1、Winning the Race forDigital SkillsThe New Best Practices of Effective Learning2Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningREADING PROGRESS1Introductionpage 32Executive Summarypage 83The Increasing Demand for Digital Skillspage 114How to Effectively Add Digital Sk

2、illspage 205The 4C Model for Digital Upskillingpage 436The Business Case for Learningpage 457The Learning Organisationpage 518The Master List:Building a L&D Strategy forDigital Skillspage 659Research Methodologypage 6910Further Readingpage 7011Citationspage 71Contents“3Winning the Race for Digital S

3、kills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning1.IntroductionBy providing the right opportunities framed in the rightway,everyone in the organisation can become part of alearning organism,adapting to the environment andremaining competitive,no matter how conditions change.Ashley Friedlein,Founder

4、 of EconsultancyHow do businesses keep up with customers,technologies and events that areperpetually in flux?Just as they always have,by learning.The only difference today is the velocity ofchange,which only accelerates for professionals in the fields of marketing,ecommerce and customer experience m

5、anagement.Most of our attention is drawn to the customer behaviour,data and technologiestransforming every sector,but the key success factor in thriving through thischaos is straightforward:our ability to identify,onboard and use knowledge.To succeed in an increasingly complex environment,profession

6、als in digitaldisciplines have no choice but to master the ability to learn,adapt,and apply newlessons.Organisations with this agility will have more knowledge,tools andsolutions to draw on when faced with challenges.This report explores the nature of learning for individuals in the digital ecosyste

7、mand the practical challenges for the businesses trying to support them andachieve a variety of goals.Rapid changes in their customers behaviour have forced many companies torethink every element in their go-to-market strategy,generating enormousdemand for new skills and knowledge on the workforce.I

8、n response,Econsultancy conducts ongoing research to identify a framework forupskilling that reconciles both traditional and digital approaches.This research is part a series of studies and reports,including:A Guide to the Modern Marketing Model(M3)and OrganisationalStructuresM3 was designed to reco

9、ncile classical and digital marketing.It provides aclear reference to help clarify an organisations expectations of what themarketing function does.It is a guide to the Modern Marketing Model andOrganisational Structures report.The Skills of the Modern MarketerThe Skills of the Modern Marketer repor

10、t identified key skills required for asuccessful career in digital marketing.In addition,using quantitative data,itanalysed how well aligned those skills requirements were with the reality ofthe marketing industry.READING PROGRESS4Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effecti

11、ve LearningThe Fundamentals of MindsetIn this first of its kind research,Econsultancy proposed a 10-step model forapplying classic mindset psychology work to digital disciplines.Theinterrelationship of mindset with successful learning outcomes was a keyaspect of the research and model.How Marketers

12、LearnThe direct ancestor of this report,How Marketers Learn focused closely onindividual learning needs and practices.This report builds on that work,expanding to cover a wider set of roles requiring digital skills in its researchsample,including respondents in ecommerce,customer experience,andanaly

13、tics in addition to marketers.The purpose of this research is to examine key aspects of how organisations andindividuals can better approach the learning and development of digital skills.READING PROGRESS5Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning1.1 Contributor

14、sEconsultancy would like to thank the following people for their contributions:READING PROGRESSWe would like to make a special acknowledgment to Sean Donnelly,formerSenior Analyst at Econsultancy,the primary author of“How Marketers Learn”,the 2019 work which preceded this report.Peter Abraham,Co-Fou

15、nder,weareCrank,co-author of Buildingthe Agile Business Through DigitalTransformationStefan Acquarone,Trainer,Marketing ConsultantMathew Barnard,LearningConsultantLucy Barker,HR consultantTracy Bizelli,Director,L&DInfrastructureCian Corbett,Digital ContentMarketing Manager,Allied IrishBankVanessa Da

16、ly,Senior MarketingExecutive,Third Light LimitedDanny Denhard,Marketing Coach&AdvisorAndy Dorling,Sales EnablementManager,GWIMatt Duffy,Chief MarketingOfficer,PixabilityAndy Evans,Founder DigitalFoundersBrad Einarsen,Senior VicePresident,Social Media,KlickHealthMatt Fleming,CEO,Read ModifyWriteGavin

17、 Flood,Senior Director,Global Marketing,ToastNicholas Foote,Senior Manager ofBrand Strategy&Operations,CarharttCarey Franklin-McInnes,Assistant Vice President,Learning&Performance Development,Canada LifeSinead Geraghty,SeniorMarketing Manager,AWSMindy Gofton,Head of SEO,OwnYour SpaceLee Grunnell,Int

18、erim ChiefMarketing Officer,Womble BondDickinson(UK)LLPIan Jindal,Founder&Editor inChief,Internet RetailingPaul Jocelyn,Capability Lead,Lloyds Banking GroupColin Kavanagh,VP,GlobalMarketing,Malibu&KahluaColin Lewis,Advisor,Grace&Co.Aoife McIlraith,FreelanceInternational Digital MarketingConsultantNe

19、il McKinnon,MarketingDirector,KeplerKath Pay,Founder and CEO,Holistic Email MarketingNeil Perkin,Founder,Only DeadFish,co-author of Building theAgile BusinessCasey Schaffer,US Lead,Talentand Culture Transformation,CapcoSimon Swan,Director,DigitalMarketing,Karo HealthcarePamela Trickey,Owner,Trickeys

20、Brews and BevsSarah Znideric,GlobalCommercial Partnerships andStrategic Alliances,Linnworks6Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning1.2 About the AuthorStefan Tornquist is the SVP of Learning and Research atEconsultancy.He is focused on the experience and curr

21、iculum development of Econsultancyson-demand learning.Stefan manages a team of subject matter experts,designersand experience creators that turns best practice research into dynamic learningcontent.Before moving to the learning side of the business,Stefan led Econsultancysresearch in North America.H

22、e is the author of over 100 papers exploring topicsin professional development,marketing,technology and businesstransformation.Stefan has conducted research with partners such as Google,IBM,Microsoft,Oracle and Salesforce.Since 2010,he has designed the research for Adobe andEconsultancys Digital Tre

23、nds series,the industrys largest ongoing study ofglobal trends in digital marketing and customer experience.In addition to industry publications,his work has been featured in the Wall St.Journal,New York Times,USA Today,NPR,CNN,CNBC,and AdAge.Stefan began his digital career as co-founder of ad tech

24、pioneer Bluestreak,nowpart of Dentsu.He is president of The Research Wonks collective of analysts andresearchers focused on digital media,marketing and transformation.READING PROGRESS7Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning1.3 About EconsultancyDigital market

25、ing and ecommerce training built for the real world.Since our inception over two decades ago,Econsultancy has been at the heart ofthe digital marketing and ecommerce community bringing fresh perspectives,deep insights and the kind of expertise that only comes from living and breathingour subject mat

26、ter.We believe that truly transformational growth of your business,its people andtheir skills can only come from having unquestionable expertise behind you.Our vision is to help leaders build on their success and deliver exceptional valuefor their customers,with talented teams confident in their dig

27、ital abilities.The old model of professional learning isnt working.To succeed in todays digitalworld,your people must be engaged and inspired with their training.They needthe answers to their questions on-demand,whenever and wherever they needthem.They want structured learning.They want access to sk

28、ills and knowledgethat transforms their talent for real-world results.Econsultancys Multi-Touch Learning approach does that,blending on-demandand event-based learning with research and webinars tailored to your companysculture.Its a proven learning method that puts your people first unlocking theski

29、lls and knowledge they need,to drive the measurable business growth youwant.Were on a mission to transform how companies grow by training their digitalteams.Learning is more than just online lessons;its about empowering peopleto upskill with purpose.Get in touch to find out how we can help your orga

30、nisation achieve and surpassits digital goals.Contact Damian McAlonanCommercial Director for E+44(0)207 970 4108READING PROGRESS8Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning2.Executive SummaryKey LessonsDemand for Digital Upskilling Has Only IncreasedExisting macr

31、o trends were accelerated by the pandemic as the consumer shiftonline forced a decades worth of digital transformation into six months oncompanies in virtually every sector.The repercussions of the shift increased the need for digital skills across theenterprise,but particularly focused on the areas

32、 of ecommerce,marketing andcustomer experience.At the same time,technological evolution,shortened product life cycles and theincreased importance of the digital customer experience mean that organisationsmust aggressively pursue learning to stay current,let alone lead their markets.READING PROGRESSI

33、n all,83%of executives say that theirorganisations growth depends onrapidly evolving their employees skills/capabilities to meet emerging customerand business needs and 92%report thattheir plans require skills that are new to thebusiness.Only 27%say that the businesscurrently has the digital skills

34、to accomplishtheir goals.Over half of enterprise organisations say thata shortage of digital talent has led to aloss of competitive advantage.Further,the lack of skills in digital,marketing andecommerce ranks as a top-three challenge toimproving customer experience.Eighty percent of professionals re

35、port that theskills necessary for their job areevolving rapidly,increasing the pace atwhich they must add and update theirdigital skills.In 2019,one-third of studyrespondents said that most digital marketingskills required updating at least quarterly.Today,57%say they need to add new skillsand knowl

36、edge at least monthly.Seventy-nine percent of senior executivesbelieve education and training areessential to their companys digitaltransformation.83%54%80%79%9Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningHow to Effectively Add Digital SkillsREADING PROGRESSWhile t

37、ime constraints are cited by40%of executives and 43%ofpractitioners,when developmentprograms match career goals and offer avariety of learning options,only 19%ofemployees say they dont have the time tolearn.Organisations enjoying thegreatest returns from theirlearning investment(improved digital ski

38、lls,increased retention,competitive advantage,innovation source,etc.)offeremployees a wider range oflearning modes and topicareas than those that seelimited results.While 35%of professionallearners are set in their ways either eager for or resistantto corporate learningprograms the two-thirds inthe“

