E-Learning That Requires a Change in Culture - Essay Example

E-learning requires a change in culture Table of Contents Introduction 2. E-learning requires culture change 3. Training should be linked to corporate strategy 2 4. Conclusion 4 References 6 1. Introduction Internet has introduced changes at the workplace and this has made certain issues easier to handle for the organization. To enhance the HR practices, to increase employee involvement and commitment, organizations have been using the internet and its benefits in different ways. While some use it to enhance the work-life balance, others use it to manage tacit knowledge within the organization. Yet others have been trying to enhance their training and development through e-learning. The HR departments are now able to play a vital role through e-learning in retaining talented staff (Orange, 2009). However, organizations often find that the culture creates a block in the effective implementation of e-learning. 2. E-learning requires culture change Sullivan (2002) contends that getting an organization to adopt e-learning is a challenge. Resistance to learning on the computer is understandable because many have not had any prior exposure to computers. This was the case with the maintenance workers at Air Canada who had not even seen the computers, let alone the mouse. People are used to having a coach to guide them through the process of learning and they expect the same in the case of e-learning. The classroom approach makes people comfortable even in a corporate environment. Employees want someone to talk to them, says Sullivan but in corporate training, technology is used to deliver content to the end user without significant interaction with the training professionals or the managers (CIPD, 2009). Byers (2005) suggests that to increase the chances of training effectiveness, blended instructional strategies should be considered. This implies that a blend of face-to-face meetings with web-based training program would help the employees to overcome the initial resistance. Introducing the concept requires a major shift in culture, commitment, management buy-in, careful implementation and ongoing support (Eybers, n,d,). Corporate culture should a culture based on knowledge-sharing (Rosenberg, 2008). To ensure the success of the e-learning strategies, the professionals must build a learning culture within the organization. This requires the support of the top management. They must first embrace it themselves and then ask the employees to undertake the courses. It is not enough to support the e-learning process. This implies that e-learning becomes the culture of the organization. BP also followed blended learning and the curriculum was formulated based on the needs analysis of the business units including leadership and technical training (Kineo, 2009). The program was challenging because the audience was diverse in age, experience and culture. The challenge was to devise e-learning program that would have a generic approach that worked across all segments while being meaningful for spreading knowledge and skills. The Orange group also suggests that after sophisticated needs analysis, the learning modules can be linked to tutor led sessions. This again suggests blended learning. 3. Training should be linked to corporate strategy When the workers are not computer savvy, it requires a dramatic culture shift to leverage the benefits of e-learning. Training has been recognized as a tool in achieving the organization’s strategic goals. Thus it should be aligned with the corporate objectives and the overall business strategy (Brightwave, 2009). A blended approach can change cultures. Sullivan confirms that one way to accelerate e-learning is to identify the areas in the organization where training supports the business strategy. This will motivate the managers and the employees to support the e-learning and take the courses. Quilter (2000) emphasizes that under constant pressure of competition and change, providing learning solutions has become mission-critical. E-learning uses technology to satisfy business drivers. E-learning enables an individual to learn anywhere anytime. E-learning systems are being strategically linked to productivity targets, competitive advantage and profitability (Quilter). Eybers (n.d.) finds that when companies do not link their business strategy to the employee development, they burn their fingers in their e-learning ventures. It is essential for the companies to study the skill-gaps and then devise a plan. The best approach is blended learning, which has been endorsed by CIPD. Blended learning is a combination of e-learning and classroom learning. This again confirms the findings by Sullivan that employees are likely to resist the e-learning process and human support becomes essential. Culture change is required to encourage employees to engage in e-learning at their desks. The only way to bring at change is to devise a plan for one year, and this should be in alignment with the business strategy. Ford Motors wanted to ensure consistency in its service among its franchises. This was a corporate