The value of learning in the workplace
by Mary Appleby
As HR professionals we deliver business impact through talent (competencies of people), organisation (capabilities of the organisation) and leadership.
However, in our rapidly changing environment how do we improve our organisational capabilities to create a sustained and engaged workforce?
The answer to this has to be ‘continuous learning’!
And access to ‘just in time’ micro learning in the workplace will improve talent, leadership and organisations to deliver value to all stakeholders!
Drivers for change…
Technologies
Technologies are transforming our economies; changing how products and services are produced and delivered. No longer disruptive, as change is normalised, technologies agitate the way we approach and conduct work.
Organisations must therefore respond with systems and learning development that are more responsive and agile, ‘built-to-fit’ learning into the small gaps in our hectic lives.
Our workforce
Now more than ever there is a high emphasis on personal needs over those of the organisation.
And with more than 70% of millennials expecting their organisation to provide them with accelerated development opportunities to stay engaged, organisations who invest in the training of their talent are providing greater engagement and career opportunity to this growing workforce.
The challenge is, to align personalised learning and development with the organisation’s goals.
The Solutions…
In the digital revolution, no longer disruptive, where change is normalised, it is important for organisations to create personalised learning and development for employees, to remain competitive.
Training strategies for attracting and retaining talent must be adaptive to changes and incorporate technology to develop the learner.
Learning activities should be linked to performance development plans and integrated with understanding of the organisation’s culture and needs, so a true partnership can be fostered.
The challenge is to cater to different generations or stages of life. That is, one size does not fit all.
Smart organisations outsource learning activities to take advantage of contemporary practices
Recently, I reviewed an organisation’s training programs and discovered that whilst it had hallmarks for good competency development, it lacked the structure to enable learners to build on their existing capabilities. Their existing training relied on text heavy SOPs.
Our solutions incorporated an understanding of the organisation’s business needs and assessed the individuals to scaffold the learning to enhance competencies, performance, productivity and efficiency.
We designed a blended learning approach which combines online learning modules and facilitated face-to-face training.
We believe people learn effectively from their experiences and integrated case studies and organisational examples strongly in the content.
Well-designed training programs enable participants to work through simulations, receive feedback on their performance and implement the learning in the workplace.
Dixon Appointments delivers targeted adaptive programs that quickly develop capability, sharpen skills, increase knowledge and engage the workforce.
The results
What does the path to success look like?
Success should be measured through repeat diagnostics to determine sustained competency development and change impact.
Evaluation that outlines feedback, key success factors and any other areas for improvement is part of the ongoing learning cycle for organisations.
We assess learning experiences through post-course surveys and assess impact on business outcomes through follow up interviews with staff within the organisation. This will ensure we can validate whether we achieve our intended outcomes and whether we are delivering value to the client.
Dixon Appointments’ Learning and Development services provide an extension to your team to assist you to achieve enhanced capability for your staff. To deliver these services we work in close partnership with you, first identifying the scope and objectives of the project, review existing training and resources and designing a customised program or service.
For information in relation to Dixon Appointments’ HR services, Training and Development solutions contact Mary Appleby on 9629 9999.
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