People Development

Unless you were living under a rock for the past decade, everyone has heard about online learning solutions. Throughout the years, online courses have become very popular and part of our everyday life. We can now study and even create our own courses thanks to many digital tools. It’s not as easy as A, B, C, but with a little effort, willpower, good advice, and a user-friendly platform, you’ll have all the ingredients for a winning recipe.

Discover the 6 easy steps to success!

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What's in this article

• Step 1: Define a clear project
• Step 2: Target your audience and adapt your strategies
• Step 3: Define your objectives and training structure
• Step 4: Define the titles and descriptions of your courses
• Step 5: Summaries are your best bet
• Step 6: Graded activities and exams

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Step 1: Define a clear project

In order to have a good project, you’ll need a good idea. Is your head filled with training ideas? Take your time to think about what you really want to offer and focus on that idea. With that in mind, it’s really important to think about the expertise and knowledge you would like to share.

Depending on your training topics, it could be relevant to scope out the competition in order to help you stand out. Take time to nail down your idea and assess the level of motivation and enthusiasm you have to share it. Once you are ready to go, it’s time to move to step 2.

Step 2: Target your audience and adapt your strategies

By defining your audience, you have achieved an essential and major step in creating your online class. Without it, it would be impossible to develop a training class that would target the right people and bring them any added value.

Once again, this step is incredibly important, because you are going to be building your training objectives, structure and strategies around it. When it comes to online training, you have to adapt to your market to fully reach it, and not the other way around.

Step 3: Define your objectives and training structure

First and foremost, you have to define a general objective, in other words, the big picture. Then, you will have to define a number of specific yet small objectives, directly linked to the skills and knowledge your future students will acquire when following your courses. Your objectives must always be clear, precise and simple. Depending on the scale of your training content, you will be able to split it into sections, subdivided into units and once more into lessons.

Important note: make sure your structure and objectives are completely in line with one another. By doing this, you are making sure that you follow and reach your course objectives.

Step 4: Define the titles and descriptions of your courses

To catch the eye of the participant, use a title that speaks for itself and doesn’t require any explanation. For your course description, use the language best fitted for your target market, while clearly explaining the content of your course. Students must quickly understand the content and topics of your course.

To do this, use formatting tools to help you layout your training courses, descriptions and objectives.

Want to know our secret formula?

Step 5: Summaries are your best bet

At the end of each section, feel free to give a summary and highlight the key points they should remember. You can use a summary in bullet points or an image that summarizes the main aspects of the content. You must always be crystal clear. This will help your students remember the information you have shared.

Step 6: Graded activities and exams

In every online course, it’s important to define a method and frequency of assessment. Even though it’s not the most popular step, it’s still important. It allows students to see how well they are doing and if they understand the material.

As a teacher you will also benefit from this step, it will give you the necessary clues to see what part of the course is understood and what is not, you will be able to adjust the content of your course accordingly.

Are you ready to create your online course? Would you like to know more? Stay tuned for our next article, where we will talk about how Workleap LMS will help you create your online course.

“Corporate training is cost-effective because employees become more productive!”

While this is true, how do you assess employee productivity? Unlike other indicators, it is difficult to measure something that seems so intangible.

We wrongly assume that being productive is putting in many hours in a work day. There are other employee productivity indicators that you should consider for your business, and that is what we will be looking at in this article. 

We’ll even show you a method to measure employee productivity!

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What's in this article

• 1. What is employee productivity?
• 2. Employee productivity indicators to monitor
• 3. How do you measure employee productivity?
• 4. Learning management systems can improve team productivity

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1. What is employee productivity?

Employee productivity is the efficiency with which your staff transform their effort into output. This output should be your company's value proposition. It is calculated by dividing the total output by the work required to produce it.

Does being productive really mean working 8 hours in a day? No, it doesn’t. 

This is obvious, and you’ve probably noticed it with you or your employees: it’s not because you’ve put in the hours that the work is done, let alone well done.

At Workleap LMS, we like talking about employee productivity, and we’ve found some definitions we’d like to share:

• The ses.webclass website states: “Productivity is a relationship between the production of goods and services, and the means that make it possible.”
• The La Tranchée website offers this definition of productivity : “Productivity yields value.”

An Instagram mini-poll with entrepreneurs found these definitions of productivity :

• The efficiency with which the production or task is accomplished
• Performing the right tasks efficiently and sustainably, in the long run 
• Working better towards your goals, through more impactful actions 

Above all, productivity is reflected in the value provided to the company.

In the case of a business, this would be accomplished by employees or teams.

Why measure your employee productivity?

We’ve just established that productivity is creating value by working efficiently.

So measuring productivity in your organization allows you to identify ways to increase your business value and make it grow.

This is a crucial point to address during your annual employee evaluation:

• Could the employee perform more tasks by working differently?
• Are they comfortable with their work?
• Do they have any ideas for improvement?
• etc.

You can also do a skill gap analysis in order to assess employee productivity within your company.

2. Employee productivity indicators to monitor

Remember that productivity is not defined by the numbers of hours worked. You could start by identifying a task list (not hours!) you could use as a comparator for each position in your company.

In doing so, you could consider :

• What is being done elsewhere
• What was achieved by former teams
• What is the average for current employees in the same position

Once you have the task list for each position, you can look at the bigger, long-term picture.

It is important to have a well-defined, clear, overall goal, either organizational or result-oriented:

• What does the company aim to accomplish?
• What is the timeline?
• What are the tasks that would help you to get closer to your goals?

Break it down into smaller objectives that you could distribute to each team or department.

This will allow you to see how the teams contribute to the company’s success and how they do it, through these productivity indicators.

Present and absent employee rates

Let’s address two other indicators you can use: present and absent employee rates.

Why these two?

Well, a high absentee rate could mean that employees are experiencing stress, or are not happy at work, and need to take time off, etc.

One or more absentees will lead to work tasks being done less quickly, and to less value being brought to the company. 

Remember that productivity is directly linked to value creation!

How can presenteeism be a problem?

If an employee goes back to work while sick, they will not only not be comfortable or really motivated, they could also risk contaminating others.

Therefore, remember that employees are the heart of an organization and you must take care of their physical and mental health in order to ensure their productivity.

3. How do you measure employee productivity?

According to La Tranchée, productivity is equivalent to the generation of value for the company (V).

It is the result of 4 factors:

• Idea quality (I)
• Production means (M)
• Expertise (E)
• Time (T)

So the formula for calculating productivity is: V = I * M * E * T

Practically, how can you assess this data? 

First of all, it is clear that if one of these values is 0 (as in a very, very bad idea, for example), the formula will not work.

