On-demand learning

I remember feeling disappointed when I graduated as I thought my learning days were over. But I was wrong, and when I got to work I was relieved to find that there was a wave of new learning in front of me. This was a good thing - after all, the majority of us like to learn and research shows that work-based learning keeps people engaged. A recent CIPD report revealed that satisfaction with training and development can influence people's intention to stay with their employer by up to 35 per cent - of those happy with their professional learning opportunities only 12 per cent were looking to leave their current job and the figure rockets to 47 per cent among those that think it's lacking. And at Hay Group we've identified training and development as key drivers of employee engagement and enablement - high levels of which lead to greater employee productivity, more loyal customers and stronger financial performance. So getting it right is critical.

Businesses and HR functions recognise the importance of learning and development, but our research suggests they are trying to hit a moving target. This is because two new global megatrends are shaking the foundations of the learning world:

Digitisation: Advances in technology means people's 'pool of patience' is becoming increasingly shallow. Why should we have to wait to learn a new skill at work when we can access thousands of free courses online - even on YouTube?

Individualism: Changing values, expectations and motivations mean that employees (like customers) are demanding a more individual approach. People don't want nor expect a one-size-fits-all learning solution and will look to take increasing accountability for their own development.

So, in our 'on demand' world, how can companies respond to the challenge and provide their people with customised learning solutions?

Taking a leaf out of YouTube's (e-) book might be a good place to start; I've definitely used it and other user-generated content sites when I need to learn to do anything from fixing my bike to complex excel formulas. Within a company, training could be administered by experts and senior staff on a relatively informal basis from anywhere in the world via sharing sites. Request training via a dedicated intranet, get matched with someone willing to give it, set a time and go! (like Match.com but for people looking for knowledge rather than romance). What's more, others could join the session and it can be recorded - meaning knowledge is not only shared effectively, but an on-demand training archive begins to take shape.

Executed well and as part of a wider learning strategy, this type of social learning exchange could demonstrate senior staff's commitment to development, give people ownership of their growth and help build a culture of maturity and trust. Mobile apps provide another opportunity to individualise continuous learning. It's now possible for someone to have a learning & development app on their device and access it throughout the day when needed; effectively an on demand coach in your pocket.

Apps have been used in the workplace for a few years now, but usually for 'harder' purposes like data collection, pricing etc. At Hay Group we're now putting them to use to develop 'softer' skills like management style and interpersonal skills. This enables individual ownership of learning, with once futuristic technology helping to shape the learning experience to make it feel completely unique. The potential unlocked by technology and new developments in learning science is exciting. But I think Individualism will require more than just a digital outlook, L&D functions will have to think progressively about current practices to ensure their services are aligned to changing employee expectations.

As work becomes ever more flexible and dynamic (another trait of individualism), allowing employees to take paid sabbaticals for development purposes could become standard practice for many businesses. This is already a case in forward-thinking companies like Intel and Adobe as a reward for a few year's loyalty.

A paid sabbatical or four-day week that's used for studying a relevant subject area, with a concrete and measurable output, is of value to both the company and the employee. Providing unconditional support for people to pursue knowledge could be key for engagement and retention.

The author is Marc Sowik, consultant , Hay Group. Re-printed with permission.

Link: http://blog. haygroup . com / help-employees-fall-in-love-with-learning-and-development-what-you-can-learn-from-match-com/