Crossing the Seas. How Learning Agility Can Help Save Your Online Certification Community From Drowning

Transcription

1 Crossing the Seas. How Learning Agility Can Help Save Your Online Certification Community From Drowning

2 Introduction 01 Deciding the Routes 02 Strategy Plan 03 Testing the Wind 05 Patiently Rowing 06 Effective Change 07 An Elegant Docking 10

3 Muddy Waters: Community Management Technology is advancing faster than ever, touching all parts of our lives. From the advent of automation, it s clear that technological advancements are creating a huge draft between you and your end result. Let s call this draft a river, and it is muddy. During the tenure of this e-paper, we will orchestrate how you can use your end goal without getting stuck with petty issues. In an interview with McKinsey & Company (2016), Cisco Executive Chairman John Chambers says the world has now entered a digital era that will be the "biggest technology transition ever." intelligence has created a wave of transformation for community managers, marketers alike. Trends show that organizations are increasingly relying on new technologies to make data-driven decisions about talent acquisition, retention and employee engagement. Today s community managers must understand the impact of emerging technologies upon company culture, strategy, operating plans and future talent needs. Customers demand more, faster. Products are more complex. Risk and compliance requirements have increased. Employees must know more and learn faster than ever before - not only to keep up with technology but to avoid being replaced by it. Advancing technology and the growing need for workforce 1 INTRODUCTION

4 Why should I use Learning Agility? Deciding the Routes: Gaining Traction Studies show that over 70 percent of executives now rate people analytics as a key priority. To that end, many companies are building people analytics division, rapidly replacing archaic systems and combining separate analytical groups, integrating it all into one unit. Data from social networking platforms, employment brand data, data on hiring patterns, and demographic data - to predict workforce trends and target top talent. Prevalent for Community Managers and Marketers alike, there s a goldmine in the data mining. Footlocker has used predictive analytics to boost the company s effectiveness in hiring and improve sales performance at more than 300 stores. Benefits included a streamlined hiring process, better-prepared hiring managers, reduced turnover, and improved customer feedback. Gearing up for the litmus test is arduous, but it pays. Let s keep the ball rolling, shall we? 2 DECIDING THE ROUTES

5 Strategizing: Is Your Technology Driving Strategic Priorities? 1 The effective use of social learning and digital talent management tools has the potential to drive such strategic priorities as increased knowledge sharing, improved engagement and enhanced innovation and branding. For example: The award-winning Hilton Worldwide University leveraged Twitter, Facebook and custom-built social portals as primary communication platforms when unveiling a new strategy for idea sharing and crowdsourcing within the organization. 2 Mindtree, a global technology firm with more than 200 clients in 14 countries, has 54 online communities of practice where employees learn, share and create free content. 3 3 Ericsson s talent acquisition team built a foundation of brand communication using digital media platforms, and other social networks to bolster its talent acquisition profile to a more competitive level. While the design and implementation of the strategy took years to establish, results include increased site traffic and improved social media engagement. 3 STRATEGY

6 1 Identifying the ReSkilling Needs of The Organization 2 Formulating Automation Process in Line with the Organizational Goals Before investing in the latest social networking platforms, however, it s important to develop a strategy outlining the why and how of technology in your unique environment. The technology needs to support the strategy. The next step is developing the right business processes, infrastructures, and capabilities. 4 STRATEGY

7 Testing the Wind: Digital Skills and Mindsets Are Core Capabilities It s important to have the right tools and technology, but knowing what to do with the tools is another matter. Although some professionals may be quite comfortable and capable in analyzing and leveraging data, many functions struggle to explain to their respective heads as to what existing data says about the organization s ability to achieve its goals with the talent it has or can achieve. A 2015 Harvard Business Review survey of 362 CEOs and chief HR officers found that 24 percent reported a lack of analytical skills as their biggest obstacle to making and participating in data-based strategy decisions. No more than 30 percent said they had taken any positive steps to get better at it. Underpinning the short supply of digital skills is the need is to develop a culture of continuous learning - where periodic reskilling across all organizational levels is a core value and strategic priority. 5 TESTING THE WIND

