Bytes People Solutions’ online learning portal allows for companies to encourage employee growth and development through e-learning, offering a valuable alternative to traditional, classroom-based or instructor-led training in the workplace.
The development of employees is a powerful tool to ensure talent retention in an organisation, and also produce engaged and committed employees who in turn ensure happy customers and ultimately excellent business performance.
In order to achieve the successful development of employees, a formal talent and performance management process should be followed, culminating in a personal development plan or PDP for each employee. It is Bytes People Solutions’ experience that in most cases, a PDP is made up of traditional, class room-based or instructor-led training. This is even more true when management and leadership programmes form part of the employee’s career path development.
Unfortunately employees nowadays find it difficult to make the necessary time available to attend training because of work pressure and family responsibilities or other challenges such as the distance to travel to where the physical
classes are presented.
To this end, Bytes People Solutions (BPS) believes that employees and human resource officers should consider a wider variety of course delivery offerings, including e-learning, to form part of a blended portfolio of learning interventions for the individual’s learning or career path.
BPS’ online learning portal allows for a client to encourage growth and development for their employees in the workplace through e-learning. There are no exorbitant tuition costs, and candidates can receive certified training. Long gone are the days where e-learning only focuses on simple learning interventions – high quality management and leadership development programmes are available for online delivery.
According to Madeleine van Tonder, business unit executive for Online Learning at BPS, the portal is reflective of many industries’ call for legislated, continual, professional development and facilitates a hassle-free way of allowing employees to upskill themselves in the workplace, without the challenges associated with part-time, after hours studies. The platform fulfils a dual purpose – it places continued education at the forefront of an organisation’s growth strategy and also promotes the element of convenience for employees through e-learning.
BPS first piloted the portal internally before taking it to market – with pleasing results. In late 2013, the company gave 50 employees the opportunity to complete a variety of course modules including subjects such as Introduction to Sales, Developing the Capacity to Think Strategically, Understanding a Manager’s Role, Communicating with Confidence, and Recognising and Responding to Conflict. The online portal pilot project was so successful internally, says Madeleine, that the organisation decided to market it externally to its customers.
As a more cost and time effective option, e-learning through the online portal has much to offer new managers that are looking to prepare themselves for their role.
One of the management courses offered to clients is the Online Leadership and Management Programme for Developing Managers. This course is pitched at managers with little spare time to study, but for whom a recognised certification is important. The flexibility provided by an online course means that the manager can learn at his or her own pace, anywhere and at any time through the Bytes People Solutions online portal, which can be accessed remotely.
Another example is the Foundation Programme for Developing Managers. This course consists of approximately 20 hours of online learning comprising six modules – Developing Performance, Leadership Skills, Managing Change, Team Development, Business Skills and Coaching.
Businesses that embrace technology to their benefit, specifically with regard to internal training and development, will gain efficiencies and arguably a more skilled workforce. BPS’ online portal allows employees to advance their career path and empower themselves to deal with the challenges they encounter on a day-to-day basis. At the same time, the company benefits from engaged and committed employees which culminates in happy customers.
This solution can revolutionise internal talent development within corporate South Africa.