The rate of learning should outpace the rate of change in the environment. A company that keeps learning high on its list of goals is more likely to adapt to change faster and better, says Zarin Bhathena
We live in times of information overload and knowledge literally available on our fingertips. But it begs the question — Are we truly learningIJ Especially when there is so much information and news around us to remember, discuss and recall, a person could be deterred from making any extra effort to consciously learn something new.
In corporate life, the need for learning is even more pertinent and evident. Organisations, environments and industries go through changes, some of which are planned and others unprecedented or even undesired. Therefore, the rate of learning should outpace the rate of change in the environment. A company that keeps learning high on its list of goals is more likely to adapt to change faster and better.
The development of people and the growth of the company are interdependent and occur in tandem. When one speaks of organisational learning, it alludes to the collective learning process of its human resources. In order to stay ahead of the pack, one has to ride the learning curve throughout one’s career. If I was to enumerate why learning is so important, here are a few reasons.
Firstly, it is most important to train new talent in the company so they are oriented to its processes. This orientation also gives them an opportunity to have their initial queries addressed by senior and experienced colleagues. Second, the jargon ‘continuous improvement’ is mouthed by almost every company but it must be put to fruition as well. Organising training and development programmes from time to time keeps employees updated on domain-specific as well as generic fields, helping them grow beyond the requirements of the job.
Thirdly, as a person’s output improves and he grows, he should be exposed to specific training like managerial skills or leadership development. These will act as catalysts to make a tangible leap in his career. Fourthly, sometimes the lack of training, and consequently growth, is an important reason for an employee to look for greener pastures. Hence, training also acts as a staff retention tool if used effectively.
The good news is that companies now recognise the role that training can play and are making significant investments in it, unlike during the slowdown when “unnecessary costs” were pruned first. In order to have a skilled and motivated workforce, companies can plan for training programmes to be held at optimum intervals, which are decided internally. This interval depends on the nature of training, the audience and the criticality of the subject matter to the company.
To start with, self-assessment tests can be conducted so an employee and his manager can judge where he stands and identify his areas of improvement. The employee can then be categorised into different groups based on his training needs.
Organisations can choose to have a mix of low frequency and high frequency training programmes, depending on the topics. Soft skills, personality development and behavioural training can be held once or twice a year while sales enhancement, leadership and technical training can be more frequent and intense, and may include a rigorous follow-up and tracking.
It is a common fallacy to assume that only new entrants or a certain cadre of employees require training. Even members of senior management should be given enough avenues to specialise in a domain or expand their spectrum of knowledge. Mentor-based learning can be designed when there is enough in-house expertise to bank on. Companies can also enlist established, domain-focused training institutes to conduct training programmes that have focus on short to medium-term results.
Apart from these modules and assisted learning techniques, every company must put in place a self-learning apparatus. This must enable employees to learn basic and/or mandatory topics like safety and compliance, IT security, communication, etiquette etc. on their own. Self-learning facilities let them choose when they devote time to such knowledge sessions. The flexibility, along with the responsibility that one must learn on his or her own, can be an added impetus for employees to go for self-learning. Many a time, employees may prefer to stay in office for an extra hour after work just so they can complete self-learning modules, undisturbed by the hustle-bustle of daily routine.
During appraisal season, sometimes there is a set of employees who needs more assistance to come up to pace with the demands of the job. These employees are put into development programs, designed to suit their individual growth needs. Crafted to improve skills, knowledge and aptitude, these programmes typically last for around three to six months during which the employee is monitored for progress. It is not always possible to have specific training for each such employee. This is where self-learning modules that are already in place can be of good use.
The approach to and onus of learning is dual and lies as much on the shoulders of the individual as on the organisation. It should not be reduced to an HR objective of how many training sessions were conducted in a year or how many people attended such sessions. learning is a continuous and never ending process, not restricted to number of hours or the ownership of HR. Assisted learning can only compel people to explore a subject up to a point. Beyond that, the urge to discover must come from within.
(The writer is senior VP, HR, Worldline South Asia and Middle East)