Corporate Archive - imc Learning

It turns out that InspireHer is to personal growth as tandem cycling is to going places: it’s better when two people share the load. The tandem programme is about women at imc meeting in twos to share experiences and drive personal growth through mutual feedback. “For female employees, especially those who work mainly from home, it’s a great way to get to know other colleagues and build networks,” explains Anna Lemor, a member of the InspireHer organising team. Carlotta, a former participant, was also particularly impressed by the networking opportunities offered by the programme: "The programme made me realise how helpful it is to share ideas with others about career issues."

Once a year, female colleagues at imc meet in pairs over an eight-week period timed to overlap with International Women's Day. The program is open to all female staff members, from interns to senior execs. To participate, all they need to do is register. The InspireHer project crew then assigns each participant a tandem buddy – someone from a different department or culture. Anna explains: “There’s little benefit in being tandem partnered with someone from the same department. The whole point is to experience completely new perspectives and ways of thinking.” The crew does, however, try to match people with similar levels of experience, as the programme is about dialogue and sharing between peers. That’s what makes it different from, say, a mentoring programme.

How much time the tandem partners invest in their dialogue and sharing is completely up to them, although the InspireHer crew recommend about an hour per week. Each tandem pair can likewise choose what they want to talk about. It’s entirely dependent on their personal goals and interests. Doreen, a former project participant, has fond memories of the weekly sessions: "How to deal with negative feedback, how to organise myself better, how to behave in certain situations? It helped to discuss how my partner sees it and how she she deals with it. And you realise that other colleagues in other departments have similar problems."

Importantly for a grassroots movement, InspireHer has the support of the Executive Board, which expressly advocates for it and provides targeted support. For example, employees wanting to take part in the programme have to be given time off their regular duties, and they don’t need to get authorisation from their bosses. “It’s wonderful to see what a grassroots movement can lead to,” says Executive Board member Sven R. Becker. “This is a bottom-up initiative, something our staff created entirely on their own, so I have absolutely no doubt they will achieve their goal of integrating diversity and inclusion into our corporate culture.”

Successful LMS implementation requires active workforce involvement and buy-in. It is therefore advisable to run training courses and awareness measures prior to implementation. This will focus learners on the benefits of the learning platform and familiarise them with its functions. Clear communication on the benefits and objectives of the platform is key to fostering a positive attitude.

Moreover, the learning platform should be implemented stepwise so as to ensure smooth integration. Key steps here include providing comprehensive guidance for the employees, creating learning groups and forums for collaboration, and integrating the platform into the company’s existing systems and processes.

Austrian catering and restaurant company DoN can teach us a lot here. Implementing an LMS in a way that enables employees to be more effective hinges on ensuring that the employees understand why they have to change the way they work.

DoN’s answer was to create learning content, tutorials and the like in the lead-up to its LMS rollout. It did this using the imc Express authoring tool. The resulting content was then progressively released to its employees so as to build up their interest in the LMS.

Alongside this, DoN held town hall meetings with its employees. It also handed out DoN-branded “stress heart” key rings with QR codes linked to a fun quiz about the company. Result: the employees were very positive about the new system from the outset because they already understood its functions and purpose.

A successful learning platform implementation is not a one-off project. It is an ongoing process. Companies need to invest in the ongoing development of their learning platforms. Only then can they be sure that their platforms are keeping pace with changing needs and technologies.

That’s a fairly self-explanatory point that probably needs no examples. But it’s worth emphasising that all LMS systems – including established ones – need dedicated staff to administer them.

Ideally that should be on a full-time basis, since in the vast majority of cases, it is not feasible to administer an LMS “on the side”. This is because admins themselves need regular professional development. And there is always work to be done setting up new courses and learning paths, etc.

The talent landscape is undergoing a seismic shift as organisations grapple with the aftermath of the Great Resignation. In an era where employee engagement has become the holy grail, we saw the emergence of quiet quitting. Coined by Brian Creely in 2022, the term relates to employees who only work to the job description. They don't go 'above and beyond', and won't put in even the slightest extra effort or time into their work above what's set out in the job spec.

