2. e-LEARNING AND THE e-WORKFORCE - by BRAY J. BROCKBANK Small business owners,
entrepreneurs, executives and managers face the
challenge of not only recognizing when change is
coming, but where it's coming from, and how it
will affect their business operations. As they
recognize these trends, they must also know how
to proactively manage change and its resulting
effects. Some visionary leaders are quick to see
emerging markets and industries. But quite often,
a paradoxical change occurs that will alter the
way the business world operates - pushing
executives out with their golden parachutes.
In addition to facing
the challenge of recognizing change, business
leaders must also know how to attract, train and
retain Knowledge workers. In the past, this has
been viewed as a very high expense to companies,
a "liability" rather than a necessity.
How can business leaders "attract, train and
retain" their employees and show a
substantial return-on-investment (ROI)?
Workforce
Training & ROI
Very few emerging
markets or industries can accurately be
classified as "juggernaut" in size or
scope. Today, the emerging juggernaut is
e-Learning. If analysts and current trends prove
correct, e-Learning will establish itself as the
"juggernaut" of training and
development. Over the past two years, I have had
the opportunity to work with many owners,
executives, managers, business leaders and
investors, when the subject of e-Learning comes
up, few seem confident, comfortable, or even
knowledgeable about the subject. Some question
its relevance to the knowledge organization.
e-Learning represents a
wide range of business activities and
technologies, including distance education,
computer-based training (CBT), web-based training
(WBT), Internet-based training (IBT), courseware
delivery and online learning and testing.
e-Learning represents the total integration of
multimedia, instructor-led, and real-time
training - in a human, collaborative environment.
Knowing how to get
started on purchasing or creating a company-wide
e-Learning program for employees requires an
understanding of new learning models and
technologies. As with most educational
institutions, businesses are muddled with
learning models created in times of information
scarcity.
Today, the business
world has three very fundamental concerns and
weaknesses: attracting, training, and retaining
Intellectual Capital. It's a difficult task to
train and retain the Knowledge workers of the
world - the workforces of the new millennium are
now "free agents" and job hoppers at a
whim. What they offer is portable knowledge. I
propose a simple, long-term solution to these
three business concerns and weaknesses -
e-Learning.
e-Learning and
the e-Workforce
What began simply as IT
training has made its way into management, sales,
marketing, customer service, and professional
development. This multimedia approach to training
is quickly migrating to the Web. The e-Learning
market, in a Merrill Lynch research report, is
estimated to grow annually at 54 percent, from
$9.4 billion in 1999 to $53.3 billion in 2003.
Other analyst reports estimate a much higher
dollar figure. Either way, the pie is growing
rapidly.
In the final analysis,
e-Learning offers ten major advantages to the
business world and its workforce.
1. Real-time
learning.
e-Learning offers real-time learning and
application of critical knowledge. Knowledge will
no longer need to be taken from the shelf of the
training department, brushed off, and reviewed.
e-Learning is immediate and provides up to date
information. Just as the Internet has
revolutionized information accessibility, so
e-Learning begins to revolutionize training.
2.
Learner-centric training. e-Learning changes the focus of
training from traditional instructor-centric to
learner-centric training. This is how training
and learning should be done. e-Learning is
tailored to the learners professional
responsibilities and capabilities, creating
relevant application to their needs.
3. Attract,
train and retain. The most important asset in a
company is its' Knowledge workers. The shortage
of skilled workers is global. Research shows that
the number one reason for loss of key employees
is that they feel their company hasn't invested
sufficient resources for their professional
development. e-Learning not only addresses the
workers' need to develop new knowledge and
skills, but provides learning-on-demand (LOD).
4. Personalized
individual training. An effective e-Learning system
learns about its users and tailors its offerings
to their learning style, job requirements, career
goals, current knowledge, and personal
preferences. This is all accomplished through
"small chunks" of learning granules and
objects labeled so systems can automatically
create and deliver individualized learning
experiences.
5. Ownership
& Empowerment. e-Learners are responsible for
their own learning. e-Learning empowers them to
manage and implement their own learning and
development plans. Ownership of learning is
crucial for individual growth and retention of
employees. Empowerment creates learner ownership
and direction - leading to powerful learning and
growth potential.
6. Simulation. We learn by seeing and doing.
e-Learning introduces a truly innovative way of
simulating each learning experience with content
and ideas provided by some of the leading
professionals in the world.
7.
Collaboration. This is accomplished through
either joint problem-solving or discussion among
study groups through forums, discussion groups
and chat rooms. Collaboration is the way to
effective learning - opening the path to broader
thought and innovative processes through the
sharing of ideas and experience.
8. Anytime and
anywhere.
One difficult and costly process of traditional
training is coordinating travel, resources,
materials, classroom settings, or seminar
training for a global workforce. The reality of
training in a virtual information classroom,
across continents, is now possible - anytime,
anywhere.
9. Cost
effective.
Costs can be applied to each learner and results
can be measured against them. More importantly,
e-Learning is less intrusive to the daily work
duties of the company and learner, saving time
and money through less interruption of employees
regularly scheduled duties.
10. Quantifiable
ROI.
e-Learning can be effectively measured in terms
of knowledge gain and retention. This is proving
to be the true "sell-point" of
e-Learning. Companies will be able to establish
systems that can track progress, report results,
and specify additional subject matter for
continued success. This is where ROI will be
recognized by both the employer and employee.
e-Learning offers
companies the ability to address and manage the
monumental task of hiring, training, and
retention of the new Knowledge worker. It also
will show which corporations are serious about
attracting, training, and retaining their global
workforce.
Last year, 70 million
people received training and education on the
Internet. Soon, training for nearly every job in
the world will be available over the Internet.
The real change in business practice will be the
acceptance that the knowledge of employees
represents a competitive edge. In fact, I believe
it is the competitive advantage companies'
neglect most often. Speed, connectivity, and
intangible value have made e-Learning the prime
choice for creating and maintaining a competitive
advantage in an ever-changing, competitive,
information world. Knowledge is not only Internet
mobile, but mobile with each employee.
John T. Chambers,
President and CEO, Cisco Systems stated,
"The next big killer application for the
Internet is going to be education. Education over
the Internet is going to be so big it is going to
make e-mail look like a rounding error."
The clock is ticking on
the traditional employee training and retention
model. The juggernaut cometh.
Bray J.
Brockbank
is an entrepreneur and a technology integrations
consultant for Learnframe, a leading
KnowledgE-commerce (TM) and e-Learning
infrastructure technologies corporation; Contact
Bray by e-mail: bbrockbank@learnframe.com , telephone: 800-738-9800.
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ExpertMagazine.com 2001. http://www.ExpertMagazine.com
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