Thinkbites L and D issue 2017

special edition

PROVOKING THOUGHT GENERATING DISCUSSION ENGAGING EMPLOYEES DELIVERING RESULTS

It’s still about the people.

Change does not happen in our bookshelves or in a seminar. Change happens in our schedules, in our diaries. In our actions.

Jim Lawless, keynote speaker

02

thinkBites

T Ian Barrow, Client Services Director

Jon Wilcox, Engagement Consultant

his year’s Learning, Development and Talent Management Forum saw nearly two hundred leading professionals in the industry gather at the Savoy Place for a day of reflection, debate and networking. Like-minded people came together in the spirit of collaboration to share their knowledge and experience, build and deepen relationships and discuss and think about leading practice in L&D. This thinkBites edition captures some of the big questions discussed across the day’s groups, seminars and workshops. The issue starts on pages 4-5 with a look at learning through the ages, from Dickens to digital. As the world of work changes, budgets tighten and priorities shift, L&D has an important role to play.

Tech tools are opening up new ways of learning and bringing content to life but getting the balance right for your company counts more than ever. We explore this challenge on pages 6-7.

Companies are facing the challenge of combining strong, strategic direction with nurturing a culture that enables everyone from the board to the frontline to innovate and improve.

Aligning these priorities is key to creating a sustainable future and on pages 8-9 we look at some key success factors.

Liam Quinn, Project Manager

The Learning, Development and Talent Management Forum was held by Richmond Events at the Savoy Place, London on 22nd March 2017

We can choose to act today but nourishing talent and creating change take time and investment. Involving employees from the start is essential to developing any initiative, as the case study on pages 10-11 shows.

Everyday learning is key to developing tomorrow’s leaders and on pages 12-13 we take a look at the difficulties they face balancing development with the demands of the diary. We should never lose sight of the people that make up our business and, if we want employees to shape their learning and own their development, we need to support managers to motivate and engage their teams.

We look at how to do that on pages 14-15.

L&D cannot afford to be left behind.

To develop learning experiences that support change, motivate employees and enhance business performance, we need to dare to innovate and push the boundaries of the possible. It’s still about the people.

Karian and Box in association with Richmond Events

Contributors: Jon Wilcox, Ian Barrow, Ed Clews, Alice Mullin, Rachel Gartner, Myriam Day, Gavin Loftus, Rebecca Moore, Nadin Rayya, Heather Corbett

Liam Quinn, Project Manager Richmond Events 020 8487 2250 lquinn@richmondevents.com www.richmondevents.com

Karian and Box 1st Floor, 22 Lendal, York, YO1 8AA 01904 654454 info@karianandbox.com www.karianandbox.com

thinkBites

03

Learning through the ages L&D looks very different today than it did a century ago. Here, we’ve tracked the big moments in the last hundred years of learning.

Victorian era

World War One

World War Two

Learning was often a terrifying experience as a child. Teachers, a clear icon of power and authority in the classroom, taught using blackboards and easels. It was common practice to get a rap on your knuckles or be handed the ‘Dunce’ hat to wear if you misbehaved. The transition to new manufacturing processes and the emergence of service-based professions brought about by the industrial revolution at the end of the 19th century encouraged a push towards specific workplace training.

With men away at the front, women filled many workplace vacancies.

New skills were learned quickly and applied in work environments in which a woman’s presence was unheard of.

Women worked as factory workers, post office clerks, railway guards, tram and bus ticket collectors. After the war, there was a collective effort to get ex-servicemen back into work through national initiatives such as the King’s National Roll and The Interrupted Apprenticeship Scheme.

An exhausted economy, bombed cities and mass destruction. The devastation wrought by WWII led to new jobs geared towards rebuilding the country. Practical and technical skills were desperately needed and there were national efforts to train workers through apprenticeships.

The National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Council, set up in 1948, allowed apprenticeships to be set up in different industries. The idea of individual performance tests (especially in the engineering sector) transformed the concept of L&D.