Inspired by the shifting workplace attitudes and expectations post-pandemic, employees now favour remote and hybrid working. They're driven by a desire of greater work-life balance. A recent AT&T study found the hybrid work model is expected to grow from 42% in 2021 to 81% in 2024. Quiet quitting for many represents a disengagement from working life, and a drop in productivity and efficiency.

So how much of a problem is quiet quitting, and how can businesses address the trend?

To understand the post-pandemic trends in relation to training, we partnered with independent survey company Research Without Barriers. Finding out employee attitudes to training in 2023 gave us a clearer picture of the wider issue of employee disengagement in the workplace.

We surveyed 2,000 UK workers, split between 1,000 managers and 1,000 non-managerial employees. The surveyed managers have over 15 years of work experience and work in companies of more than 15 employees. The surveyed non-managerial employees have a maximum of three years of experience, and work in companies with more than 15 employees. The goal of these sample requirements was to give us better insight into the attitudes held at different levels of seniority. In the context of a rise in quiet quitting, the results were surprising – and promising.

A common belief about quiet quitting is that employees are disengaging because they don't want to work hard or build careers. Our research actually suggests that there remains a strong desire for personal and professional growth among the UK workforce.

A staggering 86% of respondents expressed a willingness to stay longer with their employer – if the employer offers more L&D opportunities. Employees also aren't necessarily interested solely for what a company offers them. Almost all (94%) believed that the company would also benefit if they were given more training. In other words, workers are still willing and interested in engaging with their employers, supporting business goals, and building careers. But they are seeking fulfilment and a mutually beneficial relationship with their employer. This conclusion is reinforced by the social shifts we saw with the Great Resignation, where workers sought work that enhanced their lives.

Our findings underscore the pivotal role that learning & development plays in engaging employees. It provides them with fulfilling work lives – directly impacting their engagement with their roles and countering quiet quitting.

Managers play a crucial role in nurturing a culture of learning and development within their teams. The survey results revealed that 59% of managers recognise the importance of training in keeping employees engaged and motivated in their roles. In fact, 78% of managers also acknowledged that training had a positive impact on their own commitment and engagement. Generally, business leaders are aware that learning and development have a direct impact on employee engagement at all levels. Understanding this gives us a tool to address quiet quitting within an organisation – where employees are willing and able.

Despite the awareness, many organisations are falling short in leveraging learning and development as a tool for employee engagement, retention and skills enhancement. Only 29% of managers actively involve employees in selecting and integrating training programmes for their professional development. And 42% of employees reported having no active involvement in training beyond participation. This suggests that many employers, while aware of the benefits of training, are missing out on the benefits that come from actively involving workers in their own development.

There are simple ways to harness the benefits of employee-driven learning and development. These include giving employees personal ownership of training through suggesting courses or subjects and assisting with the sourcing of learning content. But it may also extend to involving employees in learning KPIs or the development of learning pathways.

Russell Donders, Director of International Markets at imc Learning, notes that "we have worked closely with businesses to offer bespoke training and development pathways for a range of industries. Feedback from customers, and our research, is clear: training is a key contributor to employee engagement and business development. Each of us wants to fulfil our potential, and we see huge success in the businesses who understand how to implement that on a personal level.

Bespoke training packages, rolled out across all levels of operation, is a simple and effective tool to engage and retain talent. It even feeds into the recruitment process. In fact, 92 percent of job seekers now consider L&D opportunities to be a dealbreaker – so it makes sense this would also feed into engagement for existing talent. Empowering individual-driven learning and development pathways is a simple but effective solution to address changing priorities and reverse, or avoid, quiet quitting."

Employee engagement has become of paramount importance given the challenges around talent scarcity. The trend of quiet quitting highlights the significance that employee satisfaction and fulfilment now play in modern-day workplaces. Businesses that are responsive to that will see real benefit to productivity and talent retention. By embracing employee-driven learning and development, organisations can align themselves with the evolving needs of their employees. The aim is to enhance retention rates and create a positive, growth-centred workplace in which productivity is a natural consequence of the environment.