It is necessary to find a balance between: 

• A good idea: does it generate more revenue or less expenses? 
• An efficient production means: does this software or material save time? It is easy to use? etc.
• Employee expertise: hiring beginners does not yield the same value as hiring seniors (but you can always train new recruits)
• Time spent on the job (if you need 10 hours on a task that takes 5 hours on average, something is not right)

It is up to you to define the criteria and their value, according to the context of your company.

Obviously, the formula to assess employee productivity is an indicator meant to detect abnormal situations. You should not use it to pressure your employees!

4. Learning management systems can improve team productivity

A learning management system allows you to offer in-house training and therefore increase your company value, at a lower cost.

Everyone has something to learn, beginners and seniors alike!

Instead of going to see a teammate and disrupting them in their task (it takes on average fifteen minutes to get back to a task, once interrupted), an employee could find the answer by themselves. Going to a colleague will only be an option if it is really necessary.

Furthermore, when opening up a new position, the hiring process is costly and time-consuming. 

You could recruit internally and use a learning management system in order to train employees already working within your organization. This way, you know for sure that the person likes the work environment and already knows how the company operates.

They could even become a super ambassador for your employer brand!

Remember that it is very important to choose the right learning management system in order to improve productivity!

Finally, here is quote by Peter Drucker that could guide you throughout the steps towards improving your company productivity:

“Nothing is more futile than effectively accomplishing a useless task.” 

So what will your next steps be to improve employee productivity in your company?

At some point, employees leave. Despite your best efforts to retain them!

Some will leave for a new job, others for personal reasons or to retire. But whatever the reason, you should pay as much attention to an employee who leaves as you do when welcoming a new one.

It's always best to part on good terms because you never know what the future may hold. Many managers neglect departing employees, yet their exit can be an important part of maintaining a positive image for your employer. 

The process and policies surrounding an employee's departure are called offboarding.

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What's in this article

• Meaning of offboarding
• Why create an employee offboarding process?
• Employee offboarding checklist
• Automate offboarding, so you don't forget anything

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Meaning of offboarding

Offboarding is an administrative process for handling the departure of an employee. Like onboarding, it’s a critical transition period. The way you handle a departing employee can affect your company’s internal and external image.

The offboarding procedure contains all the steps to follow when an employee leaves. It helps to standardize how to manage all resignations or dismissals, taking into account all legal requirements.

When does the employee offboarding process begin? 

The offboarding process usually begins when the employee gives you their famous two weeks notice. Several procedures must then be initiated until their employment is officially terminated.

Offboarding can even go beyond their employment.

You can definitely keep in touch with your former employees. They can help with your company's recruitment by referring people they know. They may even come back to you one day!

Why create an employee offboarding process?

It would be a mistake not to value the departure of your employees. Just like their arrival, their leaving is a milestone, and it’s important to accompany them to the end.

You think it's pointless to spend time on an employee who's leaving anyway?

There are many reasons not to ignore a departure! Here's why you should focus on employee offboarding.

Maintain your employer’s image

Ending a collaboration on good terms will positively impact your employer's image.

Your employees are brand ambassadors.

An employee will continue to talk about your company long after they’ve left. It makes sense that if they have reasons to speak highly of your organization, they are less likely to talk negatively about their time onboard.

The way your employees are treated will influence their attitude towards the company. It is in your best interest to take care of them until they leave, whether they do so willingly or not.

Keep in mind that your former employees may continue to work in the same industry.

What do you want them to say when they talk about your company to a competitor?

A smooth transition 

Employee offboarding also helps you take care of your team during this transition period. A rough start can cause waves and affect employee morale, motivation and productivity.

The departing employee is not the only one impacted – it can upset the entire team.

It's also an opportunity to plan the transfer of files, projects and know-how. Each of your employees probably has a lot of knowledge that may be lost if you don’t follow up with them. This could cause a skills gap. 

Failure to anticipate this transition could lead to embarrassment with your company’s suppliers or customers. Imagine if no one takes over an important task or project!

Attracting and retaining employees

Internally, employees will notice how their colleague's departure is being handled. If they feel that their co-worker is unfairly treated, their opinion towards the company may change.

Also, a departing employee who feels badly treated may spread this negative feeling within the team and outside the company. One departure should not result in a wave of resignations.

On the other hand, an ex-employee who has a positive experience until the end is more likely to speak highly of the company. They may even help you in your recruitment by recommending potential candidates. They may even come back to work for you in the future.

Take the opportunity to make improvements

An offboarding process should always include a final interview. This is an opportunity to review your departing employee's time with the company and receive feedback. Make sure you understand the reasons for their departure.

Listen carefully! They may share some insight on how you can improve.

Employee offboarding checklist

Your offboarding process should reflect your company's image. It must include the human values that are at the heart of your corporate culture, in addition to taking into account the legal and administrative details of the employee's departure.

Obviously, processes differ from place to place and from employee to employee. 

Here is an employee offboarding checklist of key points to think about:

1. The announcement, internally and externally
2. The transition period
3. The exit interview (or assessment)
4. The handover of company property
5. The departure

1. The announcement

When an employee tells you that they are leaving, it is essential to let the team know quickly. You can use this opportunity to point out some of the qualities that were particularly appreciated in that employee.

You will then need to announce the departure externally. Consider notifying customers, vendors and suppliers, among others. It makes for a smoother transition and helps redirect the messaging elsewhere.

2. The transition period

The two-week notice period (or sometimes more) gives you time to ensure that another team member will take overall projects. This is an opportunity to update the tasks that the employee was responsible for so that nothing falls between the cracks.

If your departing employee has knowledge or tasks that are not adequately documented, ask them to create an internal procedures document. You don't want to create an imbalance in organizational skills.

3. The exit interview (or assessment)

It’s always good to know why an employee has chosen to leave. An exit interview is one way to learn more about their decision and hear what they have to say.   

Ask them what they liked best and least about working for the company. They may have insight on how to help the company improve.

4. The handover of company property

It’s important to have an inventory of what the employee has in their possession (computer, keys, company ID, credit card, etc.) when their decision to leave is made. All company property must be returned, and the employee will need to be given instructions on how to do this.

5. Finalizing the departure

At the last minute, you will have to remove the departing employee's access to the company’s servers. For example, log-in details will have to be deleted, if applicable, and emails will have to be redirected to the person who will take over the job.

On the administration side, the employee's file can be closed.

Automate offboarding, so you don't forget anything

In an ideal world, employee offboarding is not an activity you will undertake every week. Since it (hopefully) occurs infrequently, it's a good idea to properly document the process in advance to avoid any errors or omissions down the line.

To facilitate this, you can create a learning path in your Workleap LMS platform that explains the offboarding process in detail. This means everything you need is in one centralized place, making the process easier when an employee decides to leave.

Ask for a Workleap LMS demo and find out how you can use our LMS to improve the management of arrivals and departures in your company!