04

thinkBites

The 1970s and 1980s This period saw a series of programmes geared towards providing training and work experience opportunities for the young. The Youth Opportunities Programme of 1978 had developed into the Youth Training Scheme by 1983, while the National Council for Vocational Qualifications provided individuals with the relevant courses and knowledge that enabled them to apply for roles that needed specific skills. Structured vocational qualifications were previously unheard of.

The 1990s The rise of technology redefined what it means to learn. L&D absorbed all the new technological advances. The use of computers in the workplace meant that employers were now able to use technology to train employees.

It also meant a whole new field (IT) had to be filled with new skilled workers.

E-learning was introduced in 1997 and changed the concept of the classroom.

The present day Interest and investment in L&D is commonplace today. Learning has greatly evolved through the ages and the very latest methods and tools in neuroscience, social media, mobile and wearable tech, gamification and virtual reality are a far cry from the blackboard and easel.

But while new innovations have had an impact, the focus is moving back to where it needs to be: on the people, and on making sure learning helps them fulfil their potential and add value to their work. thinkBites

05

Making your investment go further There’s so much talk of tech these days. The limitless possibilities at our fingertips as we enter a new age of disruption. The power of digital tools to transform the workplace and redefine the learning experience.

Technology is seen as a game changer. But does it really solve all of our problems?

06

thinkBites

Read any article on the latest trends in workplace learning and you will encounter a familiar list: social media algorithms that tailor learning opportunities, gamification that offers more interactive experiences, wearable tech that tracks progress on learning modules and sends personalised suggestions and reminders. And whatever space you have in your life, there’s bound to be an app to fill it.

According to CIPD figures, 75% of companies today are using technology to access L&D resources for their employees.

Unsuspecting millennials are branded ‘digital natives’ and a new generation of tech-focused, hyper-connected younger workers are expanding the digital frontier.

It sounds like the dawn of a new era. But what’s more important to companies is getting a return on their investment, not

simply throwing cash at the latest tech tools. They want solutions that work for their people and for their business – without breaking the bank.

For all this tech talk, there are some basic truths that remain the same for all of us.

We all want meaning and purpose in our work. We want the freedom to make decisions, be creative, learn the way we want to learn, and develop our careers in companies that care about us. People of all ages and backgrounds prefer to learn actively rather than passively.

“ We have an infinite supply of information and yet we cannot read […] We are so busy devouring information that we forgot how to dance with ideas.”

– R.F. Georgy

That is why digital learning tools need to be interactive and stimulating. They need to create a space for cerebral thought and reflection and not become a box-ticking exercise. They have some great advantages: they can be done anywhere, at any time, and be self-directed.

But an online forum is a poor substitute for the immediacy of brainstorming in a face-to-face discussion group. And e-learning courses don’t develop the interpersonal skills and creativity needed to get ahead in today’s workplace like on-the-job training or line manager coaching.

In-house development programmes can offer employees a more rounded view of how their skills and behaviours contribute to their company’s success. They can develop selfawareness and better understanding of how everyday behaviours impact on others.

For these reasons, companies are turning to a mixed methods approach to get a better return on their investment, combining tech tools with more traditional options.

Offering different combinations of learning options makes for a richer and more engaging learning experience.

Digital tools offer new ways of learning and enable us to tailor experiences to personal preference, but we should always have the full picture in mind. Options that facilitate active learning and create space for learners to develop a broad skillset is a better investment than getting swept up in a tide of technology for the sake of it.

thinkBites

07

“ Learning in the broadest sense of the word needs to be linked to the business strategy for leaders to believe in it.”

Getting people on-track

- Workshop delegate

Getting employees on-track so that their learning matters to the business is no small challenge. Aligning employees with business strategy does not mean converting them to the party line. It means motivating their belief that they belong and creating space for them to innovate, express their personality and develop the skills, disciplines and mindsets that help drive your company forward. Here are some steps worth taking.

Paint the bigger picture

Win over the right people

Many of your employees don’t see how their job contributes to the overall success of the business. Strategy and vision can feel obscure and distant.

Company bosses don’t always see the value of L&D. But developing an L&D strategy that speaks directly to the needs of the business will make them listen.