39、moveable middle”shouldbe the focus of learning anddevelopment.The focus of structured learning should be on building knowledge and context,complemented by on-demand resources around specific best practices and processes.Engagement data shows that how-to videos are viewed multiple times by the samele

40、arner,suggesting that they return to specialised/technical knowledge as needed.A key lesson of the research is thatprofessionals have a broad and dynamicdefinition of learning that often isntmatched by their development programs.For example,while 71%say that trendsanalysis would be useful in their j

41、obs,only 25%report receiving it from theiremployers.Organisations should offeraccess to easy-to-find,up-to-date andtrustworthy information across a widerarray of learning modes than havetraditionally been available.Companies have been quick to offermicrolearning,but often at the expenseof structured

42、 learning and theorganisations longer-term goals.Thosethat offer structured programs aresignificantly more likely to describe theirlearning efforts as providing acompetitive advantage,a method foridentifying/building talent and as asource for innovation.10Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New

43、Best Practices of Effective LearningThe Business Case for Learning Has Never Been StrongerAlso in Winning the Race for Digital SkillsThe 4C Model for Digital UpskillingHow to Move the Moveable MiddleEconsultancys Digital Mindset ModelThe Steps to Building a Learning CultureA Guide to Learning Design

44、 by RoleREADING PROGRESSEmployees at topperformingcompanies are 36%more likely to havereceived non-compliance trainingin the last 12 months.(69%vs.48%)Executives at companiesthat invest in multi-modal learning anddevelopment are morethan twice as likely thantheir peers to say theiremployees have the

45、necessary digitalskills to meet businessgoals.(57%vs.27%)Hiring is tooexpensive and timeconsuming to bridgethe digital skills gap.Senior staff see training/education as the fastest(70%)and most cost-effective(61%)way toboost their employeesgeneral digital skills,when compared to hiringor outsourcing

46、.Employees at companiesthat deliver multipletypes of learning aremore likely to say thatthey find learningopportunities to be atangible benefit oftheir jobs.(68%vs.48%)Two-thirds of seniorexecutives say that theirlearning anddevelopment programlags behindorganisational needsin digital marketing,ecom

47、merce and relateddigital roles.Only 43%of executivessay that theirorganisation is adept attraining to meet newstrategic objectives.11Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning3.The Increasing Demand forDigital SkillsThe digital skills gap is stifling the worlds

48、economies.In the UK,72%of businesses have vacancies for workers with digital skills and 68%are having trouble finding them.Over half of enterprise organisations say that a shortage of digital talent has ledto a loss of competitive advantage.Further,a lack of skills in digital,marketingand ecommerce

49、ranks as a top-three challenge to improving customer experience.In all,83%of executives say that their organisations growth depends on rapidlyevolving their skills/capabilities to meet emerging customer and business needs.Today,only 27%say that their businesses have the digital skills necessary toac

50、complish their goals.Hiring alone is too expensive and time consuming to bridge the gap.Senior staffsay that compared to hiring or outsourcing,training is the fastest(70%)and mostcost-effective(61%)way to boost general digital skills.This section attempts to identify the industry-specific factors th

51、at requiremarketers,ecommerce professionals and other participants in the digitalecosystem to regularly update their skills.Writ large,many companies struggle to provide the kinds of digital experiencescustomers have come to expect.Internally,they cant create and maintain thesystems to effectively e

52、xecute,automate and measure the interconnected digitalstrands that make those experiences possible.READING PROGRESS12Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning3.1 Customer experience(CX)asa strategic priorityA key component of Econsultancys Modern Marketing Mode

53、l(M3),CX isdefined as“the sum of all the experiences a customer has with a business duringtheir entire lifetime relationship,not just the key touchpoints(productawareness,social contact,the transaction itself,post-purchase feedback)but alsohow personal and memorable these experiences are”.Today,busi

54、nesses in almost every industry identify CX as their top strategicpriority.To effectively compete on experience demands that what marketingcommunicates needs to match reality.This expands the role of marketing beyonddriving intention to purchase,to focusing on the relationship with a customer,from a

55、wareness through to post-purchase experience.The Modern Marketing ModelManaging CX means constantly working to keep up with or ideally anticipate thecustomers needs,which places the onus on teams across marketing,customerservice,product and CX itself to operate in concert and continuously upgradethe

56、ir capabilities.Not surprisingly,executives at large organisations identify“improving teamsdigital and CX skills”as their second-highest operational priority for 2023,behind only increasing efficiency through automation.READING PROGRESS13Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of

57、Effective Learning3.2 Shortening company,business model,and productlifespansCompanies,business models and individual products age quickly in the digitalera.Professor Richard Foster of Yale University famously found that the averagelifespan of a publicly traded company in the S&P 500 index had decrea

58、sed from61 years in 1958 to just 18 years in 2020 and is forecast to shrink to 12 years by2027.While in practice many of these companies will simply be purchased,or merged,the lesson still applies.Many of todays leading companies are already becomingobsolete and the research indicates that the rate

59、of change is increasing.Decline in Company Lifespan Over TimeDriving some of the turmoil,previously reliable business models are underpressure to evolve or change entirely.In a study of retailers,CPG and branded manufacturing,32%of respondents saidthat if their organisations primary business model d

60、id not change,their companywould be out of business within three years.Meanwhile,in Adobe and Econsultancys 2023 Digital Trends Study,27%oforganisations with over$100M in annual revenues report that they are making asignificant shift in business model in the next twelve months.Nearly doublethat numb

61、er(48%)are restructuring their sales,marketing and/or CXorganisations over the same period.The journey from innovation to commodity is so swift that organisations must berelentless in understanding the market and responding with new products,services and ways of doing business.In fact,92%of senior e

62、xecutives say theirstrategies require skills that are new to the business.READING PROGRESS196035years742002512(est)14Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning3.3 Digital marketing,experience,and commerce in an era oftechnologica

63、l changeThe internet had been upending business models for more than 20 years beforethe COVID-19 pandemic drove another decades worth of digital adoption in sixmonths.As attention shifts online,brands understand that they need to make use ofdigital media channels to make people aware of their produc

64、ts and allow them topurchase products and services in whatever manner they prefer.The ebb of the pandemic sparked a return to offline purchasing,but digitalremains omnipresent in product discovery,research,fulfilment and ongoingservice.Sixty-three percent of brands in Adobe and Econsultancys 2023 Di

65、gitalTrends Study say that their customers“are looking to replace historically offlineexperiences with digital experiences”and 54%go further,suggesting that theircustomers“increasingly want to go through the entire journey without humaninteraction.”Businesses are constantly evaluating and adapting t

66、heir own technologies tomatch,with nearly half of all companies describing themselves as being in themidst of a significant technology overhaul/re-platforming at any given time.Powerful technological and social forces will continue to have an impact on anever wider set of industries.In its reports,a

67、nalyst sessions and trends briefings,Econsultancy focuses on many of these:ubiquitous connectivity,artificialintelligence,and digital transformation to name a few.Learning is a critical piece of preparing for and thriving through new conditions,but many organisations fail to connect learning goals w

68、ith whats coming;only43%of executives say that their organisation is adept at training/learning to meetnew strategic objectives.READING PROGRESS15Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning3.4 Digital strategy andtransformationThe proliferation of ways in which s

69、ignals,concepts and conversations can beexchanged between brands and individuals has given businesses a greaterunderstanding than ever before of how customers behave before and after apurchase.But each new touchpoint adds operational complexity.Teams must be adept inevery channel and understand how

70、to align it with an integrated strategyspanning the customer journey.Meanwhile,wider concepts such as ecommerce,data-driven marketing,andcustomer centricity sit across channels and disciplines.It not surprising,then,that 79%of percent of senior executives believe educationand training are essential

71、to their companys digital transformation.Research has shown that the main stumbling block to effective change is internalresistance;as individuals and teams,employees are uncomfortable with changehappening to them,leading to a transformation failure rate of anywhere from35%to 85%depending on study d

72、efinitions and methodology.Learning is the most powerful tool available to help a workforce change its mindvoluntarily as it comes to understand the realities and prospects of a newstrategic vision.Because of the newness of the area,training grew up around specific disciplines.Econsultancys digital

73、curriculum in 2010 comprised 10 topic areas.Over the following decade,the industry began to see disparate interactions aspart of a holistic customer experience and grappled with the necessary technologyand processes.The number and variety of skills required to support the digitalbusiness increased i

74、n tandem.Econsultancys Skills Taxonomy now identifiesnearly 1,400 skills categories across digital marketing,ecommerce and customerexperience management.READING PROGRESSAnalyticsContentData managementDisplay advertisingEmailPaid search/pay-per-clickSearch engine optimisationSocial mediaUser Experien

75、ceWeb/app design16Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningTodays digital curriculum ranges from the fundamentals of established channelslike email to considering the implications of emerging disruptive capabilities suchas predictive analytics and artificial in

76、telligence,all within the context of strategy.Established capabilitiesNew capabilitiesAdded to the number of new disciplines is the increasing pressure on digitalprofessionals to understand the mechanics of their trade:how the technologythey use can be applied and what becomes possible as it evolves

77、.This representsa new level of technical skill that was not required even a decade ago.In todays digital business,practitioner knowledge is invaluable.This has to dowith contracting programme cycles and turnaround times.Many teams simplylack the bandwidth to commission,instruct,review,feedback and d

78、eploy.It mayall be done by the same person or team within a very short space of time.Further driving the move to“in-housing”is the growing emphasis on first-partydata as a key corporate asset.Organisations want to keep that data close and havethe capability to manage and learn from it,which adds to

79、the sophistication ofskills required internally.Brands and their L&D teams need to be clear on how knowledge,which includesprinciples and how their industry works,relates to core digital skills such asbranding,planning and selling as well as specialist skills around tactics andtechnologies.Econsulta

80、ncy refers to these attributes as Knowledge,Skills and Mindset.READING PROGRESSAnalyticsApplied AIIntegrated brandmanagementContentCustomer experienceData managementDigital transformation/agilityDisplay advertisingEcommerceEmailMobile experiencePaid search/pay-per-clickDigital product integrationOpe