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What's in this article

• The wildcard of you business growth
• The 5 disciplines
• Quick Take-Aways

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The wildcard of you business growth

When a company devotes itself to the development and training of its employees, it acquires the necessary tools to continually renew itself. It empowers itself in order to be able to adapt to the evolution of its business market, powered through the knowledge and the dedication of the workforce that composes it.

The competitive edge of a company lies in its ability to learn faster than its competition. If the key to success is narrowed down to foresight and adaptivity, it is only natural, even logical, to encourage and nurture the personnal and profressional growth of its employees.

Employee training is in itself one of the cornerstones of business growth. This is the very essence of what is called “The Learning Organisation”.

The 5 disciplines

The Learning Organisation combines 5 disciplines all at once, which focus on integrating and developing the individual, integrative and collective fields:

• Personal mastery: To equip and support employees in achieving their goals.
• Mental models: learning to get rid of our prejudices and current mechanisms.
• The shared vision: knowing how to connect individuals together.
• Team learning: fostering collective reflection through dialogue.
• Systemic thinking: see problems as a whole.

You can promote the development of each of these elements through an online training structure within your company. Such an approach allows your employees to take control and responsibility over their own training and growth, as well as their ability to learn faster.

Quick Take-Aways

As an employer, manager, or human resources advisor, it is your responsibility and within your interest to encourage free minds to hone their craft, challenge current procedures and protocols to create new ones.

Such an initiative can be a major strategic advantage when compared to your competition. Better educated, more engaged and more loyal employees quickly translate into a more productive and efficient workforce, while lowering turnovers, which should not be overlooked.

In short, the learning organization means making the company not only a work provider, but a place of growth. A place where each individual evolution is put to use for the good of the organization and its future.

Have you ever tried using telepathy to send someone instructions? 

Not very efficient, is it?

A lack of communication can lead an organization to its downfall, or at least it can “negatively influence job satisfaction and empowerment” (Laurin, 2006). 

Good communication in the workplace is therefore necessary so that everyone knows what they have to do, why they do it and how to do it better, if needed. 

The Robert dictionary defines communication as “making something known (to someone); sharing”. Communication in the workplace aims to convey information that is useful for achieving organizational objectives.

Communication in the workplace is all the means that a company uses to transmit information to its employees. It goes from what is said verbally to the written procedure list, including all the emails and text messages that are exchanged on a daily basis.

This information can take three paths: downward, upward and lateral.

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The 3 paths of workplace communication

1. Downward path (top to bottom)

The downward path is the one that usually first comes to mind. The data comes from management or a manager, and is transmitted to subordinates.

The message being communicated can be used to provide direction, highlight the mission, vision and values, signal a change of course, etc. This path usually serves as a guide for the company’s employees.

2. Ascending path (from bottom to top)

The upward path works the opposite way, from the bottom of the hierarchical pyramid to its top. Employees can convey ideas, feelings, adjustments, opinions, and other elements that allow management to then make more informed decisions.

This trajectory is particularly important for mobilizing staff, as they will feel listened to and heard.

3. Lateral path (horizontal)

The lateral path is peer-to-peer based: it is useful for sharing information, collaborating and maintaining a good work atmosphere, among others.

Horizontal communication in the workplace allows for work to not be done in silos, and for teams to share knowledge. It is essential that communication is done horizontally so that mistakes are not repeated and there is good cohesion within the organization.

Benefits of good communication in the workplace

In addition to the points mentioned above, harmonious communication within an organization has several other benefits:

• Improved change management, as the steps are well understood, irritants are reported early and employees help each other through the change;
• Meetings are effective and engaging, as everyone can participate and retain the information being transmitted;
• External training pays off because new knowledge is being taught internally;
• etc.

Obstacles to communication in the workplace

So what exactly is proper workplace communication?

Here are some aspects to consider for optimal communication:

• Good communication takes into account our cognitive biases, such as the shortcuts that our thinking could use rightly or wrongly. For example, if your manager blames you at your first meeting, you will probably have a bad opinion of him. On the other hand, if you are aware that you may be biased by your first impression, you could give him a second chance and wait before deciding on  your feelings towards him.
• Thought theory can also undermine good communication. It is the idea that others may think differently from you, that their thought process may be different from yours, because they may have different information and values, among others.So you may wonder why a colleague comes to the opposite conclusion than yours, which you find obvious, for example. It is important to pay attention to this and make sure you understand the other’s position.
• A lot of resources, time and energy are wasted because employees do not share what they do with colleagues. However, all they would have to do is talk about their mistakes and successes to their teammates or other teams, so that they wouldn’t have to redo all the unnecessary steps. Their testimonies could be documented in many ways, such as via an internal knowledge management system, for example.
• A lack of communication often reported in employee satisfaction surveys has to do with feedback. Giving feedback does not only happen once a year, during the employee evaluation: it happens every day, as events happen, and it is a type of communication that is all-encompassing.Everyone can give feedback to anyone they interact with, it does not only happen from top to bottom.
• Lastly, an important aspect of good communication that is often missing is active listening. It consists of really listening to one another, and not just listening in order to prepare one’s answer.The goal is to determine what is being said, how it is being said, and what is implicit. Once this is established, one can formulate a worthy answer.

3 Steps to overcome a lack of communication in the workplace

It is easy to correct a lack of communication in the workplace. We suggest the following 3 steps:

1. Make sure everyone feels psychologically safe

Psychological safety is the feeling that you can say what you think without fearing consequences.

Obviously, there are good and less good ways of saying things, but overall, anyone in the organization should be able to speak up without fear of a backlash. They should also be able to openly be who they are, without reprisal.

When applied to workplace communication, this means that communication should be done in all three directions, fluidly and without self-censorship. It is always good to create an atmosphere of respect, authenticity and friendliness.

2. Do a skill gap analysis 

We have already looked at some elements of good communication. There are others, of course, but these are the basis from which you can perform a skill gap analysis. You will need to establish the skills you wish to achieve, assess the current skill level, and compare the two.

Don’t forget to involve all employees in the process, so that they have all necessary data and can accurately answer the questions being asked.

3. Train your teams in areas that require improvement

Once you have an overall reading of the situation, you can train your employees (and your manager team!) on good communication skills in the workplace. Simply identify the skills that were lacking in your skill gap analysis and teach your staff how to acquire them.

A Learning management system (LMS) such as Workleap LMS can help at this stage, either through training on best practices, internal procedures, good workplace communication or knowledge base.

Communication is not just a formal activity!

We have talked about the more formal strategies that help improve communication, but before you apply them, more informal tools could also be used to improve overall communication in the workplace.

A virtual break room, for example, can replace the traditional office coffee machine; informal exchanges could take place during the last 5 minutes of meetings, etc.

