IBM Learning
There was recently an article in HR Magazine (November 2007, page 55, by Nancy M. Davis) titled, One-on-One Training Crosses continents - IBM created a program to offer experiential learning opportunities to thousands of employees.
Apparently 3 years ago IBM held a 72-hour dialog with 355,766 employees worldwide. What they learned is employees want access to more and varied experiential learning. As a result the IBM Learning and Career Development Department created Blue Opportunities. The program offers about 1,400 different training opportunities and they are not just online courses. That’s the key.
These opportunities include stretch assignments, cross-unit projects, short and long-term job rotation, and on-site job shadowing via an employee-only Internet site that erases country borders. Our Clients are not the size of IBM, but you can take the concepts here and apply them to your business. Some of our Clients already do. Consider these benefits:
- Senior people have the ability to share expertise across your company.
- Employees are motivated by varied learning opportunities to develop their competencies and careers.
- Employees can learn from people in other departments to broaden their experience and better understand how each other’s work affects the entire organization.
- Collectively you develop talent rather than just in a silo.
- You retain employees longer because this type of learning gives them a more exciting future filled with personal and/or professional development.