Integrating a clear story about your organisation and what it believes into learning experiences (e.g. gamifying strategy content) motivates employees to feel like they belong and helps them see the link between the company’s vision and their own aspirations.

This means designing learning solutions that address business priorities and current challenges.

It also means developing the behaviours and values that your organisation believes in.

Senior leaders that buy into the benefits of learning are more likely to take your strategy forward and make it part of the everyday.

08

thinkBites

Measure the outcomes The value of learning is lost when it is not actively and regularly applied in the work environment. Companies are increasingly focusing on skills and behaviours they can change and measuring them against KPIs, rather than feedback forms.

Situational judgement tools can test how far company values are embedded in everyday behaviours. Whatever the approach you take, collaborating early on with leaders to identify the business metrics that need to be improved will avoid disappointment later.

Listen to learners Most employees seek a challenge. They want to improve themselves – it’s part of being human. But they need a reason too. “You need this training to do your job” doesn’t cut it.

Employees need to know how learning at work will improve their lives and change their performance.

Learn what works Testing what works and what doesn’t is key to success. Learn from your mistakes and be brave enough to keep trying. The best learning solutions are wrought from trial and error.

Fostering curiosity and using learner insight to improve L&D options means we keep them relevant and focused on enriching experiences.

Employees will feel more empowered to think outside the box and apply their new skills to solve problems.

Build on successes, share best practice and collaborate with employees at all levels across the company. Learning programmes that go beyond expectations need courage and creativity in design and delivery.

L&D must be prepared to change things, try new ideas and innovate to find what works best.

thinkBites

09

Taking a qualitative approach a case study

10

thinkBites

Last year, £45.5bn was invested by UK businesses in L&D, talent management and cultural transformation programmes. To find out how their money was going to good use, one company took a qualitative approach to bring employee insight into the heart of its major programmes.

A

fter a series of challenges that took it to the edge of bankruptcy and back, the company’s reputation took a significant hit. Having undertaken immediate recovery work, it was time to help a once-proud population of loyal employees rebuild their trust in the brand and their leaders.

L&D and cultural programmes were developed, the biggest of which involved taking 70,000 employees out of work to attend a workshop designed to help them connect with the business’s new direction, values and strategy.

This, it was hoped, would help them grow into the type of employees the business would need to rebuild its external reputation.

These were designed to measure the views and opinions of employees who had attended the session with the objective to find out three key pieces of information: what worked, what didn’t, and what could be tweaked for maximum impact.

XX

The cost to the business was significant, not just in terms of developing the programme itself but the added cost of taking every employee off the shop floor for half a day.

They had to be sure that this workshop was going to deliver the promised benefits, so they commissioned a series of focus groups at the halfway point.

%

The research delivered actions that could be taken immediately to great effect. It unearthed small changes that would make a big difference. Some employees weren’t getting on board with the rest of their colleagues, and the research gave a clear view of how and, crucially, why these employees were reacting negatively. It also recommended steps to take to engage and enthuse this group.

Insight doesn’t have to be a complex affair. In this case, it was a series of 8–10 one-hour focus groups that gave the right depth of insight to make the difference.

When you’re spending so much on these programmes, isn’t it a worthy investment to know how it’s going?

thinkBites

11

Day in the life of a leader As a leader, it isn’t always easy to find the time for learning. In this playful vignette, we imagine the hectic day of a leader and how they might fit L&D into their already jampacked schedule.

I

t’s 5:30. I wake up to the screaming of my alarm clock. I’ve only pressed the snooze button twice. A new record. The day ahead looms. It’ll be a busy one.

A quick shower and I pull myself into an ill-fitting suit.

In the kitchen, I check my phone. 56 emails before 6am. Probably another record. I pour a coffee but there’s no time to drink it here. I scoop it into my thermos and head out the door, leaving the cereal bowl neglected on the kitchen table.

6:15. I’m on the train, brushing Belvita crumbs off my tie. The coffee mug clamped between my knees judders with the movement of the train. I answer the urgent emails and mentally prepare for the half-year results presentation with the London office.

