Organisations shown how to increase returns from training and development

Organisations need to move away from traditional forms of e-learning and training and embrace new approaches according to Prof. Colin Coulson-Thomas. Speaking in Edinburgh to members of the Large Organisation Network Group he showed how using a new generation of support tools to integrate learning and working can generate returns of over 30 times their cost within months.

Coulson-Thomas explains, “Building learning into job support tools can quickly boost workgroup productivity. In one case a return of over 70 times the cost of the project was obtained in the first year.”

The Professor believes: “While there may be an association between training and development and higher performance establishing a causal link is often difficult. Effective management teams endeavour to do well in areas such as training, but their superior performance overall is often the result of many other things they get right.”

Coulson-Thomas finds: “Many human resources teams provide standard training regardless of individual needs. They expose people working on very different activities, to common experiences that have little relevance to their particular requirements. Key workgroups lack what they need to be effective.”

The Adaptation chairman reveals: “The largest returns on investment result when organisations use bespoke support tools to make it easy for important workgroups to understand complex issues and do difficult jobs. They focus on vital areas like winning business. Learning and working are integrated.”

According to Coulson-Thomas, “Providing knowledge is not enough. People may also require tools to apply it. Evaluations of tools developed for sales teams reveal improved win rates, increased cross and up-selling, shortened sales cycles, lower staff induction and training costs, and less time out of the field. Many organisations are missing a historic opportunity to boost workgroup and corporate performance.”

Further information on job support tools is given in ‘Winning Companies; Winning People’ which can be ordered from http://www.coulson-thomaspublications.com

Information on courses and workshops covering critical success factors in areas vital for corporate success can be found via http://www.adaptation.ltd.uk

Prof. Colin Coulson-Thomas can be contacted via http://www.adaptation.ltd.uk