Clients ask us to build branded online academies for a variety of reasons, with some common "must haves":
- A blended solution i.e. able to link with a client’s own learning initiatives, for example, off-line training courses, computer-based training, policies & procedures, Learning Management Systems etc.
- The ability to track and measure usage, as well as increases in knowledge/behaviour/performance
- Quick and easy to implement
- A demonstrable return on investment
Examples of typical applications include:
- Talent management
- Generic management education/leadership programmes
- Sales academies
- Transformational/change management initiatives
- Cultural change programmes
- Performance management support
- Graduate programmes
- Policies & procedures
- Accreditation
- Membership Organisations
- Management training and/or sales training organisations
Generic management education/leadership programmes
Senior management may need a management education or leadership programme to drive a specific corporate strategy. For example, improve overall business performance, customer service, organisational effectiveness, employee productivity etc.
Learning & Development professionals may need to
- Improve management competency without the time burden of classroom training
- Increase the effectiveness of the learning experience
- Find a solution suited to employees in disparate locations
- Sustain learning after classroom training to maximise time spent away from the ‘day job’
- Avoid “sheep-dip training” i.e. cater for individual needs and knowledge levels
- Reduce training costs
- Improve “soft” skills in specified areas e.g. time management skills
Sales academies
An online academy can be tailored to the needs of a specific functional area, for example, sales. Sales directors/managers may need to
- Ensure consistent processes and behaviour amongst their sales teams
- Train sales people to improve performance by matching their behaviour to clients’ values
- Train sales people how to be good managers
- Equip sales people with broader business skills
Transformational/change management initiatives
According to the 2006 CIPD Learning & Development survey, there is almost universal agreement (93%) that a consideration of the learning and development implications of change is critical to success. Many clients come to us because they need to communicate a new vision or business strategy; or they need to change managers’ knowledge, skills, behaviours or attitudes.
Cultural change programmes
Companies sometimes need to standardise a company culture fragmented by mergers & acquisitions or high staff turnover due to attrition or high growth. They may need to
- teach managers what ‘good’ behaviour looks like in their company
- translate competencies into behaviours
- ensure consistent (changed) behaviours
Performance management support
Another driver for an online academy is performance management. HR professionals may need to,
- Put in place a programme to support leaders or high potential individuals
- Find a mechanism for rewarding good (& shaming bad) learning behaviours and management styles
- Give recognition to high-performers/learners
- Build development action plans
- Link education/learning to a 360 degree feedback process
- Receive guidance on good performance management practice and a tool for ensuring consistency
- Respond immediately to learning short-falls
- Focus actions on areas in most need of development
Graduate programmes
Graduates often need to be taught self-awareness and be educated in areas that they don't learn at university such as leading through change, building a team, coaching and mentoring, communications, motivation, personal profiling etc. An online training and development resource can be supplemented by quarterly workshops to discuss learning experiences, and access to external one-to-one coaching/mentoring.
A common challenge for companies with graduate trainee programmes is how to make graduates feel ‘special’ in order to retain them long enough to recoup the training investment. Our blended solutions dedicated to graduates have been proven to double retention rates (see our Sainsbury’s Graduates case study)
Policies & procedures
Our academies can be used to support HR professionals in larger organisations and managing directors in smaller organisations who need to
- Provide an induction mechanism for new employees
- Communicate and provide easy access to the employee handbook
- Support diversity
- Communicate discrimination, sexual harassment, health & safety, risk management policies etc and provide evidence that staff has read and understood the policies
- Put an appraisal process in place
Accreditation
Our academies can help companies to achieve “Investors in People” accreditation or to adhere to new standards.
Membership organisations
TWM is helping a number of membership organisations to provide management education solutions to their members. As well as providing new revenue streams, we can help you to attract new members; retain existing ones; and retain funding. Click here to find out how TWM is helping MLN to build management and leadership capabilities in Northern Ireland.
Management training and/or sales training organisations
If you are a consultancy, training or software company you could become a TWM partner. As a partner you gain not only increased revenues but a vehicle for developing or enhancing long term profitable relationships with your clients.