81、rationsSearch engine optimisationSocial mediaStrategyCross-functional technologymanagementUser ExperienceVideoWeb/app design17Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningHierarchy of Skills FrameworkPractitioners in digital disciplines require three distinguishabl

82、e,yet mutuallyenforcing qualities:Mindset relates to people skills aligned with organisational values and culture.Out of mindset flows the attitudes held by an individual that drives behavioursuch as being open to and seeking out new opportunities for learning.Knowledge relates to facts,information,

83、understanding and broadfoundational skills acquired through experience or study.Skills relates to the ability to take specific actions,often requiring technicalexpertise.As the impact of digital spread from individual marketing channels to every partof the enterprise,it became critical to align lear

84、ning with organizationalpriorities,maximize participation and optimize the experience for impact andretention.Econsultancy developed its philosophy of learning based on more than twentyyears of research and experience at the forefront of digital evolution,striving tocontextualize the why,what and ho

85、w of effective learning for digital skills,knowledge and mindset.The WhyTo lead business change,professionals in marketing,customer experience andecommerce must stay ahead of evolving customers,innovations,and markettrends.To accelerate performance,they must quickly add and update digital skills and

86、knowledge.To build sustainable advantage,organizations must develop and maintain theknowledge and culture to build a defensible customer experience.READING PROGRESSSkillsKnowledgeMindsetContextUnderstandingCan be learned/requires contextRequiresexperience/studyPersonal traits,whole-mindedthinkingTas

87、k-based skills toparticipate productivelyin a teamIntellectualfoundations andcore principlesBehaviours,drivers,the willto learn andimprve18Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningThe WhatSkills are how professionals in digital disciplines put their knowledge a

88、ndexperience into practice.Learning should begin with an assessment of the gaps inskills and generate learning journeys to address them.Learning should support professionals as they grow from specialists to broadentheir knowledge and connect that expertise with organizational strategy.Mindset will m

89、ake or break innovation and transformation.We believe thatmindset can be assessed and optimized for individuals and organizations.The HowWhether its designed for a data analyst,generalist marketer or ecommerceleader,learning must link to career and company goals.Those goals mustdetermine the learnin

90、g experience.Humans learn best when information is reinforced and supported over time byreal world applications.Research and experience are clear:multiple,blendedforms of learning promote true understanding,retention and knowledgebuilding.Excellence in the rapidly evolving digital arena requires con

91、tinuous learning.Todays best in class learning doesnt end with a certificate.It provides theindividual with constant updates,a blend of structured and in-the-flow materialsin an experience that encourages its users to“always be learning.”Econsultancys Philosophy of Learning ModelREADING PROGRESS19Wi

92、nning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningKey PointsREADING PROGRESSExponential technological change,digital transformation,shorteningbusiness lifespans and theincreased importance of customerexperience mean thatorganisations and individuals needto adopt and maint

93、ain a learningmindset.Sixty-three percent of brands saytheir customers are looking toreplace offline experiences withdigital experience.In contrast,only 27%of executives say theirorganisation has the digital skills itneeds to accomplish its goals.Practitioners in digital disciplinesneed a combinatio

94、n of threemutually reinforcing qualities knowledge,skills and mindset.To succeed in this complexenvironment,businesses have nochoice but to master the ability toadapt,learn and apply new lessonsin ever-changing conditions.Thosewith this agility will have moreknowledge,tools and solutions todraw on w

95、hen faced with newchallenges and opportunities.Seventy-nine percent of seniorexecutives say that education andtraining are essential to theircompanys digital transformation.Learning is the preferred methodfor adding digital skills quickly andcost effectively.20Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The

96、 New Best Practices of Effective Learning4.How to Effectively AddDigital SkillsTo understand why digital skills learning has had to evolve,its useful to examinehow challenges have shifted over the last few years.When Econsultancy lastcarried out this research in 2019,the key operational issues in le

97、arning were alack of priority and insufficient budgets.Today,the issue on everyones mind is time,or their lack of it.L&D leaders rankemployees willingness to devote time to learning at the top challenge to learning.Companies own willingness to allocate time for learning ranks second.Inlockstep,execu

98、tives rank time constraints as the top factor when asked about whyits challenging to engage their employees in training.The answer is more nuanced from learners.Time is an issue cited by 43%,buttheir primary concerns are value and relevance.Above all,they want learningthat clearly relates to their j

99、obs today and their careers moving forward andhaving a range of resources that are easy to navigate.In fact,when learning programs match career goals and offer a variety of learningmodes,only 19%of employees say they dont have the time to learn.A key lesson of the 2023 research is that professionals

100、 have a broad and dynamicdefinition of learning that often isnt matched by their development programs.To support upskilling and decision making,organisations should offer access toeasy-to-find,up-to-date and trustworthy information across a wider array oflearning modes than have traditionally been a

101、vailable.Further,businesses should strive to strike a balance between on-demandresources and collaborative learning.Despite time constraints,live elements arecritical to the most powerful learning programs.READING PROGRESS4.1 A vision for learning pays offTraining is often presented as an ad-hoc res

102、ource or occasional event.Yet,timeand again,the research makes clear that employees are more motivated andenthusiastic when they understand the purpose of learning in the context ofpersonal and organisational goals.This is an important difference between the companies outperforming theirsectors and

103、the mainstream;the former are far more likely to develop trainingplans for employees that map to short or long-term goals.(64%vs.41%)The case for a strategic approach to professional development is clear.The mostsuccessful organisations are far more likely to provide their employees with atraining p

104、lan thats tied to performance reviews,and in many cases,a clear set ofprofessional learning objectives that is aligned to their career path.21Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningSuccessful Companies Enrol Employees with Learning PlansEmployees clearly resp

105、ond to having learning plans.Seventy-four percent ofrespondents with training that maps to their career say that learning is a tangiblebenefit to their job,compared to the average of 57%.Learning with a Plan Is a More Tangible BenefitREADING PROGRESSMainstreamHigh PerformersAd-hoc trainingLearning a

106、pproaches by company performance“Learning opportunities here are a tangible benefit to my job”My learning plan maps tomy career goalsVariety of learningapproaches offeredEmphasis on onelearning approach(microlearning orstructured)Average(57%)44%19%Training plan w/manager,objectivesmapped to short-te

107、rm goals16%28%Training plan w/manager,objectivesmapped to long-term goals25%36%Self-directed plan15%17%74%68%48%22Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning4.2 A multi-modal approach tolearning is more effective for theemployee and the businessEvery organisation

108、 has its own learning objectives,but broadly they are trying toachieve two outcomes related to digital skills:to help their employees accomplishspecific tasks today and build the knowledge to do their jobs better in the future.Solving for these very different use cases is one reason that the most ef

109、fectivelearning programs blend a variety of learning modes,offering on-demandsolutions for so called in-the-flow learning necessary to accomplish a given taskas well as structured learning to build knowledge.Not surprisingly,a multi-modal approach is more effective than any singletraining method.Six

110、ty-three percent of employees would add a wider mix oflearning methods to their current training and those who receive a multi-facetedlearning program are 35%more likely to say that they see learning as a tangiblebenefit than peers whose training is heavily weighted to a single method.(68%vs.48%)Mea

111、nwhile,companies that offer multiple learning options are 40%less likelythat their peers to say that their learning lags their needs as an organization.(48%vs.72%)Perhaps most powerfully,executives at companies that invest in multi-modallearning and development are far more likely than their peers t

112、o say they have thedigital skills necessary to meet business goals.(57%vs.27%)From the organisational viewpoint,multi-modal learning has a strongrelationship with improved outcomes.An analysis of companies who areachieving multiple,positive results from learning reveals that they offer a greatervari

113、ety of learning modes and learning areas than companies citing fewer returnson their investment.Learning Programs That Offer a Multi-Modal Approach Have aGreater Impact on the OrganisationThe differences between high and low impact learning programs are sharpest inthe areas of live learning(80%vs.29

114、%)and providing curated sources on trends/best practice(70%vs.19%)or markets(68%vs.24%).While it can be difficult for large organisations to bring teams through a commontraining and development curriculum,its clear they should not completelydelegate responsibility to the individual learner.Starting

115、any new task or activity requires a certain amount of energy,leading tosome reluctance,especially in the face of a long,real-world task list.But once thatreluctance is overcome,the phenomenon of action bias sets in and learnersbecome more engaged and motivated to continue.Striking a balance between

116、whats offered and whats encouraged(or required)sits with the business.Of course,there is sometimes a delta between what digital skills professionalsmight want to learn and what the organisation wants(or needs)them to learn.Hence the value in aligning everyone in the organisation around the same,over

117、arching vision.READING PROGRESS23Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningLooking at what changes learners would make to the training they receive,itsclear that the needs of the individual are generally in alignment with bestpractice,and the goals of the organi

118、sation.Learners top priority is relevance,embodied by the desire for learning that ismore specific to their job.They also recognise the power of multi-modal learningand prioritise a mix of learning methods along with collaboration and practicalexercises.READING PROGRESSLearning platform thataggregat

119、es learning materials030404050506060707080809090100100Information sources on ourmarkets/customersInformation sources on trendsand best practicesLive learning opportunities-workshops,classes etcOn-demand video training forjob specialtiesMindset trainingCore area knowledgeSoft skills-creati

120、vity,negotiation,projectmanagementSpecialist skills related to jobfunctionWhat learning resources does your organisation offer to employees?In what areas does your organisation offer training to employees?46%24%19%29%22%49%41%52%59%62%68%70%80%37%60%62%74%81%Low impact learning programs achieve two

121、orfewer benefits to the business.Valued employee benefitIncreased retentionCompetitive advantageSource of innovationIdentify/develop leadershipThe organisations that report limited resultsfrom learning programs typically cover a smallerrange of topic and a limited set of learningmodes.High impact le

