The importance of a learning and development strategy has already been discussed in the introduction of Ubuntu’s Learning and Development Department’s Home page. The learning strategy’s principles are inline with the organisations vision, mission and business strategy. The aim of the L&D principles is to comply with organisational expectations and to address the needs of both the individual, and the organisation. Through aligning the principles with its own vision and mission, provides the University with a clear roadmap of where to go and how to go about getting there. With this in mind, the current L&D principles are:
In order for the L&D strategy to be effective the University strives towards developing a training environment which not only ensures that skills have been transferred, but also to ensure life long continuous learning.
Ubuntu’s strategy is structured in such a way so that it would enhance communication and trust between staff and management. The training needs of the employees are assessed in relation to the Universities business plan and it ensures that the requirements identified in the appraisal process is met. This is to be done with the co-operation of every employee’s manager, taking cognisance of future needs (Meyer et al., 2007).
Interventions should be selected that are linked to performance outcomes and enabling standards to be set so that individuals can learn and grow. Employees must be permitted to accept ownership for their own career development by creating an environment where continuous learning is valued and rewarded. Growth opportunities must be created with enough time for employees to learn (Meyer et al., 2007).
The trainers chosen to carry out training must lead by example for their training programme to make a difference, while opportunities to group employees together for training should be considered. Employees should be made aware of the many and varied development programmes that will help them advance their careers. These development programmes my include self-development opportunities, committee and taskforce membership, succession planning and mentoring programmes (Meyer et al., 2007).
Career development discussions should provide realistic feedback on career aspirations and organisational resources must be made available to employees who should be coached by listening, clarifying and defining their career concerns (Meyer et al., 2007).
The measurable end-results as indicated previously, are based upon the identified learning and development challenges mentioned earlier. These end-results, and the learning programmes that would lead to the particular end-results, should be practical in scope and design.
The general transferring of learning is based upon the learning and development principles, and will be assessed by means of:
· Two-month cyclical self-reflections during which employees will have the opportunities to review themselves in their respective jobs. Each employee will, depending on their preference, either be given their own blog-site or journal, in which they will be required to reflect on their success, work performance, application of learning and development, etc. The Learning and Development Department will be responsible for reading the blogs and journals every two months to determine whether or not personal learning and development have taken place. This particular transfer of learning method is based on the principles of individuality, partnership, autonomy and accountability.
· Based upon the technological learning principle, an overall chat-site will be developed for the organisation, with various chat rooms – one for each department. Scheduled chats will take place whereby employees will be required to partake in the online conversation where different learning and development issues will be tapped into of which one will definitely be the transferring and application of the acquired learning. The purpose of this method is to provide employees with the opportunities of peer-group learning and evaluation, as well as the opportunities to relate to one another, which could enhance teamwork.
· Another method of ensuring transfer of learning based on the technological principle will be monthly SKYPE meetings, whereby all employees will be participating in conversation revolving specifically around application of acquired learning, training and development. Here the employees that have received the training will be able to voice their experiences in applying the acquired knowledge, skills and abilities. These employees’ supervisors will then have the chance to provide direct feedback, as well as raise concerns. The Learning and Development Department, as well as the people who have presented the training will also be asked to join these meetings so as to provide insight from their expertise in training and development.
· Based on the principle of Positive Deviance, Digital Coach Technology (DCTTM) will be bought and implemented. DCTTM taps into the knowledge and wisdom of the Positive Deviants in the organisation, where positive deviant is defined by Seidman and McCauley (2008b) as the top performers of organisations who systematically and consistently outperform others. DCTTM will be applied in this organisation by encouraging all employees that have received training to tap into the DCTTM database. The DCTTM database will comprise of the organisation’s positive deviants’ success stories, and specifically their transferring of their acquired learning, which will serve as coaching for any employee. The database will be designed in the Personnel Profiler system (Seidman & McCauley, 2008b), whereby each positive deviant coaching on the DCTTM database, has a profile of him-/herself describing his/her area of positive deviance, thus his/her success stories and well-learnt lessons. Employees can then tap into the positive deviant’s DCTTM with whose profile they relate.