“It seems ‘learning management system’ is a dirty word at our organisation.” This sobering statement was uttered recently by a client who was looking to implement a new LMS. Hardly the stuff of motivation. The client knew even before the project began that it would have to revisit an ugly legacy.

So, what had happened here? It turned out that something had gone badly wrong with the implementation of the client’s old learning platform. And they wanted to undo the damage by implementing a new one. Unfortunately, the whole idea of learning and professional development using an LMS had by then created such ill-feeling throughout the company that the new project manager knew he had an uphill battle on his hands.

Why do I need it, and what’s expected of me? If the project team can’t provide satisfactory answers to these fundamental questions from employees, they shouldn’t be surprised if the uptake is less than enthusiastic. The benefits and objectives of the learning management system need to be made clear and transparent to everyone.

And, as we know from communication and marketing, it takes multiple touchpoints to truly get the message across. A single email announcing “We have a new LMS” isn’t going to cut it. Instead, you need to reach out to your staff on multiple occasions and actively draw them into the new system.

Imagine this: The company has done the big communication campaign. It has trumpeted the new system far and wide. And finally, the moment has arrived, and it’s ready to use. The employees log in, encounter a fancy UI design, do the first training module, and then – nothing. A dead end. There’s just the one training module, nothing else.

It may sound obvious, but a learning platform without learning content is not an awful lot of use to employees. An LMS needs to have a decent range of high-quality, employee-relevant content right from the word go. If it doesn’t, it will soon be dismissed as irrelevant and will not be used effectively.

When it comes to a new LMS, you need to take your employees with you and actively motivate them to use it. That involves more than merely telling them why they should use the system. They also need to know what they’re allowed to do with it and what sort of learning times are involved. And, of course, they need to be shown how the system works.

Failure to provide sufficient resources and user guidance can lead to uncertainty and low acceptance. But the real key is to go beyond mere enablement and actually make employees want to use the system. The aim is to make them feel motivated so that they enjoy using it and look forward to new content.

One way of doing that is to use quizzes about the company. Or little giveaways with QR codes that lead directly to the learning platform.

It is a model of education that puts learners into groups so that they learn together, share ideas and support each other. Unlike one-on-one tuition and self-study, cohort-based learning is inherently collaborative and interactive.

As the name suggests, it is done in cohorts: groups of learners who typically have similar interests, objectives or backgrounds. The cohort members progress together through a structured curriculum or course that can include both online and in-person elements. The learners have regular opportunities to meet up, either in person or by means of virtual communication platforms. This motivates them to deepen their knowledge and discuss topics in more detail. It also enables them to work on joint projects.

A key advantage of cohort-based learning is that learners benefit from the different perspectives, experiences and skills of their peers. The regular interaction fosters a strong sense of community and cohesion, which can be very motivating and supportive. What’s more, the cohort members can learn from and help each other and grow through ongoing feedback.

Cohort-based learning is more than just a nice-to-have for injecting a bit of variety into the learning process. It actually delivers significantly higher success and completion rates than achievable through solo learning.

Cohort-based learning can be used in all areas of education. And it’s not a new concept per se. It’s as old as school classrooms, where everyone learns together and in person.

What’s new is that it can also be used in corporate settings – and it’s not limited to in-person learning. As part of a blended-learning strategy, cohort-based learning can comprise both online and in-person models.

So, how might that look in practice? imc instructional designer Benjamin Fillisch explains using a few concrete customer examples:

“At Vodafone, we developed a digital yet highly effective and motivating onboarding programme. The solution needed to cater to three distinct user groups: in-house and external customer service representatives and retail store staff. So, we developed a blended-learning journey that included cohort-based learning.”

Even the drinks industry needs learning. In this case, employees at Jägermeister needed to learn how to implement the brand’s new e-commerce strategy. The learners spanned four distinct, globally distributed groups, including sales staff and C-Level executives.

They were put into country and learning-specific cohorts. Collaborating via Miro , they had to define which stakeholders needed to be on board in order for the strategy to be rolled out successfully.

After the first virtual classroom, each cohort was given an assignment and told exactly what to prepare for next time. They were told they needn’t join the next session if they hadn’t done their homework. Why should everyone be forced to repeat a session just because someone hasn’t prepared?