122、arning programs achieve at least3 of 5 benefits to the business.Valued employee benefitIncreased retentionCompetitive advantageSource of innovationIdentify/develop leadershipThe organisations that report the greatestimpact from learning programs typically offermore topical coverage and a wider set o

123、flearning modes.24Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningLearners Want Variety,Collaboration and ApplicationFor the business,this means aligning individual learning goals withorganisational goals,matching the content to the role,and offering deliveryoptions t

124、hat are varied and respectful of the time employees have available.If thiscan be achieved,then both the individual and the organisation can flourish.4.3 Microlearning is one answer,not the only answerThe last decade has seen the rise of microlearning.Although it has no setdefinition,the term typical

125、ly describes short,self-contained units that address aspecific,sometimes technical point.Its easy to understand this growth when everyone in the value chain wants morelearning in less time.Microlearning clearly addresses the need for in-the-flowsolutions that can quickly provide guidance and answers

126、 to complete a specifictask.Microlearning can also help learners mitigate the forgetting curve,whichsuggests that a learner will have retained only 25%of new information within sixdays if it hasnt been applied.Quick,timed doses of microlearning can be used toreengage learners or to reinforce concept

127、s.Econsultancys own data shows that how-to microlearning videos are viewedmultiple times by the same learner,suggesting that they return to specific ortechnical knowledge as needed.The data,however,calls into question an approach that leans on microlearningtoo heavily.In the previous section,for exa

128、mple,we saw an overlap between low-impact learning programs and those most likely to rely on video libraries.Structured learning which might be on-demand or blended with livecomponents is necessary for true skill development.It also connects with largerorganisational benefits.Companies with an empha

129、sis on structuredprogramming are significantly more likely to describe their learning efforts as acompetitive advantage,a method for identifying/building talent and as a sourcefor innovation.READING PROGRESSWhat changes would professionals make to the learning/training experiencesthey receive?(Top 2

130、)N=934More specificto my job role68%57%Collaborative with others at my company55%Shorter,easierto consume48%Mix of different learning methods63%Exercises to apply what Im learning25Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningMicrolearning Underperforms a Structure

131、d ApproachMicrolearning is an important component in assisting employees to bridge theskills gap,but is most effective when it complements more in-depth,structuredlearning.Learners need,and generally want,structured learning to build knowledge andcontext beyond simply understanding a stand-alone con

132、cept.For example,a two-minute video about how to structure keyword research is useful,but its far morevaluable when coupled with an understanding of how the paid search auctionmodel operates.4.4 How to motivate the“moveable middle”Analysis of preference and experience data suggests that professional

133、 learnerscan be categorised by their attitude to structured,workplace learning.While 35%of professional learners are set in their ways they are either eagerfor or resistant to corporate learning programs the two-thirds in the“moveablemiddle”should be the focus of learning and development.The outlier

134、s are those who are either self-motivated,voracious learners or,at theother extreme,those who express negative feelings to virtually all types ofcorporate learning.For the self-starters,the job for heads of learning is to make sure resources areeasy to find and relevant.Organisations should be mindf

135、ul that even formotivated individuals who invest time in their own development,this time maynot necessarily result in adding value to the business.The key is that thereshould,at the very least,be some collaboration between the organisation and theindividual.READING PROGRESS60708090100a va

136、lued employee benefita competitive advantagea way to identify/develop talentan innovation toolAt our company,learning is48%38%40%27%49%56%48%N=15953%We emphasizeon-demand“microlearning”We emphasizestructuredlearning26Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningFor

137、 those who will do whats required but resist non-required learning,the task issimple let them be.This group doesnt map to a lack of skills,poor mindset oran unwillingness to learn overall.Rather,the compliance-only learners are oftenmore senior and have a strong bias to driving their own learning.It

138、s the two-thirds majority in the moveable middle who represent the differencebetween ordinary and outstanding results from learning.The Moveable Middle:Addressing the 5 Attitudes to CorporateLearningREADING PROGRESSCompliance onlyThe five attitudes to corporate learning mainly apply to structuredmat

139、erials.The overwhelming majority of all learners are positive about,and appreciate having access to,on-demand tools that support the in-the-flow of work use case.Only 15%of all respondents say they dontfind use in such resources.The moveable middle16%Reluctant,but19%Just a pushEager withstructure22%

140、24%Self Starters19%StructuredIn the flow65%85%15%27Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningEager,with StructureLearners who are highly open to learning but benefit from external structurecomprise nearly a quarter of all study respondents.This group shares the

141、positivefeelings and enthusiasm for learning of the self-starters,but they wont take thesame advantage of available resources without some degree of onboarding andongoing encouragement.They benefit from live kick-offs to learning programsand are more likely than other groups to respond to gamificati

142、on,such as leaderboards.Just a PushExecutive introductions,investment in third-party learning providers,allocatedtime to learn and other signs of corporate priority are effective for those whorequire just a push.This group needs help in seeing the connections betweenlearning and outcomes but respond

143、 well once programs are underway.Reluctant,butThe last group in the moveable middle is reluctant,but will respond to the rightstimuli.This group is sceptical of corporate learning,but can be enrolled withspecific,career-mapped learning that is supported by social engagement and cuesfrom above,such a

144、s evaluating progress during managerial check-ins.The key takeaway from the moveable middle analysis isnt that learning heads tryto categorise their teammates,but rather to reinforce the necessity of applyingbest practices to learning experience and design.Universal FactorsCareer mapping establishin

145、g the connection between learning objectivesand specific roles or categories of role.The process helps to identify gaps,opportunities,and possibilities for the learner.For example,providing juniorecommerce staff with courses on merchandising and product marketing mayhave limited immediate effects,bu

146、t contextualises tasks,and dovetails withlonger-term positive outcomes.Onboarding at its best,a learning program is an important touchstone forindividuals and teams.But first its crucial that the opportunity and priorityis made clear.An effective onboarding effort brings participants together,ideall

147、y in live settings,features senior leadership and clearly outlinesexpectations and outcomes.Executive sponsorship employees pay attention to what the organisationprioritises.Having senior leadership support is crucial to getting the rightresources,but is equally vital to communicating that the organ

148、isation valuesthe program and the individuals in it.Manager check-ins learning progress and plans should be a regularcomponent of one-to-one meetings with employees.Managers shouldprimarily mentor their employees learning journeys,but can also emphasizethe priority of completion if they get off trac

149、k.READING PROGRESS28Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningSelected Individual FactorsAccreditation for some its especially important that course materials carrysome level of accreditation.This varies wildly but can be as straightforwardas a certificate of co

150、urse completion.It should be sufficient to allow andencourage sharing achievements to their network and adding them to theirCV.Social elements group learning works to enrol and engage people throughthe bonds they share and competition they enjoy.As in-person workshopsare no longer the standard for t

151、raining,its vital to include the humanelement in learning thats increasingly self-driven and solitary.Social capabilities are proliferating within learning management systems,but any L&D group can integrate discussion groups,messaging channels,etcAt Econsultancy,were strong believers in complementin

152、g structuredtraining plans with peer-to-peer learning,where two or more teammateswork together,checking-in,quizzing one another and role playing.Its apowerful commitment tool and very effective at embedding knowledge.Gamification the possibilities of gamification are endless,leading to amuddy defini

153、tion that includes anything from leader boards to immersive 3Dexperiences.In most digital skills training,gamification tends to be a way ofincreasing engagement through competition,although the use of limitedgame elements is growing.Simulations adjacent to gamification,simulations and scenarios arei

154、mportant components of learning,especially in self-directed programs.These interactive practice elements give learners a way to put their traininginto practice,try out different decisions and see how they lead to differentoutcomes and embed knowledge.Assigned time to learn some companies give employ

155、ees a set time to learn,but data is scarce on the efficacy of the practice.On the one hand,it clearlyestablishes priority and could be a powerful complement to a popularlearning program.On the other,for some employees it can feel like a burdenrather than a benefit,especially if the learning program

156、isnt seen as highlyrelevant.READING PROGRESS29Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning4.5 Designing learning by roleLearning needs evolve throughout an employees career.For example,practitioners build expertise over time,and they benefit more from inspirationt

157、han best practice.Conversely,managers tend to move increasingly from doing toplanning.The learning available to them should evolve and expand as theyprogress.Using a mix of preferences captured in the research,curriculum maps andengagement data,the following table distils learning options by role as

158、 aguideline for learning strategy.A Guide to Matching Learning Modes with SeniorityThat said,a central finding of the study is that preferences and consumptionpatterns vary significantly by individual.Some senior executives want structuredcourses just as some junior staff like to read reports.Hence

159、this guide is best usedto evaluate the breadth of development solutions rather than as a set of rules.Goals What Does the Role Want/Need out of Learning?Our learning needs to change with our seniority.People early in their careersneed to understand the context and workings of their digital disciplin

160、es,beforemoving into the best practice phase,which,for some,can last a whole career.Managers and directors often seek inspiration from outside industries,expertsand trends they want to know which trends,technologies and companies tofollow.Senior staff can view learning as something for the people wh

161、o report to them,but find value in information that can help them benchmark their organisation.READING PROGRESSPrimaryGoalLearningPreferenceDiscoveryMethodOn-demandformatLive formatSenior staffBenchmarkingReadingCuratedTrendsbriefingsF2F PeerDirectors(US)InspirationIn-personCuratedCase studiesF2F Pe

162、erManagersInspirationIn-the-flowCuratedMaster classesWebinarsPractitionersBest practiceStructuredAssignedCoursesWorkshopsJunior staffFoundationalknowledgeStructuredAssignedLearningplansIndustryevents30Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningLearning Preference

163、 How Does the Learner Prefer to ConsumeLearning?Junior staff might want to be set free to pursue self-directed learning,but theybenefit more from structured programming,which is also the highest ratedpreference for practitioners with some tenure under their belts.Managers tend to need both structure

164、d and in-the-flow learning options,but areheavy users of just-in-time learning to answer specific questions.While senior staff still prefer to scan an executive summary(that may even beprinted out),engagement data shows that some leaders are also voraciousconsumers of microlearning about new tech an