strategy and its education and training group audit revealed gaps in non-technical areas such as time management, e-business, desktop applications, change management, stress management, communications, diversity and financial management, that needed attention (Pollitt, 2005). To reach across its 225,000 specialists in dealerships across the continent, and to have consistency in the learning solutions, they found e-learning could support this effort. Sullivan too contends that e-learning enables to deliver training to people all over the world without having to bring all to one location. Ford has learned over the years that help-desk support is essential during the training, which supports Sullivan’s views that the mind-set often creates a block and human presence is essential. They are trying to inculcate a culture that the managers and the employees think of education and training as core to performing their jobs more effectively. Ford’s strategy confirms Sullivan’s contention that a plan must be devised to shift to e-learning so that the fundamental issues are addressed. Besides, it is not sufficient to impose and just tell the employees to undertake the training. A basic marketing campaign has to be launched which is exactly what Ford did. People resist change when the feel threatened, says Sullivan. Hence change should be gradual and when it is planned and the employees are communicated of its purpose and benefits, the resistance can be overcome. This means a gradual shift in culture takes place while the e-learning is meant to achieve the corporate goals. When the clear objectives are laid out and the link is explicitly communicated at all levels, there will be a greater support for e-learning. A learning culture has to be build gradually and it cannot happen overnight just by imposing e-learning on the employees (Rosenberg). 4. Conclusion Thus, it is evident that e-learning has tremendous potential to transform the workplace and make the organization achieve sustained competitive advantage. Employees generally offer resistance to change which is understandable, according to Sullivan. This resistance can be overcome through a blended approach where e-learning is combined with face-to-face interactions or manager support. However, this first requires that e-learning should be aligned with the corporate goals or the business strategy. Without such alignment, the e-learning process may just be expenditure without the right returns. The needs have to be identified and the expectations determined. Based on that e-learning program can be devised. The second requirement is that the executives should lead through example. If they undertake the e-learning training, the employees follow without questions. This means it gradually becomes a part of the company culture. Third requirement is that the purpose and benefits of e-learning have to be adequately communicated to the employees. This can motivate them to undertake the training and overcome the fear. Change has to be gradual and a learning culture has to be developed. E-learning can deliver training and development across nations because of the internet technology but requires proper needs identification, establishing a need-based program, communicating to the employees, aligning with the business strategy and leading by example. This could help to change the culture to a culture of a learning organization. References Brightwave, 2009, Blended learning strategy supports sustainable culture change, retrieved online 01 December 2009 from http://www.brightwave.co.uk/case-studies/blended-learning-strategy-supports-sustainable-culture-change Byers, C 2005, Multi-level alignment model: transforming face-to-face into e-instructional programs, The Journal of Workplace Learning, Vol. 17, no. 5/6, pp. 346-358 CIPD, 2009, E-learning: progress and prospects, retrieved online 01 December 2009 from http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/lrnanddev/elearning/elearnprog.htm Eybers, G n.d., Dont burn your fingers on e-learning: align it to corporate strategy, retrieved online 01 December 2009 from http://www.themanager.org/HR/E-learning.htm Kineo, 2009, BP Blended Learning, retrieved online 01 December 2009 from http://www.kineo.com/case-studies/bp-blended-learning.html Orange, 2009, The Business Case for e-learning, The Orange Group, retrieved online 01 December 2009 from http://www.theorangegroup.com/the_business_case_for_e-learni.html Pollitt, D 2005, E-learning delivers management skills to Ford’s north American dealers, Human Resource Management International Digest, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 13-15 Quilter, DR 2000, e-learning: a Panacea or culture change? retrieved online 01 December 2009 from http://www.e-learningguru.com/wpapers/AdVal.pdf Rosenberg, M 2008, Building a learning culture, retrieved online 01 December 2009 from http://www.marcrosenberg.com/images/Building_an_E-Learning_Culture.pdf Sullivan, C 2002, Getting the Organization to adopt e-learning: from Challenge to Action, retrieved online 01 December 2009 from http://www.e- learningguru.com/wpapers/adopting_elearning.pdf Read More