The company could also raise awareness of the importance of not interrupting each other while talking, giving credit to the right people for their ideas, and many other tools that are easy to implement.

Communicating is an art, and it can be learnt. 

While every employee brings their own skill level to the company, the company itself may or may not have good practices. It is therefore a collective learning process that is always improving. 

After all, communicating is learning, isn’t it?

Corporate training is crucial in manufacturing. Efficient learning management can help reduce the skills gap, reduce workplace accidents, and improve long-term employee engagement!

However, traditional training approaches are not very motivating for workers, and the cost-benefit ratio is not necessarily worth it. 

You guessed it: the manufacturing industry needs to dust off practices and modernize learning management once and for all. Here are our tips to help you get there!

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What's in this article

• Rethinking Skill Management and Development
• Investing in Learning and Career Management Technology
• Now, it’s your turn!

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Rethinking Skill Management and Development

Traditional learning methods are often not adapted to the reality of your organization and your employees. 

Indeed, this type of training does not let you centralize information or keep track of trained workers to ensure regulatory compliance. And that's without mentioning other time-consuming constraints, such as having to take notes to remember each certificate that needs to be renewed! 

With this in mind, here are some tips to optimize the tracking and development of skills in your manufacturing company.

Revitalize Training Management 

Implementing modern management methods: easier said than done? 

Don't worry! 

Several simple practices will help you win all the way. Here are 4 of them to experiment within your company: 

SMART Training Method

Have you ever heard of SMART Training? 

This learning method takes its name from its approach (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-framed). In short, we define clear training goals that are attainable and relevant to each individual. 

We then measure the employee's progress: have they acquired the required skills? This is also the perfect time to ask employees what they liked or disliked about their training. 

This approach provides the perfect feedback to establish relevant skill development strategies. All in all, you increase organizational efficiency while modernizing your practices! 

Technology Skills: a Crucial Asset

What could be more modern than promoting technological skills among your employees? 

These skills are critical in the manufacturing sector, where technical and technological progress requires you to keep up with the times. 

To avoid creating a skills gap between your current employees and new hires, we recommend promoting corporate training that focuses on discovering and using new technologies!  

The Importance of Soft Skills

Soft skills are undoubtedly the future of professional skills! In the upcoming years, the need for soft skills is expected to increase by 30% in manufacturing companies. 

What are soft skills? In a nutshell, they are all the qualities that make up an excellent professional outlook: the ability to take on challenges and solve problems as well as teamwork skills, for example.

Promoting the acquisition of soft skills also allows you to expand from routine training in manufacturing. Your employees will be happy with these changes!  

Adaptive Learning

This teaching method uses artificial intelligence to identify the employee's skills, even if they are unconscious. Therefore, you avoid redundancy and wasted time by going straight to the point! 

You'll also be able to maintain the pace of operations while providing relevant and quality training to your employees. 

Click here to learn more about adaptive learning!

By adopting these modern practices, you will show that every skill matters when it’s put to good use within the company. Therefore, your employees' full potential will be recognized and developed accordingly. 

Your teams will feel appreciated, and you will develop essential skills for your company: it's a win-win situation! 

Promoting Initiative and Dialogue

Promoting initiative and dialogue in skills development is critical in your modernization strategy. Here are the essential steps to take to build a healthy and efficient training culture: 

1. Initiate the conversation to identify strengths and gaps, so you can better support employee development. 
2. Discuss skill development over time during performance reviews. 
3. Survey your employees about the skills they would like to acquire and the specific training they want.
4. Be proactive thanks to previous discussions (identify and implement relevant training, avoid skill gaps within the organization).

Congratulations: you and your employees are now enjoying all the benefits of a modern, efficient, and people-oriented training plan!

Investing in Learning and Career Management Technology

Modernizing your learning management approaches is already a big step in your journey. However, it can be challenging to implement these significant changes without the right tools to support you. 

Fortunately, easy-to-use and effective software tools can revitalize your corporate training management. 

The icing on the cake? They are adapted to the reality of the manufacturing industry!

LMS (Learning Management System)

The first step in your training modernization strategy is to choose the best LMS for your company.

These solutions offer the tools you need to quickly and efficiently modernize your training processes. Here are some key benefits of an LMS for a manufacturing company: 

• Access critical manufacturing certificates and courses;
• Benefit from synchronous and asynchronous training for more flexibility in managing atypical schedules;
• Raise employee awareness on occupational health and safety through training that is more attractive than traditional courses (video format that is fun and accessible to all);
• Ensure the homogeneity of training for all employees: if you have several factories to manage, the LMS is the perfect solution to ensure a consistent level of training for all your employees! 
• Make training accessible anytime, anywhere, to anyone! What if the first step in modernizing training was to make it more accessible to everyone, no matter their context? 

Accessibility, flexibility, adaptability to your professional context... Discover all of these benefits by choosing Workleap LMS!

Human resources management software

A human resources management software adapted to your needs will be a major ally in modernizing all your processes. 

The following features will be essential to restructure learning management in your manufacturing company: 

• Comprehensive training features: Calculate training costs and centralize relevant documentation (invoices, certificates) to facilitate daily follow-up; 
• Certificate management: Efficiently manage all skill certificates and their renewals with automated reminders when they expire;
• Career management: Ensure the progress of your employees and find all the information you need at a glance; 
• Employee profiles: Keep track of your employees' development with ease;
• Accident management: Use the accident rate and frequency indicators and quickly identify affected employees to improve safety management in their workplace!

Psst... Folks HR offers all these features in a user-friendly and affordable package!

Now, it’s your turn!

Congratulations, you’re well on your way to modernizing your company's training management!

However, these positive changes need to be sustained over time. Indeed, corporate training is your best ally for effective skills' development in the long run. 

Our final advice would be to make corporate training a top priority in employee management. 

Fortunately, there are technology tools to help you in your efforts. Try Workleap LMS for free and discover the best LMS for modernizing learning management in your manufacturing company!

To help you better plan the implementation or the redesign of your internal learning structure, we invested some time in defining the thought process required to clarify your needs and take action more quickly to the implementation of your future training platform online.A long-term vision clarification must be done even before the official need analysis.We have narrowed down this thought process to 8 key component for you to reflect on.Beforehand, please keep in mind that all of these 8 elements are useless if you do not build them on a very specific mindset.You must first take the conscious decision to engage yourself and take accountability for the training ressources offered to your employees.

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What's in this article

• 1- Start at the top
• 2- Find a digital evangelist
• 3- Evaluate your internal mobility potential
• 4- Review the organization's work architecture
• 5- Build an internal hiring culture
• 6- Follow the learning steps
• 7- Rearrange the training team
• 8 - Manage and develop your employer's brand

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1- Start at the top

Business leaders need to understand and engage in the digital training culture to see how this could help or hurt their business.Transitioning from your old ways to new modern ways represents a challenge in itself. Once management is behind a project, it eases the training culture change and facilitates acceptance from your workforce.

