Skillsoft Named to "Top 20 Content Development Companies List" by TrainingIndustry.com

Skillsoft Recognized as Industry Frontrunner for Comprehensive Content Offering

NASHUA, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Skillsoft announced today that TrainingIndustry.com has named the organization to its "2012 Top 20 Content Development Companies List." Building on the company's achievement of being named to TrainingIndustry.com's "Top 20 Leadership Training Companies List" this recognition further exemplifies Skillsoft's history as a pioneer in the field of learning, its long history of innovation and as a provider of solutions for its customers worldwide, spanning global enterprises, government, education and small to medium sized businesses.

"We pride ourselves on staying on the top of the industry's trends and needs, and providing content that maps to our customers' business goals and interests," said John Ambrose, senior vice president, Strategy, Corporate Development and Emerging Business, Skillsoft. "We are proud to be recognized for our commitment to providing comprehensive, engaging content, as well as for the depth and breadth of our subject matter expertise."

This is Skillsoft's first year being honored by TrainingIndusty.com for their outstanding content development, as well as training outsourcing and leadership training. The company was acknowledged the last two years for their learning portal and was recognized three years in a row for their IT training solutions.

June 04, 2012

Do You Think Your Executives Won’t Use e-Learning? Think again.

By Kieran King

While the tsunami of information available on the internet may seem like a goldmine, it is costly to find the bit of information that you need when you need it.  In fact, in the paper, “How Executives Stay Informed: A Study of Resources Used and Time Spent Locating Critical Business Information” by Bersin & Associates revealed just how intense this problem is.

Approximately one-third of executives are spending more than four hours per week searching for answers, another third are spending two to four hours per week. 

Why is this a problem?  Because the productivity loss executives incur searching for credible information is astounding.  If an executive’s salary is $153,000 per year, and if they are losing two hours a week on an information quest, that adds up to the equivalent of $7,600 in opportunity loss.  Chump change you say?  Extrapolate this out to just 200 executives it quickly eclipses $1.5 million. 

Where is the opportunity?  Address the executives’ time challenge with e-learning. 

As I travel the world talking with large multinationals, a common remark that I hear is this one…“Our executives won’t use e-learning.”

“Really?” is my routine retort, “Do your leaders ever use Google?” 

My question is always met with the same surprised response: “Well, of course.”   At this point I explain that if an executive is turning to a browser in search of information, then they are already well practiced e-learners.  At its core, e-learning is simply taking a digital route to answer a question or develop a skill.

The old-school prejudices that surround leadership development and technology-enabled learning simply ignore reality. 

So, your opportunity, and your obligation, is to give your executives the best source of authoritative, trusted information to optimize their productivity.  Doing so provides them with time back, reducing the highly expensive opportunity loss.

Have you seen what technology enabled learning looks like today?  This is not your father’s e-learning.  At Skillsoft, cloud-based learning takes many forms.  Our video leadership solution catches on like wildfire.  Within it, highly credible business leaders, influential experts from prominent business schools, and leadership gurus provide actionable answers and insights within 2-10 minutes.  Who wouldn’t want Lynda Gratton, Ram Charan, and Patrick Lencioni at their fingertips and accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from anywhere in the world?  Another solution is a portal rich with leader resources such as case studies, 20-minute audio summaries of influential business books designed for a smart phone or iPod, global satellite speaking events with instant Q&A, and highly challenging on-demand simulations.  And if you need courses, today’s course is a highly modularized experience, customizable to the organization, full of rich media and challenging assessments. 

The cloud-based leadership resources are also highly complementary within blended programs, reinforcing skill transfer and increasing the ROI of the class event.

It’s likely your leaders are out there searching the Internet right now.  Still think they won’t use e-learning?   Think again.

Creating Effective Learning Cultures

Studies show that making learning a priority can positively affect your organization in a number of ways. Employee engagement improves and there is higher retention and satisfaction. Business processes also become more efficient and streamlined, resulting in a higher ROI and long-term success. Research from Bersin & Associates indicates that companies with learning cultures have higher financial returns over a 10-20 year period. To achieve these desired outcomes with learning, your organization needs to encourage continuous learning and create a supportive environment.
When learning is a part of your company culture and supported from the top down, employees can make learning a frequent part of their routine. According to a recent blog post by Ladan Nikravan, from Chief Learning Officer, “creating a culture focused on continuous education and skill building can help an organization adapt during unanticipated dilemmas.”

In a global economy where competition is fierce, only the smart will survive. Continuous learning helps your organization remain innovative and stay at the forefront of your industry. With established learning cultures, there are no boundaries within departments: employees can problem solve with other groups, promoting a fresh flow of ideas and perspectives. This type of environment makes your employees more inclined to receive feedback and accept changes that could positively affect your business.To maximize the effectiveness of learning programs, it’s important for managers to communicate with their direct reports on how their roles contribute to your overall business goals. With this information, learners can be more productive with their training because they understand what their manager believes is most important in terms of organizational priorities. By partnering with their employees, managers can define a practical implementation plan for applying new skills in their roles.
Given the constant changes with our economy, competencies required for a position today could easily change tomorrow. By designing a culture of continuous learning, you are encouraging your staff to maintain knowledge and skills. Those that view training as an annual event may just fall behind in the marketplace.
For more information on how to create an effective learning culture at your organization, check out the resources on the SkillSoft e-learning best practices microsite.
Share your tips on how to build successful learning cultures!
To register for the 2012 Annual Perspectives User Conference please visit: http://perspectives.skillsoft.com/2012/?srcid=blog