165、d trends.Discovery Method Whats the Best Way for the Employee toDiscover New Learning and Information?As people are establishing their careers,their development should be helpedalong with assigned,structured learning thats complemented by curated options.“Assignment”doesnt necessarily mean a strict

166、compliance approach,simply thattheyre enrolled in a structured program with set timings and expectations.More senior employees benefit from having trustworthy,curated resources thatsave them discovery time and introduce new ideas and options.On-demand Format What is the Optimal Type of On-demandLear

167、ning Format?Econsultancys own engagement data shows that theres enormous variability inon-demand learning consumption by role.Some CMOs take the time to consumeon-demand courses and some junior staff love to stay up on the latest trends.That said,there is a general progression as employees move from

168、 novice toveteran to leader.Junior employees benefit from structured learning plans with a clear progressionfrom one piece of learning to the next.These generally include multiple coursesin each topic,with assessments and simulations to embed knowledge.Ideally,they also include activities designed t

169、o counteract the forgetting curve that takeplace at regular intervals after the coursework.Practitioners also benefit from learning plans but may also start to consumeindividual courses on relevant topics.They should have the latitude to skip or testout of courses that cover familiar territory.Those

170、 who test out of elements of agroup learning plan can be enlisted as coaches for teammates.Managers who are veterans in their discipline can benefit from master classes topush their expertise in emerging areas or technical aspects of their trade.Equally,they should have the option to build knowledge

171、 in areas that are complementaryto their role,or the role for which theyre being groomed.In marketing forexample,its common for people to reach a managerial role without having a firmgrasp of formal budgeting and accounting processes.For more senior leadership,the primary job of learning is to provi

172、de informationthat inspires,such as case studies from competitors and other industries,orguides decision-making through exposure to trends and benchmarking.READING PROGRESS31Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningLive Format What Type of Live Learning Format

173、is Best Suited tothe Role?Live elements are very powerful and should be blended with on-demand trainingthroughout a learning plan and a career.Virtual sessions may not have the built-in engagement of face to face but are still effective and practical for a distributedworkforce that may only occasion

174、ally be in the same place at the same time.In addition to live elements in their learning programs,newly minted digitalworkers should be exposed to the breadth of their discipline through industryevents.Conferences expose them to a wide variety of topics,colleagues,andvendors,and can help shape thei

175、r career planning.Practitioners flourish from group workshops with peers.These sessions can bebuilt around a specific mission or problems to be solved,or a new practice/trendin their discipline.Its important to include time for unstructured,roundtable-style discussions that let them learn from shari

176、ng challenges,lessons,andachievements.As employees get to a level where they might be speaking rather than attendingan event,their needs for live learning change.Managers benefit from theproliferation of webinar-based learning on highly specific topics,while seniorstaff typically reserve their time

177、for smaller,face-to-face events with peers.READING PROGRESS32Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning4.6 Examining the new elementsof learningLearning should aspire to unlock the maximum potential of the employee andpay the greatest dividends for the business.

178、This means taking full advantage ofthe opportunities created by digital learning.The technologies responsible for the digital skills gap are also changing how itcan be overcome.Digital culture has expanded opportunities by providing accessto information via online repositories of trends,information

179、and best practice,topic communities,learning platforms and social elements.The following factors are among the most powerful agents of transformation inlearning digital skills:A note on learning stylesIts important to distinguish between using multiple modes of learning toincrease impact and attempt

180、ing to cater to“learning styles”.The concept of learning styles grew to popularity in large part because it seems tomake intuitive sense:people are unique and respond to different kind of learning(watching,moving,reading,etc.)so the ideal approach is one thats tuned to theiroptimal method.A variety

181、of frameworks were developed using the learning styleconcept,such as the VARK model referring to visual,aural,reading/writing,andkinaesthetic modes.Unfortunately,behavioural and cognitive research has found no basis for relyingon this approach to boost learning outcomes.While we may express a prefer

182、encefor how we think we learn best,theres no relationship to how we actually learn.Nor is there any improvement in test scores or other measures in double-blindstudies.Where the research is clear,however,is that using different approaches(multi-modal learning)to help embed and contextualise knowledg

183、e is highly effective.The choice of a learning approaches should seek to fit the topic,not theindividual.READING PROGRESSCentralised access to contentCurated information sourcesAccess to expert practitionersLive learningAccess to communities of practiceExperiential learningPersonalised and multichan

184、nellearning33Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning4.6.1 Centralised access tolearningDigital workers are always a click or two away from a search engine or AIinterface to go looking for answers.Sources of information are everywhere andaccessible through mul

185、tiple devices.The modern customer experience has shown us that any form of friction reducesusability and conversion.The learning experience is no different;the easier it isto find,understand and access learning materials,the more likely teams are touse the available resources.The increasingly hybrid

186、 nature of teams has only increased the need to centraliselearning.While distributed work has had many advantages to workers and theiremployers,theres an increasing body of work that suggests that there arepotential negative consequences to the ways in which information is shared andinstitutional kn

187、owledge is captured.Providing one place where learning resides can help mitigate these issues,especially if they include social elements that encourage interactions and user-generated content.However an organisation tackles the centralisation question whether through alearning management system(LMS)

188、,intranet or outsourced platform itsimportant that the first priority is the learning experience.These solutions are often sold on the strength of their measurement and thecommand/control capabilities available to the L&D group.When asked to ranktheir own priorities,L&D professionals cite engagement

189、 and reporting&analytics at nearly the same level.(90%and 82%respectively)This is fair,butas the short list of vendors is reviewed,administration should not trumplearning.Key implicationsLearners should not take a laissez-faire approach.The importance of havingaccess to centralised,reliable,up to da

190、te and trustworthy material has neverbeen more important.From an enterprise perspective,while content is readily available,organisations that want to develop measurable capabilities will require astrategy for measuring and assuring the quality of learning(and learningresources).READING PROGRESS34Win

191、ning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning4.6.2 Sources of curatedinformationWhen it comes to types of learning content,there are important gaps betweenwhat employees in digital roles say they find most useful in their job and whatsprovided by their organisations.A

192、mong the top-ranked types of information are trends in the employees area,market-specific best practices and case studies,which are often underserved.Infact,respondents rate“trends in my area/discipline”as the most useful to theirjob,while only 25%report being offered that information by their compa

193、ny.Opportunities to Expand Learning ContentSimply put,our definition of learning content should expand to match thelearner.Digital marketers,ecommerce professionals and customer experience managersare no strangers to trends and best practice content.In fact,they are oftenoverwhelmed by it.The flexib

194、ility of how and when content can be accessed means individuals canengage more easily in learning to meet personal or organisational requirements.But the demands of digital roles mean that teams cannot waste time looking forthe right content,consuming irrelevant information or evaluating credibility

195、.Without effective curation,learners may take a haphazard approach and qualityassurance is an issue.As we saw in Section 4.2,organisations enjoying the highest impact from theirlearning programs are more likely to provide the variety of sources employeesneed to gain knowledge,be inspired by case stu

196、dies,understand market trends,identify best practices and get how to instruction.READING PROGRESSTrends in my area/disciplineBest practicesin my area/disciplineStructured coursesCasestudies in my areaOn-demand instructionOffered bymy companyVery useful inmy job25%71%32%70%52%58%30%56%56%46%N=88735Wi

197、nning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningCurated content,typically available through third-party platforms,can provideorganisations with up-to-date and trustworthy data and content.Examplesinclude:Analysis and evaluation of latest trendsBest practice guidance for

198、 new tools and tacticsCase studies covering effective and inspiring efforts across industriesVertical-and domain-specific analyst reportsResearch databases covering industry and customer researchBenchmarks of channel and/or sector performance.Such content can support just-in-time learning as well as

199、 provide relevant datafor decision making.Key implicationsLearning success depends upon the range,depth and quality of the learningexperiences.Our corporate definitions of learning should expand to matchthe de facto definition of learners.Equally,the demands of digital roles mean that employees shou

200、ld not wastetime consuming irrelevant content and then evaluating its validity.READING PROGRESS36Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning4.6.3 Access to expertpractitionersAcademic qualifications will equip learners with the theoretical knowledge andstrategic

201、awareness to understand new digital skills and their context,but withthe rate of technological change,there is a role to play in education by expertpractitioners.Just as online influencers have become powerful voices in affecting peoplespurchase behaviour,so too have individual subject matter expert

202、s entered theworld of digital skills.This can happen via YouTube videos,access to short-formand on-demand elearning courses.Another approach is via in-house or external communities where learners canpose questions and reasonably expect a quick response from a fellowprofessional.Key implicationsThe r

203、apid pace of change puts greater emphasis on just-in-time learning.This means that specific learning requirements are better fulfilled by expertpractitioners than traditional education.Just as there is a plethora of content,so too is there a glut of onlinepersonalities positioning themselves as expe

204、rts,or worse,“gurus”.Learnersneed to check the backgrounds and education of these influencers to avoidmistaking good storytelling with expert credentials.Alternatively,learningleaders may work with partners that can do this work on their behalf.4.6.4 Live learningEven as the variety of learning opti

205、ons becomes more widely available thanks tomore,better and faster content,there are qualities and value in live learning thatare hard to replicate.One hypothesis for the positive impact of live training is the clarity and focusoffered by group learning in a time(and sometimes space)set aside from th

206、e day-to-day.The time to think of new ideas is itself as valuable as the training content.Today,live learning is most often delivered virtually as businesses find itchallenging to collect hybrid teams together and allocate sufficient time forworkshops lasting more than a few hours.However,the potent

207、ial for learning inface-to-face classroom settings should not be overlooked.Trainers and students alike report that the benefits of live learning areaccentuated in a face-to-face setting.READING PROGRESS“37Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningLive learning

208、can provide participants with:A commitment mechanism.Human beings are not always logical.While wemight aspire to raise our skill levels and can even see the personal benefits,the demands of the day often take precedence over self-driven training.Depending on its design,digital learning can be skippe