2- Find a digital evangelist

Determine who, within your organization, is passionate about technology. Engage them in your project. Assign them leadership roles based on their interests and expertise. Such opportunity will bring to light loyal and engaged employees whose collective brain will prove to become a valuable ressource for establishing the blueprint of your project.Their individual relationships and connections will also be strategic levers to work with and uncover weak points within your organizations. Those weaknesses are all topics for potential training and improvement procedures.

3- Evaluate your internal mobility potential

As the demand for cross-functional teams continues to grow, the mobility of each resource will only escalate.Evaluate the mobility potential between your departments and develop relevant programs to facilitate quick and actionnable crash courses.Highlight common skills among your teams, build on them to structure including specific development tasks and professional development programs.

4- Review the organization's work architecture

Make sure it's as simple and streamlined as possible to support new and upcoming career models.Your architecture should be able to accept new roles that are currently inexistent at the moment, without always needing to strip other roles of their current responsibilities.

5- Build an internal hiring culture

It is important to hold managers accountable for training and to support internal candidates in their new roles. The goal is to retain your employees within the company by awarding new mandates. Your business should provide not only career opportunities, but training program to help engaged employees get to these opportunities.

6- Follow the learning steps

Whoever speaks of emerging technologies speaks of new development opportunities, so more metrics to analyse. Whether it's the number of hours devoted on your learning platforms per employee, the number of self-taught training or popular themes of subjects, proactive companies collect and use this data to better predict the evolution of their training needs.

7- Rearrange the training team

Dare to review the entire current training infrastructure.For most growing companies, this means moving from an internal and homemade system to a dedicated LMS, which may involve the replacement of some internal technologies and procedures.We must allow ourselves to see the long-term gains rather than focus on the short-term migration workload.

8 - Manage and develop your employer's brand

Many surveys on employee recognition and job satisfaction tools take into account the issue of limited professional opportunities within companies.Your potential candidates can therefore pre-evaluate these ratings and even avoid applying in organizations that do not systematically offer development opportunities.

To sum things up

It is easy to predict how human resources departments will be reshaped in the coming years.The challenges are ever changing and companies success, which for a very long time has been based on the overall strength of the workforce as a unit, is now slowly taking a turn towards a more individual development culture.This culture is now focused on the employee as a person, not just a work ressource, where the employer becomes partly responsible for his/her professional evolution.

Implementing an LMS (Learning Management System) is a convenient and flexible way to facilitate continuous learning within your organization. This digital solution allows you to develop personalized course plans and give your staff the ability to learn at their own pace without disrupting their work schedule. 

Before taking action, the following question arises: how much cost a learning management system?

The training budget contains all the expenses involved in upgrading the knowledge and skills of your employees. It includes the trainer's and employees' salaries, the cost of the training, but also the related expenses necessary for the course (room rental, learning platform, etc.)

These expenses are often calculated for continuous training, but rarely for onboarding, or for internal job relocation. However, this information is essential to calculate the return on investment of your training projects! 

The following factors are what managers must evaluate when budgeting their employee training program.

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What's in this article

• 1. How much cost a learning management system?
• 2. What are the costs of implementing a learning management system?
• 3. Is the implementation of a learning management system profitable?
• Try it for free

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1. How much cost a learning management system?

The first values to consider when searching for your next LMS are all of their licensing and installation fees. 

These costs can vary a lot from one solution to another, especially depending on the pricing model that works best for your organization. 

The installation fee for an LMS hosted on your own servers can go up to $30,000, while the implementation of a cloud solution varies from $0 to $10,000. 

The distinguishing advantage of developing your own LMS is to have a system that is perfectly suited to your organization's needs and to avoid paying for unnecessary features. However, this path requires a lot of investment and programming work, unless you buy a single payment license of an already existing solution.

This avenue is becoming less popular due to the risks of unforeseen events, delays, and long-term maintenance costs. Unless you have your own IT team and developers, we advise not to take this road as it is out of your core business and will prove to be a money pit 9 times out of 10.

As a rule of thumb, the lower the price of the license, the more complex the customization task will be.

The cost of licensing a locally hosted solution on your infrastructure can range from $0 to $30,000, payable at the time of acquisition.

On the flip side, cloud-hosted solutions are a quick and easy way to implement an LMS, as well as being updated regularly. 

While functions can sometimes be limited, pricing is much more flexible and affordable. With the amount of LMS options on the market, you can find a suitable system that should cover 70% of your needs by default.

Although there are packages based on the number of enrollments or courses, most companies prefer to opt for an annual license fee, starting at $2000 per year, depending on the size of your organization.

Workleap LMS, for example, does not require any implementation, so there is no extra fee!

2. What are the costs of implementing a learning management system?

Once the LMS is acquired, it is important to know the costs associated with its implementation.

On a hardware level, it is possible that the computers used in your organization are unable to support the solution. It will, therefore, be necessary to budget for these costs, such as computers or the operating system. This reality is particularly applicable for self-hosted LMS.

New cloud solutions like Worleap LMS are accessible on mobiles, tablets, and computers, and support several previous versions of browsers to facilitate access to content. Therefore, there is no need to worry about hardware.

Looking past the technological aspect, it is necessary to budget the time which will be necessary for the personalization of the system and the creation of the training modules. Nowadays, most cloud platforms can be set up in under 1 hour.

If you are dealing with external consultants, or you are buying copyright on existing content, the fees must be known and identified in advance to avoid unpleasant surprises. 

If you choose to develop the content internally, calculate the cost of time that your employees will spend doing this task instead of their usual responsibilities. Rather than planning time to create your entire training directory, start by evaluating the time needed to create the critical training on which you can quickly see a return on investment. We are talking here about your integration/onboarding training, health and safety procedures, brand values, etc.

The time required to develop online training is similar to the time required to develop classroom training, as the research, preparation and segmentation work is the same.

Content creation may require a little more time, but will pay off very quickly as it eventually becomes sustainable over the long term and no longer requires any intervention by your trainer. 

A 60-minute classroom training can be reduced to 35 minutes in a well-segmented web format. While the 60-minute classroom training can take 5 hours to prepare, its web counterpart can take you between 5 and 7 hours, including the creation of visual support content.

It is important to give employees and managers training so that everyone knows how to use the new system. Such a change can lead to resistance at the staff level, so it is your job as a project leader to facilitate this culture change.

The costs of internal culture change are often difficult to evaluate, therefore, it is good to add a surplus fund to the budget.

Feel free to involve your employees in the content creation process. They will become good ambassadors of the program and act as facilitators for this cultural change. 

