Elearning! Magazine: Building Smarter Companies via Learning & Workplace Technologies.
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Tips Tips 46 December 2014 / January 2015 Elearning! Stakeholders BY CANDY OSBORNE If you're thinking of bringing an e-learning solution to your organization, you'll want to get a consensus from stakeholders. Here are some common stake- holders and ideas for how you might help them understand how e-learning can beneft their respective areas. HR >> When employees have learning resources readily available, onboarding takes place at a faster pace. >> Skills and knowledge gains from a top-notch learning program will lessen the gaps new hires will be facing and help with career progression over time. >> Having a skilled workforce will encourage positive employee engagement and reduce turn- over for the organization. >> Ofering a learning solution that is mobile and bite-sized will ensure that it's conve- niently available anytime, anywhere. L&D; >> With a successful learning pro- gram, performance improve- ments will take place across business units with the po- tential to make the company money (e.g., increased sales, better customer service, etc.) or save the company money (e.g., increased product qual- ity, decreased cycle time, etc.). >> L&D; has the opportunity to be viewed as a business improvement unit and not just a "training cen- ter." This perception will influence future business and learning opportuni- ties and decisions. I.T. >> There is ease of integra- tion with third-party platforms, such as talent management systems. >> Te threat of complexity with multiple learning ven- dors would be signifcantly reduced by selecting a vendor that is all-encom- passing. >> Cloud-based learning solu- tions reduce maintenance and support eforts. BUSINESS UNIT LEADERS >> When skill gaps are identi- fed and addressed through learning, the individual will perform better, and so will the team. >> When a team is operating efciently, business out- comes improve and organi- zational goals are met. PROCUREMENT >> Bringing in an of-the-shelf solution is more cost- efective than internally developing training or sending employees away to costly ofsite training. >> Not only is e-learning more cost-effective, it has been shown to have higher application rates to the job, thereby increasing the potential to move the needle more effectively than other types of learning programs. FOUR OBJECTIONS When meeting with stake- holders, don't be surprised by resistance you may experience; inevitably, with change comes objections. Here are four common objections you might face and ideas for how you might handle them. >> Objection 1 – "Employ- ees don't have time to learn." Response – Jack Welch, former CEO of GE, once said, "Te only sustainable competitive advantage is to learn faster than your compe- tition and to be able to act on what you have learned." Learn- ing is simply not an option in today's highly competitive, agile, global environment. >> Objection 2 – "E-learn- ing isn't efective." Response – Not only is e- learning highly efective, but it has also demonstrated better transference rates than tradi- tional classroom training. Ask your prospective e-learning provider to disclose its typical transference rates. >> Objection 3 – "Learning must be customized." Response – Your stakeholders may tell you that of-the-shelf learning is not as efective as custom, proprietary learning. As a general rule of thumb, half of all learning within any orga- nization is generic — meaning that the same general content and learning objectives apply across the industry, while the remaining half is unique to the personality of that organiza- tion and needs to be custom- developed either internally or externally. >> Objection 4 – "The value learning brings to workforce improvement or business gains is highly questionable and hard to measure." Response – A great learning partner will be able to guide you through a measurement process to determine the im- pact to the business. Te Cen- ter for Talent Reporting (www. centerfortalentreporting.org) is one of several organizations that defnes standard practices for measuring learning's efciency. Arrange a meeting with your stakeholders to see common goals for themselves, and address any objections that occur. Influencing them to be on the same page will help to enable a stronger, more unified stance to bring an e-learning program to your organization. —Te author is senior market- ing manager for Skillsof. Infuencing and Addressing Objections When Pitching E-learning Pitching