Touch Points by Steve Finikiotis

What’s next in corporate education? Our agile corporate learning programs have evolved over the past 5 years through successive approximations, i.e. experimentation. Our current framework is that of a Learning Hub (LH) which is designed to promote on-going, self-directed learning among our clients’ workers at all levels.

Why this approach—why now? Simply put, we’re seeing corporate learning increasingly move away from a traditional skills training-passive learning approach to more of a performance engineering process, and for good reason.  Traditional training doesn’t build the capabilities that today’s market leading companies need to succeed.  Moreover, it doesn’t address the needs of sophisticated learners in the Knowledge Economy.

In contrast to conventional training, our efforts are directed at improving overall organizational capabilities while stressing frontline performance — connecting performance to the desired business impact. We’re aiming at driving performance improvement through all levels of the organization.

In addition to building the skills, knowledge and talents needed to improve performance now, we help clients anticipate the skills, the knowledge, the talents necessary as consumer demands shift over the 18-24 months.

The LH isn’t a training center, or a set of dedicated classrooms. It’s conceptual — a web-enabled learning environment that provides access to a wealth of knowledge resources–both internal and external. It entails on-line learning, peer collaborations, links to outside resources, and partnerships with academic institutions, all intended to deliver knowledge that is necessary at the moment the employee needs it.

The LH enables leaders to be able to emphasize the importance of learning to the success of the organization. It enables our clients to come together around a shared educational platform. This formal approach to on-going learning enables different units to come together which is one of those key business challenges that organizations are dealing with today – that is, trying to get different work groups to collaborate.

Technology is enables access to and connectivity with resources that couldn’t otherwise be reached in person. It also allows us to do things such as simulations — a lot of things that we can practice, which we would not be able to do in the operational environment, are enabled by technology.  This is aparamount in a world where workers are distributed across continents.

And we bring technologies that simulate the work setting. The result is there’s no demarcation between the learning environment and the work setting. So, when learners move from the LH Lab to their day-to-day jobs, it’s a seamless transition.

Learners come to the LH environment expecting not only to get particular knowledge or skills but they expect to enjoy a learning experience that contribute to their ability to effectively engage customers while also feeling more confident and therefore more satisfied workers.