Feature topic - Training and educational needs and solutions
Regular contact between the tutor, learner and employer (mentor) will ensure the learning stays on track, highlight any learning gaps and ensure that the whole community is on the same page. Priest points out that for mentors, coaching is a positive experience from which they can learn more about themselves, including learning styles as well as their own strengths and weaknesses. In turn, the experience can boost their own confidence, communication skills and performance, giving them a sense of responsibility, importance and achievement. Although not always needed for a ‘training programme’ per se, mentoring is very important for helping employees solidify and stretch their training, according to Conlaund. “Rather than taking away key learning and then ‘guessing’ best practice following training, having a mentor helps the employee bounce their ideas off to someone else, which can help us to release the true potential of a project,” she says. “Mentors are there to use their real life experience in the subject matter to offer proven advice and insights to the employee.” Worth noting, she adds, is that mentors are not just for one-off training programmes, but more so for for continued support and learning on the employee’s path of continuous professional development. After all, a successful career for an employee is epitomised by self-improvement and development. There is much to learn from a mentor that goes beyond formal training. This prompts the question: how can you go about ensuring a balance of formal training and organic staff development in the workplace? Paul Russell, managing director of international training company Luxury Academy, believes staff development should be demonstrated from the top down. He explains: “Many companies say that they provide training, but what they tend to mean is that they will send you on courses. That is only one aspect of development. Training has to be a part of the culture, with both formal training
programmes and ongoing support in development. ‘Let me show you how to do that’ is far more relatable than ‘I need to train you in that’. It’s the same training but a different mindset.” So what of the latest innovations in training solutions? Darren Hockley, managing director of eLearning provider DeltaNet International, says advancements in articial intelligence and machine learning mean we now have the ability to personalise workplace learning more than ever before. “We can also see digital learning becoming more flexible and user-friendly in 2020 and beyond,” he says, “with companies implementing a technique called ‘adaptive training paths’ to avoid learning fatigue year on year. This is especially effective for mandatory training that must be completed annually.” By using adaptive learning paths, says Hockley, the same (or similar) training can be presented to staff in different sequences, utilising different content and new learning styles each time. “Not only does this approach keep things nice and fresh, but it’s also a nifty way to increase learner performance and commitment levels.” Of course, as with every other aspect of work, COVID-19 has posed a considerable challenge to training. However, any
obstacles are far from insurmountable. Aldona Limani, EMEA market development lead for learning platform Docebo, points out that even before COVID-19 impacted every walk of life this year, workplace training was going through a transformation and the pandemic has only increased the speed of change and forced companies to pivot fast. “Collaborative learning has come on leaps and bounds during the pandemic even though we’re in different physical spaces,” says Limani. “When we’re learning with a social component, there’s our own accountability to learn, combined with a more interactive experience for all parties. This is a less formal approach to learning and gives the learners control to take it at their own speed.” Finally, Limani observes that the gamification of learning platforms also drives competition and attracts users to return time and time again. “This can drive behaviour changes throughout an organisation,” she says, “from collaboration and sharing knowledge to help grow skills, to announcements or changes that are happening during what is a turbulent time for businesses and their employees.” n It’s clear that training and workplace education should remain high on the agenda, despite the shifting sands we are currently experiencing. After all, one of the key requirements of the payroll professional is the ability to cope with change.
...a less formal approach to learning and gives the learners control to take it at their own speed...
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| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
Issue 62 | July/August 2020
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