Anywhere, Anytime Learning Boosts Profitability
HKS model is a case study in on-line staff training

by Peter Braun

“In a knowledge economy, you win by having leaders at all levels who are investing in their people to make them smarter.”
—Noel M. Tichy, professor of organizational behavior and human resources, University of Michigan Business School

Summary: Many studies have been completed in an effort to estimate the impact of training on a firm’s bottom line. It is difficult, if not impossible, to determine the exact impact of a training program on a firm’s profitability—similar to measuring the impact of advertising on sales. Several studies, however, show there is a clear correlation between the amount of investment in training and long-term profitability. It has been estimated that training programs bring as much as a 100 percent return on investment ($2 in increased revenue or reduced expenses for every $1 spent on training). One thing is clear: organizations that view training and development as an investment rather than as an expense tend to have better long-term profitability and staff retention.

In 2008, HKS implemented HKS.edu, a comprehensive employee development program that builds on its existing training program, DoubleCheck. The difference is that HKS.edu provides an enhanced ability to deliver online training, classroom-based training, and written materials to all of the firm’s 24 offices worldwide as well as the ability to organize training by roles and market segments within the firm.

The program is built on a technology platform called a Learning Management System (LMS) that is designed to organize and manage the delivery of training. In addition to the event-based model of classroom training, HKS.edu offers an anywhere learning concept.

Many employees are accessing courses from home or while traveling in addition to during work hours. Employees can take a course on codes or PowerPoint basics at their convenience. HKS.edu also offers a flexible means for communication with the firm’s worldwide offices including London; Chennai, India; Mexico City; and Abu Dhabi.

Each employee’s professional development is linked to the HKS Performance Profile. This profile, created by HKS staff, focuses on five areas of capability, including leadership, communication, business orientation, specialized knowledge, and architecture.

How we learn
Personal development goals are the overlap between an individual’s career goals and the aspirations and needs of the organization. Once personal development goals are determined, employees learn and develop in multiple ways. However, all of these methods fall into one of three development forms.

1. Development through challenging job assignments. It is estimated that 70 percent of what we know about our jobs is learned while at work. Providing employees with suitable job challenges allows them to grow in their capabilities.
2. Learning from others. Coaching, mentoring, and using formal feedback processes such as 360-degree feedback assessments and the performance feedback program are just a few ways to learn from others. Providing challenging job assignments and performance feedback together to allow the firm to remain a learning organization.
3. Training and education. Provide the knowledge and skills necessary for employees to grow in their career via training and education.

How we develop
It is important to keep in mind that employees seek development for different reasons, depending on their individual needs and goals. Below are the three levels of development. When setting development goals, it is important that employees determine on which level they need to focus.

• Today’s job—today. This is development focused on doing your current job even better. It can include development based on a recognized need or anything related to your current job.
• Today’s job—tomorrow. This is development focused on the future needs of your current role. The skills and abilities needed in any given role will change and usually increase.
• Tomorrow’s job. Most employees want to advance in their careers, and developing skills for the next job is an important element of advancement.

Employees may be seeking development at different levels at the same point in time. For example, an employee may be working on a particular skill that is essential (today’s job—today), but also developing leadership abilities in preparation for tomorrow’s job.

How we mentor
According to a recent survey by Right Management, a human capital consulting services firm, 47 percent of employees nationwide left their jobs because they had poor relationships with their managers or perceived their managers to be ineffective.

To develop strong leaders, learning opportunities must be provided including leadership development courses, presentation skills courses, interpersonal and team communication skills, understanding generational differences, and performance feedback skills for performance leaders.

It also is important for managers to receive feedback on their mentoring and leadership skills. A 360-degree feedback is the most comprehensive type of appraisal. It includes self ratings, peer reviews, and feedback from others both in and outside the firm. The review gives people a chance to know how they are seen by others and understand their skills and communication style.

Being a high-potential leader
A phrase that is often used when describing characteristics of high-potential leaders is “learning agile.” It refers to the attitude and work orientation taken by an individual. There are five steps to being learning agile.

1. Start with knowing what you want to work on and having a plan to reach your developmental goals.
2. Consider each day as a learning opportunity and try something new each day.
3. Take time at the end of the day to reflect on your experiences of the day. What worked well and what didn’t? How did your actions and words affect others? What would you do differently the next time?
4. Seek feedback and support for change. Establish open and honest lines of communication.
5. Take a strong interest in your own development and learn how to apply what you learned today to tomorrow’s problems. A productive lifelong learner—a person who can adapt and learn swiftly in new situations—is a person who can transform all situations into learning situations.

It is no secret that we live in an information age. What would have taken previous generations days to research is available with a few clicks on the mouse. According to Nick Bontis, associate professor of the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University, “the cumulative codified information base of the world is, within the next three years, scheduled to double every 11 hours.”

The traditional model of training in a classroom is changing towards providing learning opportunities anywhere, anytime, based on individual needs and time requirements. Today’s learning takes place online and through the use of various technologies such as podcasts, video conferencing, Webinars, and audio recordings—moving today’s instruction from “classroom training” to “anywhere, anytime learning.”