recommend, rate,
and disseminate content

● What We Can Do

o Empathise with the target audience. Using Design Thinking and Action Mapping to

more deeply understand peoples perspectives, underlying needs and workflow. With
these insights we’re more able to include just in time resources and tools when people
most need support and in ways they would most like to access them. We can even
identify common triggers or anchors that can form the basis of new habits. Where
possible, such approaches are prototyped and tested before a full roll out.
o Profile champions. We highlight champions and influencers who use the system and
achieve strong results.
o Hack infrastructure as required. We’ve found that LMSs manage training content, but
rarely support just in time or performance solutions. As a result we’re currently working
on two projects to deliver custom WordPress builds that incorporate a CMS style and
deliver content that is just in time and just enough. We’re also looking at using xAPI
to generate meaningful data and feedback from this process (call out to my talented
colleague Cameron Hodgkinson, who’s spearheading this work)

d. Operations cannot handle it

● The Problem

o Many organisations aren’t ready to logistically rollout innovative blends let alone
supporting ongoing campaigns or ecosystems.

● What We Can Do

o Consider infrastructure early. See the earlier point about ‘hacking infrastructure as
required’. Sometimes this might be simple and low tech. For example, in the case I
mentioned where the operations team struggled to rollout a blend, part of the solution
involved creating a simple portal to house the videos and sending email reminders for
various events from a new email address (because apparently most people ignored the
ones sent via the LMS email!).

o Empathise with operations. As mentioned, we use a design thinking approach mixed

with lashings of action mapping, which focuses squarely on the learner experience. This
is still where we begin but, at a early stage of the process, we now introduce operations.
We reach out to the team who will be delivering and overseeing BAU of the solution and

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 more actively explore how we can best work with them to deliver the engaged learner
experience we are all seeking.

e. They won’t invest in something they cannot see

● The Problem

o While many people implicitly understand the power of informal learning, the above factors
make it challenging to fully embrace. As a result many 70:20:10 blends are pressured to
bend the stick towards formal, to satisfy key stakeholder expectations about ‘what a
program should be’ and to ‘deliver something tangible’.

● What We Can Do

o Informal learning supports performance because at its best it’s interlinked, complex and
slightly intangible. It involves people pulling learning as they need, learning through
collaboration, and reflecting on experience.

Sources:
https://www.deakinco.com/media-centre/news/Developing-world-class-employees-with-the-70:20:10-
model
https://www.learninglight.com/70-20-10-learning/
https://www.growthengineering.co.uk/70-20-10-model/
http://design4performance.com/2016/01/11/5-reasons-why-702010-fails/
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/community/blogs/johnrtomlinson/the-702010-model-the-good-the-bad-
and-the-misunderstandings
https://www.lane4performance.com/insight/blog/the-4-shortcomings-of-702010/
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/develop/talent/busting-the-myths-of-702010
https://elearningindustry.com/5-myths-about-70-20-10

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