In essence, the message to the participants was this: Your time and ours is valuable, so it’s only worth meeting if we are prepared. Otherwise, we can’t hope to produce outcomes that are any use to anyone.

That may sound harsh, but it was very well received. The participants, especially the C-level personnel, valued the clear expectations and certain knowledge that their time would be used productively. Firm deadlines and mutual accountability gave the participants certainty that their learning sessions would have a meaningful outcome. The result: increased acceptance of the learning by all concerned. This is one of the key benefits of cohort-based learning.

Here are some of the key points for getting the most out of cohort-based learning:

Careful analysis of requirements and target group
Good mix of in-person and digital learning
Clear communication about rules, expectations and outcomes
Generate added interest through gamification
Present time-sensitive information in virtual classrooms

Above all, don’t forget the fun factor! Whatever the learning, we’re more likely to retain it if it’s entertaining and fun. And that’s true whether we’re learning alone or in cohorts.

If your business is undergoing a digital transformation, you need to embrace not only cutting-edge technologies like VPNs, AI, and antivirus services, but also take comprehensive employee training very seriously.

As we all know, your people are the lifeblood of your business. Despite e-learning not being a new concept, many companies – from startups to large corporations – are now realizing the value of implementing a dedicated learning management system (LMS).

Sven R. Becker, Executive Board Member of imc, gave some insights into how a digital learning platform helps businesses train their employees more efficiently.

If we don't talk about mistakes, don't ask questions, and don't make or accept suggestions for improvement, we cannot develop. And this is as true for individuals as it is for teams and organisations. What's more, we run the risk of making serious mistakes if we don't dare ask for advice. Serious mistakes can also occur if employees are afraid of voicing their concerns. These mistakes can be costly and even dangerous depending on the type of organisation or profession.

In other words, psychological safety isn’t just that we express our opinions, doubts, and questions honestly, but also that we listen to and accept feedback. Being open to asking and receiving feedback means we are able to go beyond ourselves – we are able to grow as individuals. This also means we must let those have their say who often hold back and usually just accept painful criticism.

A real openness to growth and learning takes us out of our familiar comfort zones. It puts us in the 'learning zone', as the American professor Amy Edmondson illustrates in a diagram. Edmondson is an expert on the subject and points out that the combination of psychological safety and high standards leads us into the learning zone.

For a learning organisation, psychological safety isn't a one-off goal but a permanent condition that must be nurtured. It's an effort that requires all employees. Leaders can lead by example, e.g. by gratefully accepting feedback or openly talking about their own insecurities.

As a team, psychological safety can be strengthened by asking normally shy or reluctant colleagues for their opinions. If someone questions the status quo and makes suggestions for improvement, we should reflect on these suggestions self-critically instead of labelling the person as a complainer. Psychological safety is a question of team and corporate culture and must therefore be supported by all levels and lived out in our everyday work.

I was not sure if this topic would interest the other participants of the BarCamp at all, but I gave it a try. Contrary to my expectations, interest and participation in the session discussion was so great, a second session was spontaneously scheduled for later in the afternoon. I had obviously hit a nerve.

Anyone who has a few years of work experience in different companies under their belt will already know what a difference psychological safety makes. Without this safety, we try to avoid mistakes, don't ask questions and avoid standing up or standing out from the crowd because it can feel unpleasant. But when we reach the learning zone, everyone rises above these psychological barriers that hold us back. If we want to be in a learning zone, we are all challenged. Every single employee contributes to the establishment of the learning zone. And everyone who took part in the session at the BarCamp agreed on this. For some companies, it takes a cultural change to create psychological safety. Is psychological safety just a fluffy feel-good topic? Not really. If companies want to grow and develop, they can hardly afford not to address this issue.

Technological advancements: The automotive industry is witnessing a paradigm shift, with the introduction of electric vehicles (EVs), autonomous driving systems, and connected cars. Global auto brands need to train their employees on new technologies and their applications.
Regulatory compliance: Automotive companies must comply with strict safety and emissions regulations, which often vary across regions. Employees need to be aware of and adhere to these regulations.
Skilled labour shortage: The automotive sector suffers from a skilled labour shortage, and auto companies are quickly upskilling their existing workforce to meet the demands of the market.
High employee turnover: This industry often experiences high employee turnover rates, which means that companies must invest in consistent training for new hires and existing employees.