Also know that there are government programs to support digital transformation initiatives and subsidize a portion of training, implementation and support costs following the acquisition of new digital tools. 

For long-term employee training program planning, it is recommended that you know in advance the potential costs of technical support, updates, and upgrades of your LMS in the event that they are not included with the solution you have chosen. Check with your LMS provider to be able to add these costs to your budget.

Spoiler: Those are all included in Workleap LMS pricing plans, so you are safe from any hidden fees.

3. Is the implementation of a learning management system profitable?

When making an employee training program budget, savings, revenues and returns on investment are also to be considered since they make it possible to compare the new situation to the old one. 

As each organization is unique, the numbers can vary significantly from one company to another. Here are some elements of the budget that you should evaluate before and after implementing an LMS. 

• Saving time: An LMS allows employees to learn at their own pace in the training modules and adapt their learning process to their schedule. Thus, staff who learn more quickly can return to their duties as soon as a module is completed, rather than wasting valuable time due to the slower pace of other in-classroom training.
• Savings on course delivery costs: By pre-registering training content, it is not necessary to move a trainer or employees, which represents savings in accommodation, transportation, and meal costs.
• Economics of logistics: Promoting digital media eliminates the needs for paper documentation, the rental of rooms and multimedia equipment, and the time required for the organization of sessions (invitations, reservations, and follow-ups).

Workleap LMS clients save between 30% to 75% in budget optimization within 18 months following the implementation!

In the long run, the implementation of an LMS is an investment for which the costs will be easily absorbed by the increase in employee performance, the optimization of training hours required and the reduction in the employee turnover rate.

By properly preparing your employee training program budget and conducting an analysis of your organization's needs, it will be much easier to take action quickly and effectively.

Try it for free

Start your free Workleap LMS trial now!

Some people organize live sessions. Others create 100% pre-recorded content. And then, some offer blended learning, with both synchronous and asynchronous lessons.

But what works best? 

This is where it gets complicated. It depends on your training goal, the nature of your expertise, and your students’ needs.

Let's dig together into the difference between synchronous and asynchronous training to demystify these two teaching methods.

In this article, you will find advice for choosing the best teaching method and 6 tips for creating the best training content!

To help us, we interviewed Mélissa Lapierre and Nicolas Harton, the founders of Communication futée.

Actors, trainers, speakers and authors, they are also speech and video trainers. They have trained and supported more than 4,000 people during conferences, online courses, practical workshops and personalized support sessions in public speaking.

And that's precisely why we wanted to talk to them!

We, therefore, invited them to talk about their experience. Mélissa and Nicolas told us about their transition from face-to-face to digital training and shared some tips for creating quality educational content.

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What's in this article

• What is synchronous training?
• What is asynchronous training?
• How to choose between synchronous or asynchronous training?
• Blended learning: balance between synchronous and asynchronous
• Let’s try it out!

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What is synchronous training?

Synchronous courses are given live, either in person or through technology. You and your learners must both be available at the session’s scheduled date and time.

It’s a teaching method that focuses on interaction with participants. 

For Mélissa and Nicolas from Communication Futée, synchronous training is a SERVICE they offer in response to a DEMAND for a specific need. This could be, for example, corporate training for the sales team.

3 tips for creating synchronous content

1. Keep it short. If you run live lessons that last several hours, your learners will lose focus. It’s better to divide your training over different sessions than to try to do it all at once.
2. Encourage participation. Since you have your students simultaneously, you might as well take the opportunity to involve them in your course! Invite them to share their experience, ask questions and put into practice what you have presented.
3. Personalize the experience. You want to prepare a training that allows time to get to know your audience better. You will be able to adapt your content and your vocabulary according to the learning needs of those present.

What is asynchronous training?

Asynchronous courses are usually pre-recorded, and the content is available to students on a deferred basis. So you need to prepare your lessons and exercises in advance and make them available to your learners at a time that suits them best.

It is a teaching method that promotes the autonomy of participants in their learning process. 

For Mélissa and Nicolas, asynchronous courses are PRODUCTS that they can distribute to several people or companies. They, therefore, build an INVENTORY of products, which they can sell separately or in packages.

3 tips for creating asynchronous content

1. Test your content. As you have to create all your material upstream, ask some learners to evaluate your online course. You will then receive feedback to improve your content and the learning experience you want to offer.
2. Vary the formats. On your training platform, vary the types of content to make your learning program more dynamic! Integrate videos, audio files, PDF documents and texts to stimulate your students.
3. Rate your participants. Insert questionnaires at different times in your course to validate the knowledge of your learners. You can confirm if your content is understood and offer support to people who need it.

How to choose between synchronous or asynchronous training?

For a first online course, Communication Futée advises you to start with a synchronous formula. It allows you to test your content, tools, and strategies and better understand your learners’ needs.  

But once you've finished your tests, should you continue to offer live sessions?

To help you with this choice, here are some questions that can guide your decision.

• Does your training absolutely require real-time interaction? 
• Will your content be as valuable tomorrow as it is today? 
• What does your audience prefer? 

The important thing is to find the balance that will facilitate the transfer of your expertise to your target audience.

To create a course that your learners will want to complete, you must first build a learning program that meets their needs.

Consider that your point A represents the current situation of your students; their challenges, their pains, their issues. 

Point B is the result they want to achieve in connection with your expertise. And you don't have to be afraid to be very specific!

All the steps to go from A to B will become the essential elements of your course. Your role is to present these concepts in a format that will optimize their learning.

The choice of your teaching method must support this objective quite simply.

Blended learning: balance between synchronous and asynchronous

Why choose when you can have it all?

Get the best of both worlds by offering blended learning!

Several training platforms such as Workleap LMS offer the possibility to add synchronous and asynchronous lessons in the same syllabus.

This is an opportunity to take advantage of both teaching methods and provide a complete experience for your learners.

On the Communication Futée’s side, blended learning is mainly used for their coaching program.

Asynchronous contents present all the theoretical portions of the course. Mélissa and Nicolas prepared pre-recorded videos and documents to teach their strategies, methods and techniques.

Synchronous contents become relevant to enhance the learning experience. During live sessions, they can follow up on the topics covered in the theoretical portion, answer questions and guide participants in more specific contexts.

Blended learning has therefore increased the perceived value of their training program significantly!

Let’s try it out!

Now that we’ve covered a few tips to choose your teaching method and create better training content, why not give it a try?

You can create your online training platform on Workleap LMS for free and start selling your expertise today!

It takes less than a day to set up your platform and upload your training content. So what are you waiting for?

To follow Mélissa and Nicolas, visit their website!

Does your business offer a formal learning program or do you rely on informal learning?

It's a fact: corporate training allows employees to perform better. Some studies even show that employees in the labor market who benefit from continuous training are 3 % to 5 % more performant than employees who have an equal experience level but do not receive training.