209、d,shortened orpartially ignored in ways that do not usually apply in a live setting.The opportunity to hear the perspectives of others.Collaboration with theinstructor and other students has the ability to simultaneously inform andinspire.Live setting let ideas flow and encourage challenging interac

210、tion.A lab in which to develop soft skills,such as negotiation or mediation,whichbenefit heavily from exercises and personal interaction.The ability to learn from an expert who may not be aware of(or burdenedby)organizational baggage.Lessons that are adapted to the organisation or individual in the

211、moment.Immediate reactions to ideas and work in ways that help cement learningand inspire future activities.The key to unlocking the real value from this most expensive sort of learning anddevelopment is the action plan developed off the back of it.Good trainers will build in time for reflection and

212、 action planning into theirtraining courses.Live learning with ongoing supportThe biggest challenges around supporting training are setting aside not only thetime to train,but the time to implement,share and be immersed in newfoundknowledge.Lucy Barker,former Head of People,Rufus LeonardClassroom le

213、arning is great,but we also need to be able to provide the tools forwhen a person gets back to their desk.Nicholas Foote,Senior Manager of Brand Strategy and Operations,CarhartKey implicationsLive training remains a cornerstone of learning and can provide uniquebenefits in both initial impact and lo

214、ng-term retention.In-person and live virtual sessions can inspire and show learners what ispossible,but digital skills are not always gained in a day.Ongoing digital orblended learning is essential to turn the ideas into practice.Live training is particularly suited to strategic thinking,collaborati

215、on andsoft skills,which are rated as absolutely essential by professionals of allstripes.READING PROGRESS“38Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning4.6.5 Access to communities ofpracticeA community of practice(CoP)is a group of people who share a profession.Th

216、eymay exist within companies or across company boundaries.CoPs still exist inphysical settings but are more readily available online via learning platforms,social media,collaboration tools and messaging groups.These communities are made up of people who learn together;often,they arepeople with commo

217、n professional interests such as programming,ecommerce,entrepreneurship and marketing.Learners with strong growth mindsets should be encouraged to seek outcommunities of practice to develop a greater understanding of their professionand to learn from and teach colleagues.This can result in a richer

218、experiencethan simply being part of a professional membership organisation,althoughthose too should be encouraged and subsidised by the employer.The value of knowledge sharingI encourage my staff to network with their professional peers.I am a member ofmultiple formal groups that consist of other se

219、nior marketers.We meetbimonthly in each others offices where we share ideas and perspectives.I come away from those meetings informed and armed with new perspectives.The thing is that these groups have no(commercial)agenda.Nobody is tryingto sell anything to each other.Its just about knowledge shari

220、ng.This is a nicebridge between academic and practical learning.Gavin Flood,Senior Director,Global Marketing,ToastKey implicationsCommunities of practice fulfil several functions with respect to the creation,accumulation,and diffusion of knowledge in an organisation or professionalcommunity:They are

221、 nodes for the exchange of information.Members have a sharedunderstanding and so know what is relevant to communicate and how tocommunicate it.As a consequence,a community of practice can be a usefulchannel for sharing best practices and operational hacks.They can retain knowledge in“living”ways,unl

222、ike a database or manual.Communities of practice preserve the tacit aspects of knowledge that formalsystems and best practice guides cannot capture.For this reason,they areideal for initiating newcomers into a practice.When a community commits to being on the forefront of a discipline such asecommer

223、ce or digital marketing,members have a responsibility for keepingup with or sharing new developments.This permeable nature of the group creates many opportunities for learning,however care must be taken in terms of managing participation and groupdynamics.This may require a signatory code and/or a f

224、acilitator.Some professional bodies,agencies and learning partners can facilitate suchgroups via online platforms and by facilitating physical communities viaroundtable events and invite-only networking events.READING PROGRESS“39Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective

225、 Learning4.6.6 Experiential learningExperience is the hardest kind of teacher.It gives you thetest first and the lesson afterward.UnknownCognitive psychologists spend their time trying to identify optimal learningstrategies.While there are multiple theories of teaching and learning,one clearconclusi

226、on from this research is that when learning is experiential,it is moremeaningful,stronger,and durable,hence the importance of aligning individuallearning objectives and organisational goals.What qualifies as experiential learning?Todays definition in a digital world isexpansive,including almost anyt

227、hing that isnt passively taking in information.Included in the spectrum are the kinds of activities that can be built into on-demand learning,such as learning activities,scenarios,and simulations.Offline,many forms of experiential learning exist,from job shadowing to job swaps andmentoring juniors t

228、o a variety of on-the-job professional development programs.Job swaps are highly rated,but the sample of those participating in job exchangesis the smallest across the various learning modes and is not statisticallysignificant.Anecdotally,the folks who administer job exchanges suggest that thecomple

229、xities,costs,and disruption of job exchanges can sometimes outweigh theadvantages.From a best practice perspective,theres a challenge in how jobexchange programs are defined;they range from a few virtual hours to year-longimmersions.The act of mentoring is universally highly rated as a way of drivin

230、g the mentorsown learning.Understanding a job-related topic well enough to essentially teachit is a powerful commitment mechanism that can elicit a desire to learn for thebenefit of the mentee thats sometimes more powerful than the mentors interestin their own development.Regardless of the experient

231、ial learning options available,an essential componentis reflection.The time and impetus to think about and play with studied conceptsis a force multiplier for learning.In a Harvard Business School study,call centreemployees who spent just 15 minutes reflecting on their work at the end of theday had

232、22.8%higher performance than the control group.When people canreflect,they experience a boost in self-efficacy and so may put more effort intoapplying their learning.If learning and organisational objectives are well aligned,the resulting activeengagement with the topic can lead to more obvious and

233、powerful impact.Thisacquisition,application and reinforcing of knowledge aligned with strategy islikely to offer the largest ROI.READING PROGRESS“40Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningError based learningExperience gives you perspective.We call it error-ba

234、sed learning.Carey Franklin-McInnes,Assistant Vice President,Learning andPerformance Development,Canada LifeKey implicationsThe open nature of experiential learning means that it can often be difficult toapply KPIs,but it can be enhanced and measured in several ways:Debriefs:Debrief properly after e

235、very learning sprint or project to captureand codify learning into operational activities.This means soliciting inputfrom all stakeholders,recording and distributing learnings and decidingfuture actions for individuals and the team.An enlightened approachincludes capturing learnings from failures as

236、 well as successes.Opportunities for reflection:Related to debriefing,reflection provideslearners the opportunity to think deeply about their own learning,gaininginsight into themselves,their role and the activity.Line managers as facilitators:Line managers can introduce exercises thatinvolve reflec

237、tion via weekly meetings,quarterly strategy days and as part ofpersonal and peer evaluations.This might include encouraging employees toreflect on a project,campaign or subject matter from the points of view ofother disciplines and departments for developing broader awareness.Reflect on failure:It i

238、s not always possible to replicate certain learningexperiences,for example,when a poor pitch it delivered to a prospect.Inthese cases,there are no appropriate formal learning interventions.In suchsituations,line manager or coach can help the learner objectively reflect onwhat went well,and what can

239、be done differently next time.This mayinclude examining what training material might make sense to refresh thislearning for future reference.Peer evaluation:Participants reflect on the growth and learning of theirpeers and write constructive evaluations of their colleagues.Coaching:Leaders can also

240、support learners by facilitating just-in-time learningwhereby a more junior or specialist team member,can seek guidance from anexpert coach.Further,coaches can do more than assess performance.They can help learnersexplore by providing perspective and sharing their own experience.This changesthe infl

241、ection from being the expert that course corrects to helping the learnerachieve their goals.READING PROGRESS41Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning4.6.7 Personalised learningjourneysEmployees in digital roles have an abundance of ways to increase their skil

242、ls andcraft their own individualised learning journeys online and offline.These newopportunities for distributed,personalised learning are driving thetransformation of learning and development.For a long time,L&D professionals have recognised that employees come intolearning situations with differen

243、t background experiences,levels of knowledge,interests,and motivations.Accordingly,distributed learning channels allow formore fluid learning journeys than the more rigid pathways of the past,thusproviding opportunities to cater for individual learning differences.Nowadays,because of the wide distri

244、bution of sources of training and types ofteachers,learning is becoming more individualised.People have moreopportunities to learn about what they are interested in.Artificial intelligence is already impacting professional learning by enablingpersonalised feedback,assessment and even content.This wi

245、ll dramatically affecton-demand learning at scale,giving it the potential for a far more interactiveexperience.People can access learning that is much better adapted to where they want tostart the learning process and what their individual needs are as a learner.Key implicationsThis kind of individu

246、alised learning,while useful,may not align with theorganisations vision if managed completely by the learner.Employees require more opportunities to access learning through the rightmodality,at the right level and at the point that most suits their learningneeds.READING PROGRESS42Winning the Race fo

247、r Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningKey PointsREADING PROGRESSOrganisations that offer multi-modal learning are significantlymore likely to have the digitalskills they need and to seebusiness-wide benefits from theirlearning programs,such asincreased competitiveness andstaff

248、 retention.While 35%of professional learnersare set in their ways,the two-thirds in the“moveable middle”respond to a variety of engagementtactics and should be the focus oflearning and development.While time pressures are seen asthe key challenge to professionallearning by leadership,employeesthemse

249、lves are open to learningthat has a clear connection to theircareers and is offered through avariety of learning approaches.While microlearning is a criticalpart of modern skills development,but it underperforms structuredlearning and should not be theprimary focus of an organisationsL&D.The two app

250、roaches shouldbe used in tandem,withmicrolearning offering fast,in-the-flow answers and structuredlearning focusing on knowledgebuilding.Although individual preferencesvary considerably,there areparticular goals,preferences anddiscovery methods that map toseniority/role.The argument for offering lea

