Why innovative job training matters to today's workforce
Companies that invest in up-to-date, online, on-demand training reap the rewards of retaining their top talent.
In today’s technology-driven world, there is a perpetual need to learn new skills, acquire knowledge and gain qualifications that are relevant in the thriving digital economy. Persistent change, challenged assumptions, and disruption are now the norm, rather than the exception, especially within the InsurTech vertical.
As technology continues to create new roles and opportunities, more organizations are recognizing the value of investing in their employees’ education and skills training.
Recruit vs. retrain
As businesses themselves become more digital, and incorporate agile, experimental, customer- and employee-focused approaches, they are beginning to rethink employee development as the proliferation of these technologies transforms the way organizations work. Instead of seeking to fill transformative roles with new candidates who possess specialized skill sets, more companies are mitigating a widening skills gap by ensuring their training remains updated and relevant in an ever-changing marketplace.
In a competitive and fast-paced marketplace, professional learning opportunities that are diverse, customizable and supported by the latest technologies are enabling companies to augment employee development. Digital education and online learning experiences designed to reach and engage today’s professional — anywhere, anytime — are becoming more prevalent in today’s workplace. In fact, in a recent Gallup report, 87% of millennials prioritized professional or career growth and development opportunities in a job, while 69% of non-millennials said the same.
With more professionals becoming keenly focused on organizations that will invest in their development and help secure their future in a digital, data-driven economy, online courses, cyber classrooms, internet workshops, webinars, e-learning applications, and videos all serve as viable platforms. Continued learning and training programs add substantial value to current skill sets, broaden horizons, and increase proficiencies without the constraints of high costs, time, or location. 24/7 access to training materials, collaborative tools, online courses, and other learning resources has ensured that professional growth is no longer limited to the hours of the work day.
Real-world successes
Industry trends began to indicate that training had shifted to align with job relevancy and the lack of critical digital skills would soon impact businesses. PWC, a global professional services organization, increased their training investments strategically to focus on developing and improving the performance of their talent. The multinational organization built an extensive internal training program to improve performance through learning. Their strategic, agile, easily consumable and engaging programs help drive desired goals at all levels, to enable corporate learners to grow and progress.
Other companies, like my own workplace, EIS Group, also incorporated digital learning into their organization’s culture. Our “culture of continued development” encourages continuous learning and believes that each role provides continued opportunities for education and experiences. Since constant learning elevates an individual both professionally and personally, it enables everyone to transform continuously for the better.
From the use of a centralized wiki, which serves as a repository of information from employee resources, technical documents and training guides — to our EIS University, a dynamic, interactive and creative e-learning solution and performance support tool designed to assist with onboarding, training, and upskilling, the on-demand or instructor led courses allow our employees to improve their knowledge, performance, and job satisfaction.
This year, the curriculum includes additional courses to help balance our globally diverse workforce. For a consummate learner like myself, it’s the perfect resource that I am able to access, on my own terms, time, and inclination, for my company, it enables me to hone my skills, expand my product and process knowledge, and remain relevant.
Using what you’ve got
For those whose companies may not have programs or platforms in place, there are still options available via the wonderful World Wide Web, to encourage skill development and elevate one’s education. For more than a decade companies such as Coursera and Udemy have partnered with top universities and organizations to offer courses online, providing universal access to relevant, and in-demand educational content and materials. Classes are taught by top instructors from the world’s best universities and educational institutions. Course offerings include recorded video lectures, auto-graded and peer-reviewed assignments, and community discussion forums. But as their platforms grow in popularity, so does the competition. For instance, a quick Google search directed me on how I could “Learn new technologies using real environments right in your browser” with Kata Koda (good to know in the event I ever want to expand my software development skills).
By 2020, eLearning is expected to deliver revenue of more than $37 billion. This trend is not only growing in popularity, but it may also soon be the main way that learners attend school, receive training, and participate in ongoing training to keep their knowledge and skills current and relevant in today’s fast-paced business world. Learning provides you with the skills needed to succeed. Therefore, the more tools you have in your tool belt, the more equipped you are to seize upon an opportunity that presents itself.
As for me, I echo Michaelango, “Ancora imparo.” It means, “I am still learning.”
IASA Member Nikki Dugan (ndugan@eisgroup.com) is the director of Culture and Communications for EIS Group. These opinions are her own.
This piece published first in the Spring 2019 issue of “The Interpreter,” which is produced by IASA, and is reproduced here with permission from IASA, a nonprofit, education association that strives to enhance the knowledge of insurance professionals, and participants from similar organizations closely allied with the insurance industry by facilitating the exchange of ideas and information.
IASA 2019 is June 2-5 at the Phoenix Convention Center.
See also: