Last week, an L&D manager told me she spent six hours manually sorting learners into email lists.
Six hours she didn’t spend improving onboarding or designing better learning.
When I asked why she didn’t automate it, she said:
“I thought automation was just for marketing people.”
That misconception is quietly exhausting L&D teams.
I wrote a short article for Australian Institute for Training & Development (AITD) about a better approach: using simple, behavior-based automation to reduce admin work without automating the human parts that matter.
It covers:
- Why “set it and forget it” automation often frustrates learners
- How small triggers (completion, inaction, engagement) can guide smarter follow-ups
Quick test before you click:
Open your Sent folder and find the learner emails you send most often.
If a system could send even one of those, you’ve found your starting point.
—Mike & Bianca
PS - What’s the one learner email you wish you didn’t have to send manually anymore?