12

thinkBites

Five hours later, I’ve got through my slides, answered questions from an audience probably more baffled by the coffee stains on my trousers, and sit down with the other Group Heads and the L&D Lead to discuss learning opportunities. It gives me pause to reflect on my own learning as a leader.

I realise that I do make time for it. Maybe not in the classroom anymore but in the day-to-day. Leadership doesn’t exist in the theories and hypotheses. Sure, there are tools and methods you can apply, and it’s always good to take a break, turn off WiFi and take time to really think about it.

But being a leader, I say to the others, and learning to lead, is in the real-life messiness of the day-to-day.

It’s in the diary. The meetings. The deadlines, the stress, the emotions, the personal circumstances, the business changes. It’s in the processes, the performance pressures, and the stakeholder expectations. This is where my learning happens, where the leadership theories get tested, refined and brought to life.

Back on the train after several more meetings, I reflect again.

My development doesn’t always take the front seat. There are more pressing demands whizzing past. The changes I know I need to make get pushed further and further into the future, like a train destination you’ll never get to.

Time is a sought-after commodity. But sometimes you just have to create the time for what matters, for what you can change.

The best route is making small changes consistently over the year. A two-day course offsite might be great but it’s not going to turn me into Jeff Bezos overnight. But seeing progress over the course of a year is not only achievable – I expect it.

Sometimes you just have to create the time for what matters, for what you can change.

In reality, I can only do this by aligning projects with specific learning opportunities like developing my communication style, managing senior stakeholders, or making decisions under pressure.

I have to be clear up front about what it is and then measure progress throughout the project. It’s not a quickwin, but the way I will develop as a leader is seizing opportunities in the real world.

The real world of Belvita crumbs and coffee stains.

thinkBites

13

“Technical brilliance is important to being a leader but so is motivating your team, understanding what makes them tick, why they come to work.”

- Workshop delegate

Giving managers the tools to engage their teams Technology will continue to shape learning and support performance.

But we should never take our focus away from people – what they need, what they care about, how they learn. And managers play the biggest part in that.

The role of managers has shifted in recent years to include coaching, mentoring and developing their team members.

This relationship is hugely important to engaging, motivating and empowering people.

An ‘always-on’ generation of younger employees want to replicate their social experiences at work and expect greater involvement. Ratings-based evaluation and annual reviews are increasingly giving way to real-time feedback focusing on strengths.

Managers are becoming enablers of learning and people engagers.

14

thinkBites

But, what is the ‘people engager’ mindset?

This is about asking questions that enable conversations and creating the space for employees to find solutions. Managers are increasingly expected to facilitate learning, encourage curiosity, and guide employees to the resources and support they need to do their jobs.

Managers need to empathise with their team members and give them freedom over how to achieve tasks, challenge processes that don’t work, and come up with new ideas.

This is a challenge most of your people want – even if they don’t always say it.

How do managers become people engagers?

Managers won’t become people engagers overnight. They need support to define, develop and refine these skills and the freedom to be themselves with their teams.

Peer to peer learning equips them with practical steps and solutions that work. Team discussion maps, regular team meetings, and creative opportunities for team members to have their say all help build a collaborative and engaging environment.

What support do they need?

Businesses need to create a flexible framework that guides managers and gives them the tools they need.

And communication is key.

When clear, transparent messages come down from leaders, managers can create the space to have conversations with their teams about what is going on across the business, why changes are being made, and how that affects their team in real terms. They can then take their teams with them on the emotional journey as the business grows or transforms.

What can L&D do?

L&D needs to get creative and work with managers to develop a mix of interventions, not one-stop solutions. Learning programmes that fit business needs and develop the right attitudes and mindsets will help employees care and ensure learning outcomes are measurable.

L&D needs to be seen as a partner with embedded relationships across the whole business, rather than a department that parachutes in from time to time. Managers don’t want a list of learning outcomes and behaviours.

They want to be supported in understanding how that translates into practical actions and tools they can use to take their teams forward.

Managers are frequently squeezed in the middle, left with the impossible tasks. Like cascading bad news, telling people about changes without knowing why themselves, hitting business targets while finding the time to train and develop their teams.

thinkBites

15