EUROPE: INDUSTRY VOICE
Corporate classrooms Professional learning platforms have transcended mandatory compliance training and entered a new realm in which large corporations are giving them millions of pounds to upskill staff. CIL Management Consultants takes a look at this burgeoning corner of the global education market
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rom early years to corporate learning and development (L&D), interactive digital platforms have transformed the ways in which we learn. There is a growing number of advanced corporate e-learning solutions that support and improve an employee’s learning experience – and an employer’s ability to monitor that experience – leading to improved outcomes and a higher return on investment. CIL surveyed 651 L&D decision-makers across North America and the UK to understand this growing market. Our results show an increased focus on online learning solutions and recognition of their ability to offer scalable, cost-effective and consistent training to employees.
Upskilling and engaging the workforce CIL’s research found that around 90% of corporates in the US and UK currently use e-learning platforms with their employees. While a significant number, there remains substantial room for growth within the market as most organisations use e-learning for just a part of their training needs. We believe there are two key reasons that advanced e-learning platforms present a significant opportunity for businesses: upskilling and engaging the workforce. E-learning has traditionally been an effective way to deliver compulsory, company-wide exercises at scale, such as compliance training. Newer, more versatile platforms, however, are upskilling the workforce in a broader range of skills. They focus on professional development and technical skills, providing personalised learning plans for individuals. For example, two-thirds of those surveyed currently use e-learning for soft skills training such as communication and leadership skills; just over half have begun to use it for more complex skills, such as sales, marketing and data analysis. These platforms offer corporates the opportunity to view employee learning data, providing insights into their
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workforce at both an individual and group level. This data allows L&D teams to see how training solutions are being utilised across an organisation, while managers can use it to better understand the skills of their team. They are also helping to engage the workforce by offering a more time-efficient way to learn, focusing on bite-sized ‘microlearning’, rather than classroom-based learning. This is attractive to an increasingly time-poor workforce that prefers learning that fits into a hectic lifestyle. Some of the more sophisticated platforms are gamified, using behavioural psychology to drive change and make corporate training social, competitive and fun. This can be by introducing social functions, such as sharing, to the forefront, or by creating a badging and certification system.
From ad-hoc purchases to long-term investment Distance or hybrid learning providers are usually the first step in an organisation’s e-learning journey. As a company becomes more committed to embedding L&D into their operations, they are more likely to make longer-term investments into customised platforms. Distance and hybrid learning providers are not mutually exclusive. Employees may study for specific courses or qualifications using a mix of online modules and classroom lessons, weighted to whichever is more convenient. The corporate will likely pay for a selection of employees at a time, with a specific qualification or skill in mind, such as a project management qualification. Learning management systems (LMSs) are a more sophisticated solution. Corporates purchase access to these and select modules from an online course catalogue or upload customised content, which is primarily driven by L&D teams. All employees will have access to the course catalogue, as relevant to them.
EducationInvestor Global • March 2020