8 Organizations with leading capabilities in Community Mangement and Learning Agility say it takes up to three years or more to absorb the technology, reskill teams and bring real-time data to every major people-related decision, according to research by Deloitte. Patiently Rowing Across: Embracing Technology Takes Time When LinkedIn first began using talent analytics, the company generated a lot of data and analysis but still had limited influence in decision-making. Over time, the team developed a data-driven HR framework to increase alignment with business partners and identify levers for successfully driving impact on business or talent metrics. By identifying the right levers for moving the needle, the diversity recruiting team increased its hiring of under-represented minorities in sales by 23 percent, which was a significant accomplishment considering that 40 percent of the company s workforce is in sales. 6 SKILL GAP ANALYSIS

9 In the push to move analytics forward, many business leaders push their non-analytical business partners or employees too hard for quick adoption. Watching the other coast: Effective Change in Management is Critical A deliberate change management approach and mindset are essential when deploying, reinforcing, or evaluating new technologies. According to a recent study by Prosci, an independent change management research company, organizations that implement complex analytics technologies into business strategy are six times more likely to deliver results when the technologies are coupled with effective change management processes. Some companies have invested heavily in technology but have not yet changed the organizations to make the most of these investments. For example, many organizations do not have the talent, supporting infrastructures, business processes, and organizational muscle to realize the full potential of technology-based solutions. 7 THE OTHER COAST

10 Being tech savvy isn t enough to successfully manage, coach and inspire multigenerational, globally dispersed communities. While technology increases the speed and access of enterprise-wide communities, it s best viewed as a means to an end. To break down silos, foster engagement and build a truly connected environment, the use of technology must be balanced with a focus on organizational culture, identity, and respondent relationships. To adapt to the changing roles brought about today s digital age, community managers must hone their skills as both technology users and technology enablers. Consider these two questions: Last Few Lurches: Wretched Humanity 1 How effective are you at instilling technology into the fabric as a community manager? 2 How effective is your function in leveraging technology to build needed capabilities within your community? 8 THE NEW PLAN

11 Technology (digitalization, automation, cloud, etc.) will continue to drive efficiency and innovation in your respective industry. Demand will continue to rise for technology-based, data-driven human capital decisions. But the human factor will remain vitally important. Make a resolution to address these questions so that you and your team can prepare for the challenges, and unparalleled opportunities, presented by advancing technology. Period. 9 LAST FEW LURCHES

12 An Elegant Docking "Learning Agility" is a competency or capability which describes a person's speed to learn. In most businesses, these skills are considered one of the most important factors in great leadership. People with strong "learning agility" can rapidly study, analyze, and understand new situations and new business problems. They have developed techniques and a passion for "fast learning" and are not afraid to jump into a problem and try to understand its various causes and ramifications quickly. Detailed case studies on companies such as Google indicate with the ceaseless pressure that research driven L&D programs lead to better quality of retention and hire. 10 DOCKING

13 Continuously seek new challenges. Solicit direct feedback Self-reflect Think critically in first-time situations The use of assessments beyond recruitment in the measure of engagement, conducting training, ROI of development programs and more generates great interest from a variety of organizations. After all, there is immense value in the data acquired from assessments. Take, for example, Mettls Learning Agility Assessment. Agile learners possess innate tendencies that position them for success in a leadership role which is imperative for an IT professional, regardless of the age. escalation or declination on a curve. Workforces, new or old alike need assessments of their learning ability. They need their grasping power to be analyzed to make sure that the L&D program is a tailored fit, suiting their needs. Paralleled, it is important for the organization to map these curves so that they understand which areas need improvement and which do not. Think about it again. If you need help, we are always there. Mettl measures learning agility through an assessment, wherein participants are scored on the metrics of their Bon Voyage 11 BON VOYAGE

14 What is Mettl? Mettl is a Saas based assessment platform that enables organizations to create customized assessments for use across the entire employee lifecycle, beginning with pre-hiring screening and candidate skills assessment, training and development programs for employees/students, certification exams, contests and more. TRY FOR FREE contact@mettl.com Plot 97, Sector 44, Gurgaon, Haryana, India TRUSTED BY