251、rnersan array of modalities should notbe confused with catering tolearning styles.This concept andthe popular VARK model referringto visual,aural,reading/writing,and kinaesthetic modes,have notheld up to scientific examination.43Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective

252、 Learning5.The 4C Model for DigitalUpskillingThe 4C model for adding digital skills is based on this and previous research,client interviews and analysis of over 35,000 professionals who have participatedin Econsultancys assessment and upskilling programs.The model defines an approach for organisati

253、ons attempting to achieve aneffective balance of time and resources for greatest impact.It highlights the waysin which to engage the highest share of employees in learning that producespowerful and durable results.The 4C ModelAdding Digital Skills is Continuous.No market is stable,no technology is s

254、tatic,and no discipline is stagnant.Employees in digital roles are under constant pressure to update their digitalskills and knowledge.Learning materials must be up to date to remain relevant,especially in dynamicareas such as trends,emerging technology and market data.To support always-on professio

255、nal development means delivering a wide array ofexperiences that challenge the learner and keep them engaged.To promote continuous learning,the experience should feature a personalisedand logical progression,giving participants a compelling next step in their own ora complementary discipline.To main

256、tain interest and enthusiasm for continuous learning,it has to inspire.Curiosity and creativity can be fostered by learning content that focuses on whatsemerging in a field and the real possibilities for customers and the business.READING PROGRESSConnectedCulturalConvenientContinuous44Winning the Ra

257、ce for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningEffective Training is Convenient.Convenience is a measure of friction.The closer we get to achieving a frictionlessaction,the more likely it is to occur.Professional learning is always in competition with rival tasks.The learningexper

258、ience has to intuitive and compelling enough to win the war for attention.Today,expectations of convenience are set by ecommerce giants.Regardless oftopic,level or format,the learner should be able to find what they need in no timeand have it suggested if theyre unsure.Intuitive experiences are more

259、 than just easy to use.They highlight learning like aretailer would,mixing required and recommended coursework with impulsecontent,using the accuracy of personalisation,the allure of variety and thepromise of empowerment.Trust helps create a frictionless experience.To be effective,users must believe

260、that the learning is relevant,enjoyable,and wont waste their time.Connected Learners are Engaged.Engagement increases when learners connect to each other,instructors,expertsand ultimately to the content itself.Self-directed learning is convenient,but its easy to disengage from an isolatedprocess.In-

261、person training is inherently engaging,but too time consuming andexpensive to be an everyday answer.The opportunity is to introduce connection into self-directed and on-demandtraining,while optimising the impact of live,event-based learning.The foundation of connected learning is to provide users wi

262、th a single touchpointor platform to minimise confusion and integrate different learning modes.Learners should have access to social elements that enable them to comment,addcontent and encourage each other.Not only does this increase individualengagement and retention,but it helps to build a storeho

263、use of institutionalknowledge for future learners.Cultural Factors Supercharge Learning.A companys approach to employee development does not have to mirror itslarger culture,but it often does.Traditional and market-driven cultures tend tolean on compliance to drive learning,while collaborative and f

264、lexible cultures aremore likely to use incentives and career planning.Learning cultures can be fostered independently to encourage,inform andinspire,with an emphasis on incentive over compliance.Teams see incentives such as career planning,awards and bonuses as a tangibleindication of how the organi

265、sation values it employees and learning itself.A true learning culture is built on a growth mindset,which can be fostered byfocusing on skills development,and bolstered with targeted training.Investment in learning is itself an expression of culture.Live,team learning maybe the shortest route to ins

266、tilling a powerful learning mindset,but all trainingshould reflect core values of engaging and inspiring the individual whilechallenging them to add and use their new digital skills.READING PROGRESS“45Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning6.The Business Case

267、 forLearningThe only thing worse than training your employees andhaving them leave is not training them and having themstay.Henry Ford,Founder,Ford Motor Company6.1 The impact of learning on theemployee experienceCorporate learning is ultimately about the companys goals and mission,but itmanifests t

268、hrough the employees that receive it.Broadly,57%of professionalssay that the learning opportunities available to them are a tangible benefit of theirjobs.In Section 4,we looked at the different variables that increase,or decrease,that percentage.To varying degrees,84%of professionals are open or eag

269、er for corporate-drivenlearning,which isnt surprising given that nearly the same share(82%)say that“the skills necessary for my job are rapidly evolving”.That evolution has pickedup steam since 2020;two-thirds report that the pace at which they need to learnnew skills has increased since the pandemi

270、c.The impact of learning on the individual is both practical(mastering a skill theycan use on the job and building their resume)and emotive(how they feel aboutthemselves and their employer.)When employees are provided a range of on-demand and event-based learningsupported by curated content,over 90%

271、report greater effectiveness andconfidence in their discipline.Research has shown that workplace training has a strong positive relationshipwith job satisfaction,and that relationship has little to do with age,gender orother demographic factors.In turn,job satisfaction has a positive relationshipwit

272、h longer job tenure and lowered intentions to leave.Learning also positively influences the fundamentals of organisational citizenship the factors that make for a great employee such as commitment and jobinvolvement.READING PROGRESS“46Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Eff

273、ective Learning6.2 The organisational benefits oflearningWeve committed to building our teams from the bottom up,and through this approach we can see our recruitment costsdropping and loyalty building.Lucy Barker,HR Consultancy,former Head ofPeople,Rufus LeonardQuantifying the commercial value of le

274、arning is challenging.Many organisationshave a reactive approach to adding digital skills,developing programs as needsarise rather than integrating learning with strategic planning.As a result,it isdifficult to cleanly measure the impact of a learning by using a pre/post design.However,many benefits

275、 of learning are measurable to the individual and thecompany supporting them.The Benefits of Learning Beyond Individual DevelopmentThe most readily accessed returns on learning investment are connected todevelopment.In addition to being seen as an employee benefit(one thatsconfirmed by employees),le

276、arning programs are also retention tools and a way toidentify and develop talent.READING PROGRESSValued employee benefit60708090100Increased retentionIdentify and developleadershipCompetitive advantageSource of innovationBeyond employee development What,if any,are the benefits of learning

277、/training to your organisation?36%31%36%11%11%71%64%58%39%41%L&D NOT wellaligned tostrategyL&D wellaligned tostrategyAverageN=36147Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningResearch has firmly established the learning and turnover connection,with a2021 study sug

278、gesting that retention rates rise as much as 30%-50%atcompanies with strong learning cultures.Conversely,the availability ofemployee development is cited as a key reason employees would consider leavingfor a new employer.How employees embrace and respond to learning is a strong indicator ofpotential

279、.Over 40%of organisations cite it as a way to identify top talent anddevelop a leadership pipeline,and the share rises significantly for thoseorganisations whose strategy and learning are well aligned.Some businesses view learning more holistically for its impact on performance.Just over one-quarter

280、 of all executives view their learning programs as acompetitive advantage.This manifests in a number of ways,but the top responsesfocus on increased productivity and technology utilisation as well as the role oflearning in making the company more adaptable to change.For nearly 20%,there is a straigh

281、t line between learning and innovation.Employees who participate in learning are seen as more likely to generate newideas,processes and ways of applying available tools.As the chart makes clear,the impact of learning on the wider organisation is afunction of its alignment with strategy.When companie

282、s that are adept at clearlytying development to priorities and projects,the results improve sharply.Similarly,although the study does not establish causality,it identifies a directrelationship between business performance and investment in digital skillseducation;as the variety of offered learning r

283、esources rises(a proxy forinvestment),so too does the likelihood of an organisation outperforming itssector.The Relationship Between Competitiveness and LearningREADING PROGRESS31%43%26%21%45%34%13%46%41%Undeperformed sectorSector averageOutperformed sectorSingle mode of learningAverage(2-3 modes)4+

284、modes oflearningInvestment in learning modes and performance vs.sectorN=643“48Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning6.3 The need for learning at paceand scaleChange is inevitable,and when it happens,the wisestresponse is not to wail or whine but to suck it u

285、p and dealwith it.Daniel Pink,author,A Whole New Mind:Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the FutureWhen compared with pre-pandemic data,respondents revealed a sharp increasein the pace at which digital skills need to be added and updated.The majority(83%)believe that their skills require updating at least

286、 quarterly,but the remarkable shift is when that figure is broken down further:nearly 60%say they need to add new skills and knowledge at least monthly.The Cycle of Digital UpskillingREADING PROGRESSHow often do digital skills require updating/adding?MONTH 1MONTH 6MONTH 2MONTH 5MONTH 3MONTH 428%26%2

287、9%17%+1 TIMES PER MONTHONCE PER MONTHQUARTERLYLESS THAN QUARTERLY49Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning6.4 Crossing the skills gap withtraining,hiring and outsourcingThere is no single method to building and maintaining the optimal set of digitalskills.Som

288、e organisations lean on outside partners,others prioritise hiring,whileothers emphasise training.By necessity,it is a combination of all three that worksfor most organisations.However,organisations that effectively use learning and development to upskillexisting employees can add capabilities and im

289、prove performance more quicklyand cheaply than their competitors who rely on other approaches.Meanwhile,hiring is seen as the best way to achieve the greatest impact from newdigital skills,often because new hires are recruited for specific skillsets andshould already be proficient.Likewise,hiring is

290、 statistically tied with outsourcing as the best route to addinghighly specialised and technical skills.While the balance between in-house/outsourcing tends to reset every few years,the emphasis on customer data has driven many companies to prioritise buildinginternal capabilities over data ownershi

291、p and management.Outsourcing in theseareas is increasingly seen as a bridge to capabilities rather than a long-termsolution.Training,Hiring or Outsourcing for Commercial Success?READING PROGRESSTraining/EducationHiringOutsourcing/PartneringFastest way to adddigital skills70%12%18%Most cost-effective

292、way to add digitalskills61%17%22%Greatest impact fromnew digital skills36%41%23%Best way to addhighly specialised/technical skills21%39%40%N=34850Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningKey PointsREADING PROGRESSWhen employees are provided arange of on-demand

