Write a 3-4 page internal memo that will be presented to the company leadership team as they make the decision whether or not the proposed software supports the company goal of increasing learning in the flow of work.
Today, the workforce has many learning needs that must be responded to without pre-planning, and adjustment times are quick. In the early tenure of an employee, or when the work task is new, the employee will need an ecosystem of learning strategies and products to facilitate learning in the flow of work. The ecosystem could include micro learning, on the job practice, learner developed videos, coaching, or other modalities. Learning in the flow of work is the process of using different activities throughout the workday to learn new skills to respond to task demands (Bersin, 2018).
There are thousands of technology-based learning platforms and vast amounts of content in many different formats. One way in which organizations can be successful in selecting the effective learning processes is by using different theories of learning and applying critical success factors (CSFs) when selecting mechanisms of learning. Theories of adult learning include: andragogy, which exploits a learner’s past experiences (Arghode, 2017); transformational learning, which makes connections between ideas and concepts (Yukawa, 2015), and experiential learning that connects meaning to reality (Human Resource Management International Digest, 2016).
Critical success factors can be used to determine best practices for the selection of learning platforms. CSFs provide facilitators to overcome internal organizational political and social barriers to learning (Bizcommunity.com, 2019).
CSFs that focus on process:
Align to goals and design for impact.
Work from a foundation of solid methodology.
Monitor and ask for feedback from the start.
Integrate learning into the flow of work and ensure application.
Work cleverly within budget and resource considerations.
CSFs that can overcome social and political barriers:
Have internal champions.
Choose the right partners.
Capture interest and attention.
Make it a successful brand exercise.
Not all learning success factors are suited for every situation. Think about which success factors will support your recommendation in your assessment.
References
Satisfying the workers who appreciate galloping change. (2016). Human Resource Management International Digest, 24(7), 35–37.
Bizcommunity.com. (2019). Implementing a learning project: 9 key considerations for success. SyndiGate Media, Inc.
Arghode, V., Brieger, E. W., & McLean, G. N. (2017). Adult learning theories: Implications for online instruction. European Journal of Training and Development, 41(7), 593–609.
Bersin, J. (November 4, 2018). Learning in the flow of work, keynote speech [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niOI9VoS7IY
Yukawa, J. (2015). Preparing for Complexity and Wicked Problems through Transformational Learning Approaches. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, 56(2), 158–168.
HR Challenge
Your task is to identify which of the critical success factors and learning theories will be used with the implementation of new software. Also recommend whether or not the proposed software supports the company goal of increasing learning in the flow of work. Pick at least three critical success factors and one of three theories.
You work for a customer service organization that serves and tracks vendor needs for materials that are sold to other companies for resale. The company’s sales representatives give advice and recommendations based on cost and the buyers’ needs. They have to have a working knowledge of customer expectations, needs, and the customer companies’ operations. Your organization wants software that will provide the sales reps with data on items and costs while they are on the phone with the customer. The company has a tradition of being very cost-conscious and is not usually the first to buy new technology.
The software application that has been proposed for use by the sales representatives has the following characteristics:
Database capability for all catalog items plus 500 gigabytes of unused storage.
Same or similar content layout no matter what device—desktops, tablets, and phones.
Training modules that can be accessed from the website for the software application, range in length from 20–30 minutes each.
Microlearning lessons (3–5 minutes each) accessed from within the application.
Pop-up help messages within the application with helpful information about many functions. Can be turned on and off.
Frequently Asked Questions/Resource documents are searchable within the software for step-by-step instructions.
Individualized reporting of application usage, average time per transaction, and training materials accessed weekly or monthly.
As an HR generalist, you also have learning and development responsibilities. To assist in the decision to purchase software, you have identified the learning tools included with the software as well as some general sales-related learning needs of the sales representatives who will be expected to begin using the system as soon as it is installed.
Instructions
Write a 3–4 page internal memo that will be presented to the company leadership team as they make the decision whether or not the proposed software supports the company goal of increasing learning in the flow of work.
Listen to Josh Bersin’s presentation Learning in the flow of work, keynote speech [Video].
Read the following article:
Bizcommunity.com. (2019). Implementing a learning project: 9 key considerations for success. SyndiGate Media Inc.
Write an internal memo for leadership about their decision to invest in software at this time. Include the following in your memo:
Format the memo using To, From, RE(reason), and a title.
Explain how the characteristics of the sales software application (listed above) will facilitate learning in the flow of work.
Identify which 3–5 of the critical success factors will be met with the implementation of new software for your company.
Explain a reason why each critical success factor was selected and how the success factor will influence the implementation of the new software at your company.
Identify which of the three learning theories you will use to help sales representatives learn the software application and why.
Evaluate and recommend whether or not the proposed software supports the company goal of increasing learning in the flow of work, including the rationale for your recommendation, based on the critical success factors you selected.
