HR Professional - August/September 2008 - (Page 48)

TRAINING BY ROBB POWELL BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE ENTERPRISE LEARNING PROGRAMS I ncorporating learning programs that produce measurable results for all employees is a daunting task. While the challenges vary from industry to industry, there are barriers common to all organizations. Implementation barriers Budgets: In companies with multiple business units or locations, each division often has its own learning budget and agenda. Implementing a governance model in which the division leaders get together on a recurring basis to evaluate priorities, determine budgets and allocate resources across the organization gets everyone working together and reduces friction. Measurement: Measuring results is crucial when communicating to the executive team about the success of a program. Many programs focus on the learning task rather than achieving business objectives. To demonstrate value, focus on the knowledge gaps you want to fill and articulate the business results you seek. Work with business unit leaders to document the performance impact they must All companies must consider regulatory compliance issues. see in employee behaviour and outcomes. Then establish specific learning goals and regularly track progress toward closing the benchmarked knowledge gaps. Disparate locations and cultures: Creating a comprehensive program at a large company requires a thorough understanding of the diverse needs of the organization. Consider each business unit’s culture and needs and gauge those needs against defined corporate goals. Once this is done, you can plan meaningful training that produces results in all of the company’s areas. ‘‘ ’’ Execution barriers Competing systems: Planning and implementation usually involve a minimum of two departments: HR and IT. Success requires an integrated approach, starting with an evaluation of each department’s system requirements. This creates a reliable place for your employees to go for their learning and a consistent learning experience throughout the program. Limited internal capacity: A learning program takes equipment and employee resources. Typically, new systems require a tremendous amount of technical experience to design, integrate and configure. This can place undue stress on overburdened IT departments. If the company doesn’t have division and corporate IT departments, working with a technology provider can help address capacity issues. Using a “software as a subscription” model will reduce implementation costs. Compliance and regulatory issues: All companies must consider regulatory compliance issues. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, for example, requires U.S.-based companies to manage training programs according to these regulations. Canadian companies are also regulated to track and manage training programs, and, like the U.S., the Canadian corporate governance landscape has changed significantly in recent years. For example, Canadian securities regulators have created CEO/CFO internal control certification. Companies with global divisions must also consider the privacy restrictions certain countries have imposed. In Europe, for example, employees must consent to a learning program. By incorporating an automated participation approval process, it becomes easier to know who has and hasn’t opted into the program and remained in compliance. Robb Powell (www.gradepoint.net) is the president of Gradepoint Inc., an enterprise learning company. HR P R OF E S S I ON A L 48 A u g u s t / S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 8 http://www.gradepoint.net

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of HR Professional - August/September 2008

HR Professional - August/September 2008 Contents Editor's Letter Contributors Leadership Matters Upfront Legal Compensation Human Capital The New Frontier On Message Strategy HR 101 Interview with Annette Veschuren Talent Management Training Work/Life Balance Off the Shelf The Last Word

HR Professional - August/September 2008

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