Words of advice: Tips to improve internal communication
In an organisation, internal communication plays a vital role in improving productivity, collaboration and individual performances. It encompasses the communication which takes place between directors, managers and employees. Jonathan Curran tells us more. Running behind goals, the organisations and managers are not paying adequate attention to the internal strategies, which might not directly affect their […]
How to make training more commercially credible
Al Bird gives us some great advice on how to align your training proposition with financial business objectives. For many years, L&D departments have been under pressure to cut costs, with the CIPD annual Learning and Development survey revealing that the average training spend per employee has reduced from £361 in 2002 to just £286 in 2014. […]
The Learning Awards 2015 – Finalists
Headline Sponsor – Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development Internal Learning Solution of the Year – Sponsored by QATelefonicaCentral Manchester University Hospitals NHS TrustGlaxoSmithKlineLegal & General Assurance SocietyLV=Sainsbury’s External Learning Solution of the Year – Sponsored by Cisco AfinitiBP and LearningAge SolutionsPurple MediaQA with SantanderSaffron InteractiveSquared Online Apprenticeship Programme of the Year – Sponsored by New […]
TrainingZone interviews: John Batten
Recently our sister site Sift Talent interviewed John Batten, senior development consultant at St. James’s Place, about what the day-to-day life of a training department in financial services looks like. Tell us about St. James’s Place and your role there. John Batten I have been with St. James’s Place in the Partnership Development function for […]
Performance Improvement should not be training in isolation
Mike Collins continues his series on evaluation and the New World Kirkpatrick Model. Following my first article on what’s changed in evaluation, this is the second in the trilogy exploring the world of evaluation, and in particular the New World Kirkpatrick Model, exploring how it is providing new ways for L&D professionals to approach their work. […]
Is Your Workplace Design Affecting Employees’ Productivity?
Tess Pajaron investigates the impact of a well-designed workplace on employees' productivity and offers solutions that significantly improve the atmosphere of any working environment. If you never fully realised the impact of the working environment on an employee's efficiency, professional approach or creativity, it's high time you did. A recent study conducted by the Commission […]
I’m not a writer, but…
You write at work every single day, but that doesn’t mean you necessarily know how to get the best from your words, says Teresa Ewington. Are you a writer? Chances are, you’ve answered ‘no’. But if I asked you if you write emails, training material, proposals, presentations, reports, policies, manuals or anything similar – you’ll say yes. In […]
How are you using lessons from neuroscience
This month the CIPD have published a report called Neuroscience in Action: Applying Insight to L+D Practice. How are you using the emerging science about how the brain works and learns to inform your learning design and delivery? I'm interested in practical applications – how has neuroscience informed your learning and change management design and […]
Do your staff hate their office?
Gemma Harding gives us a few tips to up the office productivity levels. The Google headquarters in Mountain View, California, with its primary coloured beanbags and well-stocked fridges, has become the stuff of legend. Notorious for their unorthodox and relaxed attitude to work spaces, with ‘fireside’ meeting pods and sofas that you can call your […]
Preparing your employees for remote working
Russel Cooke offers some advice on managing and training your remote workers to ensure productivity and business success. The Office for National Statistics found that 13.9% of the UK workforce works from home. The home-based working trend appears international, as one in five Americans already work from home, and that number is expected to increase […]
Learning Live 2014 [LIVE COVERAGE]
Watch our live coverage of this year's Learning Live right here. the event takes place from 10-11 September 2014. Live Blog Learning Live 2014 window.cilAsyncInit = function() {cilEmbedManager.init()};(function() {if (window.cilVwRand === undefined) { window.cilVwRand = Math.floor(Math.random()*10000000); }var e = document.createElement(‘script’);e.async = true;var domain = (document.location.protocol == ‘http:’ || document.location.protocol == ‘file:’) ? ‘http://cdnsl.coveritlive.com’ : […]
Perception versus reality in L&D [INFOGRAPHIC]
The GoodPractice Learning Trends report gathers feedback and opinion from the UK’s senior L&D community about the key issues and challenges they face. This handy new infographic summarises five key findings from the report and highlights some important questions that every L&D department should consider. Crammed full of new research, insights and analysis into the […]
How A Leader’s Mood Affects Team Performance
A leader’s emotions are the secret driver of great performance. Research on emotional intelligence in the workplace has found links between a leader’s emotional maturity and business success. A leader’s emotional style sets the tone in the office. Through their moods, leaders have the power to create a work culture that is either positive and […]
The Myths of Customer Service
Exploding the myths of popular customer service phrases. All credible until you look beyond the words….. 1. The customer is always right If they were we'd be out of business! Sometimes the customer has been mislead or misunderstood. So maybe the phrase should be: 'convincing the customer they were less right than they thought they were'! […]
Are you in the zone?
Not feeling too motivated? Bryan McCrae says all that can change – you just need to understand resilience. With huge sporting successes in the last couple of years, Britain winning 65 medals in the 2012 Olympics then Andy Murray winning Wimbledon, it shows that with the right motivation you can achieve the unthinkable. So, what […]
Exceptional customer service – feel the love!
What differentiates exceptional customer service from good service? It could be to do with 'feelings' – how the recipient of service feels afterwards. If customers and clients walk away from an interaction with us with a warm, positive feeling then whatever we did is an example of exceptional customer service. In other words we 'delighted' […]
The power and value of execution pt5
In the penultimate of his six-article series, Jonathan Kettleborough concludes his look at the key ingredients for ensuring flawless execution within a successful L&D department. In the first article in this series I looked at the three key issues that L&D professionals need to focus on to ensure they execute flawlessly. These were: always deliver […]
The power and value of execution pt4
In the fourth article of this series, Jonathan Kettleborough continues his look at the key ingredients for ensuring flawless execution within a successful L&D department. Empowered staff are the ones who fix problems, who go the extra mile to make sure you’re booked on the right course, who say ‘no problem’ when you ask them […]
The FACTS of performance management
Ian Day and John Blakey continue their series on challenging leadership. This time, the focus is on performance management. “We need to get rid of David, he’s just not delivering. Sort it out for me” said the director to the human resources manager. In my former career in HR I remember several conversations that started […]
The power and value of execution pt3
In the third article of this series, Jonathan Kettleborough continues his look at the key ingredients for ensuring flawless execution within a successful L&D department. In the first two articles I looked at the three key issues that L&D professionals need to focus on to ensure they execute flawlessly. These were: always deliver to meet […]