My own career path has allowed me to distinguish several learning types: there are businesses who provide formal education, in person or online, synchronous or asynchronous, and others, who expect their employees to take charge of their professional development on their own.

So, which is best? Should employees be offered formal or informal training?

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Formal learning pays off

It is easy to say that a formal learning environment is expensive because it does require a certain investment. At the same time, your teams may include highly performing employees who don't seem to need any training, judging by their results.

But without a formal training program, you should ask yourself a few simple questions:

• Is everyone really performing at their best?
• Are the tools that I invest in, such as a knowledge management system or an HRIS (Human Resources Information System), being used to their full potential?
• Do all my employees have the knowledge they need to reach their goals?

 This is where formal training comes in:

It optimizes the tools being used and updates the entire organization's existing knowledge level.

Let's take a closer look at each of these terms.

Two learning styles - Informal vs Formal learning

Before going further, we need to clearly understand the differences between formal and informal learning. Beyond being aware of the time and costs involved, it helps to have a clear idea of the path ahead.

Formal learning - definition

Formal learning programs are defined by its very structure. It involves an organized learning process in a formal setting that allows the transfer of predefined knowledge, with a specific goal.

It is the type of learning that would yield quantifiable results and address a specific need of your team or organization.

What I have always liked about formal training is that it gave me a clearer picture of the direction I needed in my work.

A good example of formal learning would be a corporate training program on customer care standards or sales procedures. By creating this type of content and making it available online, you can help even out your team's knowledge.

A knowledge gap analysis is a great tool for identifying the next formal training your employees would benefit from.

Informal learning - definition

As indicated by the name, non-formal and informal learning approaches occur organically and without much structure; it ranges from chatting with colleagues around the coffee machine to listening to a podcast on the bus, to the experiential learning one accrues while performing a task. Whatever the setting, one can develop skills and learn in a freer environment.

Non-formal learning encompasses all the small actions that lead to developing one's knowledge of a given subject.

Oftentimes, it is something employees will take on, on their own, but you can surely encourage it!

Main features of formal and informal learning

How to choose the format that suits your organization's needs

Informal Learning - Organic and Spontaneous

While it is more useful to focus your development efforts on formal training, informal learning situations bring several clear advantages. Informal settings do not require a manager's involvement, they allow teams to bring in new ideas without feeling pressured, and they can even help change perspectives and outlooks.

If you encourage informal education and social learning, it can even yield better communication and cohesion within your teams.

One of my former managers used to organize a monthly voluntary content club, where we would discuss readings, podcasts and shows that we had found useful in one aspect of our work or another. These meetings encouraged sharing and also allowed us to get to know our colleagues better, a perfect example of non-formal training.

However, there is a downside to informal learning environments: because we are biased in our choices, we tend to choose content related to subjects we already know.

Using formal learning to delve deeper

We don't know what we don't know.

This is a simple phrase a more experienced colleague once told me during a training session. Formal programs aim to address this gap with more intentional learning and more structured development opportunities.

Formal training programs offer your employees the knowledge they need in their work, thus allowing you to reach the goals you set together.

In fact, a formal education program must be as clear as your goals. It is similar to a training regimen that allows athletes to compete in the Olympics.

How to create an online formal learning on an LMS?

Where should you start? It can be daunting to look up at the mountain peak from base camp, but you never start climbing without prior preparation, and the same applies to employee training.

It is important to clearly understand the starting point and be aware of the employees' knowledge level and gaps so that you may identify their needs to help them reach their goals.

Once you have done the knowledge analysis, a few simple steps will allow you to create a program that is tailored to your organization's needs:

• Define the project
• Identify your audience and your strategies
• Set training goals and define the program structure
• Set the program title and description
• Create clear summaries for each of the program sections
• Establish the evaluation criteria

The good news is that once you have created your content and integrated it onto an LMS, your work is done! Except for a few updates, occasionally, your online training will be available to your employees, and they will be able to watch it time and time again.

That's the beauty of formal learning experiences: they are a lot easier to standardize and own, which increases their return on investment.

Train your team and aim for the top with formal and informal learning

All organizations have goals they aim to reach. Some are milestones and others are ultimate goals.

Remember: athletes start at local levels before they get to world championships!

If you aim for the podium, one thing is certain: each step on the way is crucial. Each type of training has its value, whether it is daily physical training that keeps your body fit - formal training, or a soundtrack that helps your mind gain focus - informal training.

The big difference is that you are responsible for the formal training, and you can create training programs that help everyone involved achieve their goals. That is what you should be focusing your efforts on, to make sure everyone starts off at the same place.

If you need help digitizing your training program, the Workleap LMS team is here to answer your questions.

An onboarding program is the first opportunity for a company to make a natural feeling of belonging with its new employees.

When everyone is snapping up the best talents, we do not want to let our latest recruits leave!

Onboarding is a powerful staff retention tool that you have every reason to automate. But how do we build online courses to welcome and integrate new resources?

Here are 6 templates that you can use to create a new course in less than a day on your Didacte LMS platform. This means that you could complete the digitalization of your onboarding program in a week.

Oh yes, it can be that fast!

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What is onboarding?

Onboarding is the entire process of including and training a new employee to join your team. It starts when you sign an employment agreement and ends when the employee is fully autonomous in their position.

Obviously, the earlier you are in the relationship, the more impactful the actions you take. This can be critical to your recruits' retention, but also to their long-term productivity and work atmosphere.

How can you create an online course in less than a day?

There are 3 tips you can use to make this possible:

1. Get existing onboarding material (courses, documents, videos, etc.)
2. Don't try to make it perfect (you can update the content later)
3. Use the means at hand to create content

Well, "use the means at hand" is a way of saying that you don't need a big film crew to create a video, for example.

You could use your cell phone and place it on a stable surface to film your content. Another option would be to take screengrabs with a tool like BerryCast, in which you can see both your face and your screen.

There is an array of content creation tools!

Now, discover our 6 onboarding templates to create new online courses in less than a day.

1. Template for welcoming your new employees

Welcoming new employees template

Who said onboarding had to start on day 1? 

It’s better to invite your new talents to your LMS platform before their first day of work. Not only is it an opportunity for you to share the orientation plan with them, but it's also a great way to reduce their stress level.

Start with a more personalized and dynamic course, introducing the company’s management and the HR team. It can be via a video or even a text with a photo. 

To help newcomers mentally prepare for their job, create a list to eliminate doubts. It may include:

• The equipment to bring on the first day
• The suggested dress code
• The name of the restaurant where you go for their first lunch
• Etc.

Take this opportunity to let your organizational culture shine and set the tone for the future. The idea is to reassure your recruits and confirm that they have made the right choice!

And go further! Revamp your program with our in-app free onboarding template. Get started for free and make your onboarding program stand out from the rest!

