FM CAREERS - TRAINING
DIGITAL LEARNING: THE FUTURE OF WORKPLACE DNA
E-learning is still regarded as an easy way to deliver uninspiring training courses to a mass audience at low cost.
That’s no longer the case, argues WFM Awards judge, David Sharp, MD of International Workplace
Vocational training is essential
to the personal development
of workers, the success of
businesses, and the strength of the
economy. It is particularly important
to the workplace and FM sector,
which employs up to 10 per cent of
the UK’s workforce, and in 2017 was
responsible for as much as eight per
cent of the country’s GDP.
Yet the findings of a Social Mobility
Commission report in January 2019
highlight some major concerns.
Since 2010, spending on training by the
UK government has decreased, employer
funding has stayed flat, and spending on
vocational training per employee is half
the EU average.
Employers are also prioritising highlyqualified
workers in senior positions over
skills development.
E-learning can play a tremendous role
in helping government and businesses
to address the adult skills gap, to
improve social mobility and boost UK
productivity.
Yet, for an industry that specialises
in outsourcing its expertise – to deliver
improved performance to its clients –
the e-learning opportunity appears to
be spurned by facilities management
employers.
The market for digital learning has
moved on rapidly in the last three years,
but take-up by employers is holding it
back in the FM sector. Some learning
and development professionals have not
kept pace with changes in technology
and practice (or their employers don’t
regard this as a specialist area).
What’s changed? There has been a shi
from training (manager-led, push activity)
to learning (employee-led, pull activity).
The push approach is about managers
specifying courses, enrolling people and
chasing them to complete them, and
reporting on progress and completion.
Learner performance is measured in
terms of course completion (not yet
started, in progress, or completed) and
course results (score, or passed / failed).
Unsurprisingly, measurements like this
do little to address the central question:
did anyone really learn anything?
Without knowing the answer to this,
how can you know if your investment is
helping you to upskill your workforce,
manage compliance, or improve
productivity?
The pull approach is about giving
employees access to learning resources,
using machine learning to evaluate
engagement continuously, and
steering people to build knowledge in
areas where they are weak or that are
important to your business. It’s more
e icient, and more e ective.
Digital learning is perfectly suited
to this. It’s powerful. It asks whether
people’s behaviour has changed as
a result of gaining new knowledge; it
addresses the impact of their learning
on the organisation; and it constantly
tests and rebuilds the DNA of the learner
and the organisation. It requires much
less human intervention on the part
of managers, who can use exception
reporting to focus their energies on the
small number of people and issues that
really matter.
Are you still talking about courses,
enrolments, scores, pass rates and fails?
If so, you might find things have come a
long way from the 40-minute e-learning
courses you’re used to – and you and
your employees have everything to
gain from the latest generation of digital
learning solutions.
SEPTEMBER 2019 57
Facilities Manager Vacancy
Are you a qualified Facilities Manager with a proven track record of running builders and contractors,
with demonstrable technical knowledge of building services and changes in legislation?
Based at our Estates office near Thatcham (you must live or be willing to relocate to within a 40-mile radius
of this location), but with regular travel across our Thames Valley and wider South East operating area,
your responsibilities will include:
• Managing the overall services provided within the Company’s facilities
• Using best business practices, knowledge and experience to manage and reduce operational costs
• Managing ad-hoc building maintenance
• Tracking building upkeep, and planning and scheduling improvements and maintenance
• Responding to emergency situations or other urgent issues/repairs
• Ensuring that site facilities are well-maintained
• Ensuring that facilities meet government regulations and environmental, health and safety standards
• Drafting reports and making written recommendations
• Carrying out tendering of servicing work
What are the working hours?
Your core hours are Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm (37.5 hours per week)
but flexibility is required to cover the needs of the job and contractors
What are the benefits & perks?
You'll receive a competitive salary, company car
(a full UK driving licence is essential) and attractive benefits
grundon.com/careers
hr@grundon.com
01491 827 797
link
/careers
