Extract from 21st Century Learning Incentives Magazine, March 2007 If your idea of a training course involves a squeaky blackboard or noisy overhead projector, it's time to get up-to-date with staff development. Training providers have gone back to the drawing board to create modern learning packages that are in tune with the demands of today's employers, often tailoring courses to suit the development needs of each client's staff. Bigger employers who are in a position to spend more on training are experimenting with their own facilities. O2 has created a sales academy, while hotel chain Hilton offers an online training source, Hilton University, which is accessible to all staff. Of course, training needs vary from company to company, so different courses will suit different employees, but blended learning, which entails a mix of methods, is increasingly favoured by today's forward-thinking bosses. This should be a combination of workshops and classroom-based training added to online learning, which employees can follow in their own time and at their own speed. Such an approach is intended to develop staff more roundly, giving employers a deeper vein of skills and expertise, as well as increasing employee retention rates... Company: Snowdrop
Staff at HR and payroll systems provider Snowdrop took part in a team-building exercise at Alton towers as part of a day-long event. The workforce was first divided into groups featuring people from different departments, as Michael Richards, Chief Executive at Snowdrop, wanted "to take people out of their comfort zone to encourage participation and networking." With everyone on the course dressed as French revolutionaries, each team was given a list of tasks to complete and the names of people they had to find. Points were earned from the challenges during the day with a champagne reception to finish. "It's one of the rare opportunities for everyone to really get to know people they don't work or socialise with on a daily basis. You really notice the difference after an event like this," says Richards. "Everyone seems much more confident with each other." The approach has proved a big success for the past three years according to Richards. "We know that getting everyone together for a day, with an even mix of work and social events, brings people out of themselves and also acts as a reward for their hard work during the year," he says. Verdict: "This gives me the opportunity to get to know my staff better. I like to see people enjoying themselves and know that it's all part of the Snowdrop dynamic," says Richards. "It's a development opportunity and a reward for all, but most of all it's a lot of fun." |