How to Learn to Work Effectively - Essay Example

In this learning process, an employee consciously and subconsciously learns about the organisational environment and the work procedure. This learning process accounts for apprehending trivial matters such as where to dispose of litter and important matters such as departmental or a fellow employee’s internal telephone code. This organisational learning process is important since it enables employees to be absorbed deeply into organisational culture, mission, values and goals without a considerable input of the organisation.       

            Another learning process that I came to appreciate during my tenure in Skipton Financial Services [SFS] is the use of training programmes. To ensure that this programme is effective, SFS has made several arrangements such as workshop drives, learning travels and retreats. SFS has seasoned heads of departments and these come in handy when learning programmes are being conducted. SFS uses its spacious conference rooms and state-of-the-art sound systems to facilitate the workshop drives. Secondly, learning travels are conducted annually, and involves, travelling with a designated team to an institute or a centre for professional learning, for the inculcation of higher organisational values, skills and talents.  

            Retreats may also be conducted to aid the impartation of desired organisational skills and talents. Like all other corporate retreats, SFS’ case involves withdrawing the personnel from the normal organisational scene, with the intention of reflecting, evaluating and giving employees the chance to contemplate, recharge, bond and renew their vigour, skills and commitment.

            Workshop drives and training programmes, corporate retreats and learning travels have all proved useful in furthering the attainment of performance target. Nevertheless, since corporate retreats and learning travels are always expensive, they are usually attended by designated employees. This designation may be informed by rank or the portfolio that an employee holds, the exhibition of exemplary talents, skills and commitment to SFS’ goals and values, or tremendous improvement in an employee’s performance. Conversely, workshop drives and training programmes have often been used by SFS specifically to seal performance gap among specific employees or departments or sub-groups in a department. Several arrangements such as a friendly and professional approach by the instructors and the issuance of certificates of participation are made to make the programmes likeable. With the advent of IT provisions such as Web 2.0 and Videoconferencing, it has become possible for SFS employees to exchange talents and skills in these workshop and training programmes with participants from other SFS branches without physical attendance [by the same].   

            Another learning process that SFS has vastly used to nurture and impart essential organisational talents and skills is mentoring. SFS has always exacted its mentoring programmes by using its organisational hierarchy. SFS’ executive officers and chief executive officer [CEO] direct and refine the operations of departmental heads. Departmental heads in turn guide and direct the operations of those under them, until the entire junior staff are covered. This is not done routinely but is observed as SFS’ organisational culture.