Category: Learning & Development

Employees are valuing career development more than ever—it’s a sign that the company is willing to invest in their future. How are businesses approaching training today? What are their pain points, and what topics are being addressed in training?

Picture This! You Using Visuals Effectively in Training

Trainers have a tendency to avoid using pictures in training materials, but “all of the research on learning with pictures indicates that pictures used in combination with words create better learning,” says Jack Massa, owner of Guidance Communications, Inc. (www.guidancecom.com). Massa uses a broad definition of “pictures” to include “any visual that is meant to […]

Corporate Training Trends to Watch for in the Coming Decade

“This next decade is really crucial to the way we develop our people,” says Cottone, a founding faculty member of The Leadership Conservatory and a managing consultant in the Chicago area. “I think a lot of changes are going to take place in the next 10 years.” For example, Cottone expects that employers will identify […]

Do You Train Supervisors to Be ‘Caring’?

From familiarizing supervisors with federal and state employment law to keeping them updated on the company’s policies and procedures, trainers must manage multiple training priorities—often on a limited budget. It can be easy to overlook a “soft” topic, such as training supervisors and managers to demonstrate care for employees and to build positive relationships with […]

Inspiring Training Success from One Company

From internships to continuous learning opportunities for employees, Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (www.northwesternmutual.com) has received numerous accolades for its training and development initiatives. Last fall, Northwestern Mutual’s financial representative internship program earned a top 10 spot nationwide for the 16th consecutive year in the 2012 Vault Guide to Internships. “We’re extremely proud of our […]

There’s No Two Ways About It: Two-Way Video Training Is Here!

“Video training has been around in some way for a very, very long time,” says David Stubenvoll, CEO and cofounder of Wowza Media Systems (www.wowza.com), a provider of media server and media workflow software. However, two-way video—a relatively new technology—is becoming increasingly popular in corporate training settings, he says. “With the Internet and with high-speed […]

What Changes Lie Ahead in Business Skills Training?

“Skills Mismatch: Business Acumen and Strategy Execution” studies the relationship between business skills and organizations’ ability to execute strategy, the critical skills needed at different levels of leadership, and trends in business skills development through 2018. The survey, which is based on responses from more than 300 senior corporate leaders, was conducted by The Economist […]

Top 10: Training Daily Advisor Review

Coaching Can Be Effective–But There Are Challenges In yesterday’s Advisor, we reported on a recent survey that asked how effective coaching is as a training option. In today’s Advisor, we’ll look at the greatest challenges in coaching as well as examine a useful new leadership training resource. Top 10: Training Daily Advisor Year in Review […]

Training Can Help Close Economy-Related Skills Gaps

In a Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) poll, 66 percent of respondents reported having a hard time recruiting for specific job openings, up from 52 percent in 2011. “The Ongoing Impact of the Recession—Recruiting and Skills Gaps” found that recruiting challenges vary by industry, but highly skilled positions—scientists, engineers, technicians, programmers, nurses, doctors, and […]

Training Advances Corporate Responsibility in the Community

In an effort to advance its campaign against human trafficking, Hyatt (www.hyatt.com) recently launched an internal global training program to raise awareness about this issue. The program was developed in conjunction with the Polaris Project (www.polarisproject.org), an organization dedicated to combating human trafficking. “The program is designed to provide managers and line staff at Hyatt […]

When Supervisors Must Step Aside and Defer to HR

In yesterday’s Advisor, attorney Mark Schickman helped us understand when supervisors must defer to HR. Today, when supervisor must stay out, plus an introduction to the “50×50” (50 Employment Laws in 50 States), the unique guide for employers with operations in more than one state. We want our supervisors to manage and participate, but there […]