293、and event-based learning supported bycurated content,over 90%reportgreater effectiveness andconfidence in their discipline.Professionals in digital marketing,ecommerce and customerexperience must add to or enhancetheir digital skills at a breakneckpace:nearly 60%say they need toadd new skills and kn

294、owledge atleast monthly.While 84%of professionals areopen to corporate learning,variables such as its connection totheir career and how learning isdelivered significantly affects theirenthusiasm and perceived value.There is a positive relationshipbetween learning investment andthe likelihood that a

295、businessoutperformed its sector in 2022.Executives are far more likely todescribe learning as a factor incompetitiveness,retention,andinnovation when L&D is wellaligned to company strategy.Training is seen as the fastest andmost cost-effective way to enhancea companys digital skills.Hiring isranked

296、narrowly ahead of learningfor producing the greatest impactfrom new digital skills andoutsourcing is seen as the best wayto add highly specialised,technicalskills.“51Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning7.The Learning OrganisationThe ability to learn faster

297、 than your competitors may be theonly sustainable competitive advantage.Arie de Geus,Former Head of Shell Oil CompanysStrategic Planning GroupSo far this report has largely examined the ways in which learning anddevelopment impact the people receiving training,how to increase that impactand the busi

298、ness case for investing in them.But what about the organisationsthemselves:i.e.,the groups or teams of people sharing the same objectives thathave an identity of their own?The strategic challenge is to create an environment for the businesses themselvesto keep learning,as if the organisation itself

299、could develop skills,retainknowledge and learn and develop like individuals.Learning organisation is the term given to a company that both facilitates thelearning of its members and continuously transforms itself.Learningorganisations acknowledge and understand how everything is interconnected andco

300、ntinuously changing:the people,processes,technology,ideas,competitivelandscape and business goals.Organisations that build the ability to learn fasterthan their competitors will continually stay ahead of them.Professor Edward Hess of the Darden School of Business at the University ofVirginia,in his

301、book Learn or Die Using Science to Build a Leading-EdgeLearning Organisation,wrote that to compete,both individuals and organisationsmust take their ability to learn the foundation for continuous improvement,operational excellence,and innovation to a much higher level.Organisationsthat fail to do th

302、is will become obsolete and professionals who fail to do this willbecome unemployed.Businesses need to find ways to continuously learn and adapt or else faceprofessional(and commercial)obsolescence.Individuals and their organisationslearn best when learning is facilitated and rewarded.7.1 Learning s

303、trategy begins witha mindsetLearning is a two-sided commitment,a collaboration that is both purposeful andscalable,between the individual and the organisation.The key to success isensuring that both have a plan for their learning and development.This meanshiring people with a learning mindset in the

304、 first place.READING PROGRESS“52Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningAfter all,the ability to thrive professionally is something that the best people lookfor in an organisation before they even consider applying to work there,and so avirtuous circular relat

305、ionship between vision,culture,talent and performance iscreated.The Circular Relationship Between Vision,Talent and CultureMarketing,ecommerce,and customer experience share a number of key traits:they are each a continuous exercise of creativity,critical thinking andcollaboration.These traits are hi

306、gher order thinking skills.For ongoing success and longevity,the work of people in these digital tradesneeds to upgrade from purely financial rewards to satisfying other importantvalues,such as mastery and autonomy.To ensure an organisations ongoingsuccess and longevity,it is not enough to provide f

307、inancial rewards to people indigital trades.Their roles must also satisfy other important employee values,suchas upgrading their skills and providing a sense of autonomy.Of course,if people are not paid at a competitive rate,they will not be motivated.However,for work that requires higher order thin

308、king(such as many day-to-daydigital economy tasks),money is only a motivator to the point at which theworker does not need to worry about it.Research indicates that for these kinds ofpositions,the impact of higher remuneration on working performance levels offat a certain point.If this is the case,t

309、he ability to develop professionally is something that couldboth attract high quality people and keep the best employees from leaving anorganisation.Hire for attitude,train for skillI look for grafters who are team players and hungry to learn and grow.Sinead Geraghty,Sr.Marketing Manager,AWSREADING

310、PROGRESSAttractivenessto candidatesRight peoplehiredGiven whatthey need todo their workStrong L&DcultureShared visionfor thebusiness andits people“53Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective Learning7.2 Organisational mindsetsCulture eats strategy for breakfast.Peter Dr

311、ucker,Author,Educator,ManagementConsultantAn organisational mindset is what some people call culture.We think of it as thelearning organisation commitment.Peter Senge writes about two organisationalmindsets that he calls learning and control.1.Learning mindset:Learning organisations embrace change.T

312、heyacknowledge that the systems of today are already becoming outmodes andthat new ideas are the only way forward.In learning organisations,peoplecan actively create the culture rather than simply respond to it.2.Control mindset:Organisations with control mindsets strive for stability.If control dom

313、inates,then people within those organisations may have theircreativity stifled,lose motivation and simply choose to limit their work tofollowing procedures,shying away from submitting ideas for fear ofembarrassment or failure.Corporate Culture Archetypes and LearningIn our 2023 Digital Skills Survey

314、,respondents were asked to select a phrase thatbest describes their overarching,corporate culture.READING PROGRESSCONTROL-BASEDTraditionalCollaborativeMarketFlexibleLEARNING-BASED28%23%27%22%54Winning the Race for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningREADING PROGRESSControl-bas

315、ed cultures“Traditionalenvironment withclear chain ofcommand,multiplemanagement tiersand an emphasis onstability.”(28%of the sample)TendenciesExecutives view learning as an employee benefit,but less likely to see other returns from learningsuch as a boost in innovation or competitivenessOrganisation

316、 is less likely to have the digital skillsto accomplish its goals.Less likely to see the organisation as adept atmatching learning to strategic objectives.Less likely to have an incentive-based learningculture.Emphasis on specific skills related to job function.Less likely to provide foundational kn

317、owledgebuilding.OpportunitiesShift emphasis from compliance/requiredtraining and experiment with incentives forlearning.Offer learning opportunities in knowledge andmindset to complement skills-focus.Identify learning opportunities that align withcorporate growth strategy.Wider mix of learning modes

318、 with an emphasison live-learning such as workshops,mini-missions and external events.“Market-drivenenvironmentexclusively focusedon the bottom line.”(27%of the sample)Learning-based cultures“Collaborativeenvironmentwhere the individualis valued,andcommunication is atop priority.”(23%of the sample)T

319、endenciesExecutives view learning as an organisationalbenefit,with returns in competitiveness,innovation and leadership development.Executives are more critical of the ability oflearning to match skills development withcompany strategy.More likely to offer a spread of learning modes.Employees in mar

320、keting roles under-index forskill levels in brand management and traditionalchannels.Employees stress the importance of accreditation.OpportunitiesUse executive interviews and learner polls todirect future learning coverage.Communicate results/enthusiasm to widerorganisation.Introduce social element

321、s to help surface overallparticipation.Highlight accreditation in communications toattract learners.Use incentives to ensure learners try a variety ofmodes.“Flexibleenvironmentthat emphasizesinnovation,individualresponsibility andrisk taking to achievemarket growth.”(22%of the sample)55Winning the R

322、ace for Digital Skills:The New Best Practices of Effective LearningTo be fair,defining ones corporate culture is more art than science.Someone in awell-funded part of the business that is focused on new product developmentmight view the company as having a flexible culture,while a few offices down,t

323、heir colleague tends a static P&L and sees the same business as traditional.But there are consistent differences between the categories,offering lessons tothose considering their learning strategy and questions of culturaltransformation.If an organisation wants to adapt,grow,and stay connected to cu

324、stomers,then itneeds to energise and empower its most valuable asset:its employees.The onlything that differentiates competitors today is their people and their ability tolearn.Technology and science move too quickly to be long-term differentiators.Consideration of the wider organisational changes r

325、equired to become a learningorganisation is important when it comes to providing employees with the supportand environment they need to thrive.In particular,the requirements of themodern digital business revolve around creative thinking and innovation,as wellas reliable,ongoing,and progressive learn

326、ing.On its own,skills-based training is insufficient for attending to these needs.If theculture of the organisation as a whole is control-based rather than learning-based,then vital elements of testing and learning,which allow digital teams tohelp organisations adapt to the future and retain or grow

327、 market share,will bestifled.The business will be slow to learn to learn and fail to change organically.In a business environment of perpetual change,this will eventually lead tofailure.However,a companys employee development program does not have to wait forits corporate culture to evolve.Learning

328、cultures can be fostered independently to encourage,inform,andinspire,with an emphasis on incentive over compliance.Teams see incentives such as career planning,awards,and bonuses as a tangibleindication of how the organisation values its employees and learning itself.Investment in learning is itsel

329、f a cultural decision that can influence theorganisation over time.All training should reflect core values with a compelling,continuous experience that respects the individuals time,while challenging themto add and use their new digital skills.READING PROGRESS56Winning the Race for Digital Skills:Th

330、e New Best Practices of Effective Learning7.2.1 The Digital Mindset ModelEconsultancy began its first formal research into mindset in 2018 because thetopic kept coming up in executive interviews.Since then,several studies haveexamined different aspects of mindset,and in 2020 the first iteration of T

331、heDigital Mindset model was published.An in-depth look at how the model worksis available here.The Digital MindsetFor the purposes of this report,we are going to focus on the relationship betweenmindset and learning.Core to the findings is that mindsets can shift for both people and teams.The very p

332、rocess of investing in and executing an effective learning program can,by itself,affect team mindsets.A mindset shift begins when an individual or team come to believe that change ispossible.In a professional context,the most tangible sign of change is when the businesschooses to invest time and mon

333、ey in training its employees.When that investment is made in the employees learning and development,itcan change the way they feel about the company and themselves as a team.Itopens the door to mental transformation,which is another way of looking atmindset.Facilitating and encouraging employees to cultivate the characteristics of a digitalmindset can help them to remain motivated and determined i