Flexibility and scalability: E-learning platforms allow automotive companies to deliver training modules that learners can access anytime, anywhere. This flexibility ensures that employees can complete their training at their own pace, reducing the impact on their work schedule. Furthermore, L&D managers can easily scale e-learning to accommodate a growing workforce or the introduction of new technologies.
Cost-effectiveness: Traditional training methods are expensive, with costs associated with travel, accommodations, and physical training materials. E-learning platforms significantly reduce these costs, making it a more affordable option for automotive companies.
Personalisation: E-learning platforms can be customised to create personalised learning paths, catering to the individual needs of employees. This ensures that each employee receives training that is relevant to their job role and helps them fill their skill gaps.
Consistency and compliance: E-learning platforms ensure that all employees receive the same training content, promoting consistency across the organisation. Moreover, administrators and training supervisors can quickly update courses to reflect changes in regulations. That way, they keep employees up to date with the latest compliance requirements.
Analytics and performance tracking: The leading e-learning platforms, such as the imc Learning Suite, provide detailed analytics on employee performance. Automotive companies are able to track progress, identify areas that require improvement, and provide targeted support.
Engaging and interactive content: E-learning platforms offer a variety of multimedia content, such as videos and quizzes, making the learning experience more engaging and enjoyable for employees. And easy-to-use e-learning authoring tools like imc Express empower your in-house subject matter experts to create engaging e-learning - without the need for design or technical experience

E-learning presents automotive companies with a powerful tool to address the unique business and training challenges they face. By leveraging the benefits of e-learning, automotive companies can stay ahead of the curve by continually upskilling their workforce, ensuring regulatory compliance, and fostering a culture of continuous learning.

Create an agile, knowledgeable workforce ready to tackle the challenges of the ever-evolving automotive industry.

Are you involved in L&D for an automotive company and want to learn more about how the best in modern e-learning can support your training? Get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!

Government agencies, entrusted with serving the public and maximising budgets, must continually adapt to new policies, regulations, and technologies. A well-trained workforce is crucial to ensure that these agencies operate efficiently and effectively.

E-learning can be a powerful tool in helping government agencies overcome training challenges and deliver high-quality services to taxpayers. We've created innovative, impactful solutions for private and public sector training clients across the globe, so we understand the unique challenges faced by government bodies.

Here we look at how great e-learning can help address these challenges.

Large and diverse workforce: Government agencies typically employ a large workforce with diverse roles and responsibilities. Consequently, public sector L&D departments can find it a challenge to deliver consistent and relevant training to such a varied audience.
Budgetary constraints: Government agencies often operate within strict budgetary limits, making it difficult for them to invest in comprehensive training programs.
Rapid policy and regulation changes: Government employees need to stay abreast of evolving policies, regulations, and procedures that govern their work. This requires regular and up-to-date training.
Geographical dispersion: Government employees often works across vast geographical areas. Training managers sometimes find it difficult to coordinate and deliver in-person training.
Security and privacy concerns: Government agencies must ensure that their training programmes comply with stringent security and privacy requirements to protect sensitive information.

Cost-effectiveness: E-learning platforms can reduce the costs associated with traditional training methods, such as travel, accommodations, and printed materials. This allows government agencies to maximise their training budgets and reach a larger audience.
Flexibility and scalability: E-learning provides government employees with the flexibility to access training materials anytime, anywhere. This enables employees to learn at their own pace and schedule, leading to higher engagement and completion rates. Additionally, e-learning platforms can be easily scaled to accommodate a growing workforce or the introduction of new policies and regulations.
Personalisation: Customisable e-learning platforms let you deliver personalised learning paths tailored to the specific needs of each employee. This ensures that employees receive training relevant to their job roles and responsibilities, resulting in better performance and higher job satisfaction.
Consistency and compliance: E-learning platforms ensure that all employees receive the same training content, fostering consistency across the organisation. Moreover, training managers can quickly update hem to reflect changes in policies and regulations, ensuring that employees stay current with the latest requirements.
Analytics and performance tracking: The leading e-learning platforms, like our own imc Learning Suite, provide detailed analytics on employee performance, enabling government agencies to monitor progress, identify skill gaps, and provide targeted support.
Enhanced security and privacy: E-learning platforms can be designed with robust security and privacy features to ensure compliance with government regulations and protect sensitive information.