· Based upon the principle of Continuous Learning, Mentoring as a method of ensuring transfer of learning will be applied. A mentor, who will be an employee in a senior position within the organisation, will be assigned to a small group of subordinates (ranging between 5-10 employees). These groups should preferably comprise of employees from the same department – except where departments are interdependent, where employee representatives from the interdependent departments should form a group. The small groups will then be provided with the opportunity to meet with their mentors and present any problems they have encountered in applying the received training. The mentors have the responsibility to do regularly assess their assigned employees’ progress in applying the acquired learning.
· Based upon the principle of Transferability, posters, eye-catching signs and banners, electronic newsletters, and pamphlets will be designed and distributed within the organisation. These materials will contain the organisation’s and the different departments’ vision, mission, objectives, functions, goals, and values. These materials will be designed in modern graphical designs, and contain memorable acronyms, quotes, motivational messages, etc.
· Based upon the principles of Continuous Learning and Transferability, employees will receive the training sessions’ notes, additional theories and information, suggestions for continuous learning etc. in printed format. All employees will receive a printed copy of the organisation’s and the different departments’ vision, mission, objectives, functions, goals and values.
· Simulations utilized at the training venue, will be designed through the Learning and Development Department to ensure that all the required, job-relevant aspects are included. This way the role plays, simulations, exercises etc. employees engage in at the training venue are applicable and relevant to the employees’ actual work. This transfer of learning method is based on the principle of authenticity.
Training is financially costly (paying for it and loss of production hours). Therefore, evaluation of the benefits of training against the cost of not enhancing a talent or correcting an incompetence, will be executed before planning any learning intervention. To measure the return on investment of training programmes, we will utilise Phillips (2003, p.32)’ s ROI Model. Appendix A, contains the model. It consists of planning, data collection, data analysis and reporting. To manage the implementation process, a step by step approach will be utilised, and operating standards will be discussed with, and disseminated to every involved stakeholder. Since this is a new phenomenon at Ubuntu University, serious consideration of feasibility and timing of the first evaluation project will be made. This is especially so because, several HR factors are not in place. These, and other variables may influence the result of training.
Planning – Before implementation of any selected programme/s, an evaluation plan will be developed, and baseline data on the status quo will be drawn using appropriate data collection methods. The objectives of the ROI programme will have to be identified and developed before ROI begins. Such objectives may include: Level 1 – satisfaction objectives; Level 2 – learning objectives; Level 3 – application objectives; Level 4 – impact objectives; and Level 5 – ROI measurement objectives. These objectives will determine the depth of the evaluation to be made. Before evaluation implementation and training programme design, the following 3 planning documents will be developed: the data collection plan, the ROI analysis plan, and project plan. This is done to clarify grey areas. Examples of information contained in these, are in appendices B, C and D, respectively.
Data Collection – After planning the next stage would be data collection. According to Phillips (2003, p.45), “Data collection is central to the ROI methodology”. For a specific training programme evaluation, both hard and soft data are collected using a variety of appropriate measuring instruments.
Data Analysis – To determine that improved performance is a direct result of training, strategies like, the use of control groups, trend analysis, forecasting models, stakeholder groups’ estimations of impact of training, will be used in data analysis. The influence of possible factors that may cause improved or unchanged performance, will be monitored using various measuring instruments. This is likely to facilitate accuracy and credibility of ROI calculations. Training programme costs will be computed and business impact variables will be converted to monetary value.
Reporting ROI – Using the following formula:
ROI(%)= (Net programme benefits / Training Programme Cost)*100,
ROI will be calculated. The result will be compared against ROI target percentage. A conclusion on ROI, will be reached, and a report will be generated. That information will then be disseminated to relevant target groups.
Source: Phillips (2003, p.32). Return on investment In training and performance improvement programs (2nd.ed)