E-learning presents government agencies with an effective and efficient solution to address the unique training challenges they face. By embracing e-learning, government agencies can empower their workforce with the skills and knowledge needed to deliver high-quality services.

The result is a more agile, well-informed, and efficient public sector.

Are you involved in national or local government L&D and want to learn more about how the best in modern e-learning can support your training? Get in touch - we'd love to hear from you!

Partners in Strength: The InspireHer Tandem Programme at imc

Personal growth, networking and fun: Women’s empowerment through one-on-one meetings

Good to know

It’s a match: How the tandem programme works

Good to know

From grassroots movement to success story

Diversity in e-learning content

Equality and new work concepts as a formula for success

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LMS Rollouts: Theory vs. Practice

A practical guide to implementing new learning platforms

1. Analysis of requirements and objectives

Practical example: The REWE story

2. Selecting the provider and the learning platform

Practical tip: Meet your potential suppliers

3. Employee training and awareness-raising, and LMS integration

Best practice case study: Effective LMS implementation on the menu at DoN

4. Performance measurement and feedback

Practical example: Masterful learning at Jägermeister

5. Ongoing development

Summary

Diary of an LMS

Informal learning: Everyday hero of work

More about our LMS

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Harness the power of employee-led L&D to combat 'quiet quitting'

Impact of quiet quitting on worker attitudes

Is 'quiet quitting' impacting wider employee engagement?

Managerial involvement in training

How to deliver employee-led L&D

Quiet quitting can be addressed by employee-led L&D

Looking to implement an employee-led L&D programme?

Implementing a New Learning Platform: First Impressions Count!

Communication, pro-active employee motivation strategies and quality content as the keys to successful LMS implementation

Red flags: Common pitfalls when implementing an LMS

Lack of early engagement with stakeholders

Inadequate communication: “Why do we even need an LMS?”

Cluttered and unappealing design

Not enough content in the LMS – or none at all

Not another password to remember! And what’s my user ID anyway?!

Lack of employee enablement and motivation

But what does this look like in practice?

Diary of an LMS

Informal learning: Everyday hero of work

More about our LMS

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Cohort-based Learning: Learning Together Beats going it Alone

What cohort-based learning is all about, and why learning online and learning together are not mutually exclusive.

Definition: What is cohort-based learning?

Group dynamics at its best: Demonstrably higher success rates

Cohort-based learning in action in enterprise practice

The spirit of learning at Jägermeister: Don’t bother showing up if you haven’t done your homework!

Quick guide to cohort-based learning

Can Germany afford its current AI scepticism?

AI in Corporate Learning

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imc board member Sven R. Becker talked to cybernews.com about competency-based learning

"Institutions must shift their focus from imparting pure factual knowledge to facilitating competency-based learning"

Why organisations should promote psychological safety

Psychological safety sounds like a fluffy feel-good topic: all employees should feel safe. But there's more to it than that. Psychological safety is a basic requirement for any organisation wanting to develop positively.

What are learning organisations?

What does this have to do with psychological safety?

(Self-)awareness is the first step to improvement

How do we achieve psychological safety?

A topic that hits a nerve

The author: Carlotta Pudelek

How brand training affects employee loyalty

What Tinder and Netflix have to do with the future of learning

Content Authoring with AI: Maximising Productivity

AI in elearning content creation? A must-have these days.

Hype or future: Will ChatGPT revolutionise corporate learning?

Training Digitisation: Leveraging the knowledge of your people

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Revolutionising automotive training with modern e-learning

Unique business and training challenges in the automotive sector

Why e-learning is the perfect solution for automotive companies

Automotive e-learning examples

How to get started

Public sector training - e-learning for government agencies

Unique training challenges in government Agencies