2. Template for digitizing your employee’s manual

Employee's manual template

The employee’s manual is your best tool to offer maximum transparency to your new talents. That is why they should have easy access to it via the web.

If you already have the necessary documentation in PDF, all you have to do is insert it into your Didacte LMS platform. It can’t get easier!

Our advice: divide the documents by category to facilitate reading and follow-up, but above all, make it easy for your employees to find the information.

You can even create tutorials related to payroll or vacation management if you feel like it. It allows your staff to be more autonomous, adding a dynamic element to your course.

Do you need a read receipt for your records?

Add a test lesson and request a file upload. Your remote employees can easily send their signed documents to your HR team!

3. Model for ensuring health and safety at work

Health and safety at work template

Every company must put in place health and safety measures for its staff. However, communication of these procedures can often be overlooked, especially in more administrative areas.

The good news is you should already have some health and safety courses that you can digitize in less than a day!

Take the existing documents, and add them to your platform. If you have videos of using the fire extinguisher or defibrillator, it will be even more relevant to have them all in one place.

Take the opportunity to include the evacuation plan and the procedure in the event of a work accident.

The better it is documented, the easier it is to remember!

4. Model for integrating your employees into their workspace

Office tour template

The famous office tour seems so simple, but it is a crucial element of welcoming and integrating our talents!

In a remote team context, we don’t always have the opportunity to create this enthusiasm around the office atmosphere and the advantages of working on site.

On the other hand, remote employees should feel at home when they visit the office.

So prepare a virtual tour, where you and your colleagues present the workspace, the coffee machine, the available rooms, etc. It can be very organic and natural; the goal is to welcome your recruits warmly.

You can add to the course a plan of the office and even some procedures for creating passwords and ordering equipment.

It will be the perfect guide for a hassle-free first day on the job!

5. Model for presenting the business culture

Business culture template

You hire resources for their skills, but also their fit with the rest of the team. You should quickly introduce them to your business culture to keep this vibe alive.

In all of the models featured so far, this is the one where video should be your first choice pretty much down the line.

Why? Because the best way to share culture is through human contact. Video is the type of content that lets you make that connection, even from a distance!

Inviting different employees to participate will make your course more dynamic, and it will be a tool that you can use in your recruitment and HR marketing initiatives. 

To ensure the message got there, don't hesitate to insert a test at the end! You will be able to check whether your new talents have understood what sets you apart and unites you as a team.

6. Model for communicating effectively

Communication norms template

Communication is the basis of any healthy relationship!

Whether your employees are working on-site or remotely, it is essential to present the standards to communicate within the team. You should discuss the means of communication (emails, instant messaging, video calls) as much as good practices.

• Who is responsible for what?
• Who should we refer to for this type of question?
• What should be an email vs a call?
• How often are the team meetings?

Also, take advantage of this course to explain how to talk about the company. Whether telling their day or presenting the products, your staff should know how to represent the organization properly.

Once again, test their knowledge to solidify what has been learned and confirm that everything has been understood.

Your time to shine

Now that you have read these 6 onboarding templates to create new online courses, which one will you try first?

To maximize the impact, it is in your best interests to create these 6 courses and make them a complete learning path! This way, you will be able to enroll your new employees in the learning path, and they will only have to follow the contents that are included.

Automating your team’s onboarding doesn't have to be complicated. As long as you place people at the center of your course, you will have created an incredible tool to facilitate the welcoming of your next recruits!

What distinguishes a traditional corporate culture from one where intrapreneurship is encouraged? One is more creative, agile and efficient. 

I'll let you guess which one!

If you have never heard it, I invite you to read the famous story of the employee behind the invention of Post-it. While trying to produce a super adhesive glue, he mistakenly created the self-adhesive notepad. 

This anecdote is a great demonstration of an employee who knew how to transform a failure into a real gold mine! This would not have been possible in a too strict and procedural work environment.

Definition: What is intrapreneurship?

The term "intrapreneurship" comes from the contraction of the words "internal" and "entrepreneurship". It is used to designate a movement that values the leadership and initiative of innovative employees within an organization. 

By deploying an intrapreneurial culture internally, you encourage the development of intrapreneurs. These creative, curious and motivated employees become a vector of continuous innovation and real agents of change.

Now, how do you integrate intrapreneurship into your business? What are the steps to get there?

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What's in this article

• Definition: What is intrapreneurship?
• Intrapreneurship as a lever of commitment and creativity
• The challenges of managing intrapreneurs
• Success factors for intrapreneurship implementation
• The key steps to developing intrapreneurship among your employees

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1. What is the impact of intrapreneurship on your company?

A company encourages intrapreneurial culture as a model of innovation to renew its position in a market or to conquer a new one. To do so, it must create an environment conducive to the development of new projects for its employees. 

Intrapreneurship can generate the restructuring of teams, the creation of a new department or the addition of new products and services. One thing is certain, it is an initiative that contributes to the growth of the organization through the mobilization and creativity of your staff.

Intrapreneurship as a lever of commitment and creativity

The success of intrapreneurship depends on the often untapped needs, talents and resources of employees. When recruiting or developing a career plan, you have to discover the employee's entrepreneurial aspirations. 

Intrapreneurs are often visionaries with the potential to start a business but prefer the security of a job. For them, the possibility of being creative within the company offers the perfect balance between comfort and ambition.

For the employee who agrees to participate in the experience, it is an opportunity for professional development. Indeed, the intrapreneur constantly challenges himself and, thus, can acquire new knowledge and skills.

2. How to integrate intrapreneurship in your corporate culture?

It’s high management that determines what place intrapreneurship takes in the organization. Managers must clearly define the guidelines and communicate constantly favored behaviors.

To optimize their development, intrapreneurs must also receive support that is specific, personalized and adapted to their needs. Among the main skills to promote are agility, innovation, and leadership.

The challenges of managing intrapreneurs

Despite their role as innovators, intrapreneurs are often creative and rebellious minds, which can disrupt your teams. They will question traditional management and will tend to ignore the hierarchical structure. 

It is therefore important that managers listen and find ways to bring the two cultures together. It is necessary to review the professional paths of the employees, but also of the executives who must adapt their management methods.

Success factors for intrapreneurship implementation

Several factors influence the success of integrating an intrapreneurial culture into your organization. Here are a few to consider:

• Make intrapreneurship a business value.
• Focus on results rather than processes. 
• Train management and staff in the intrapreneurial spirit.
• See intrapreneurship as a philosophy and not a goal.
• Recognize and empower employees with high creative potential.
• Recruit intrapreneurs to energize certain work teams.
• Encourage a sense of initiative and be flexible in the allocation of resources.
• Let go of standard procedures and trust the judgment of employees.

The most important thing is to always make sure that the organization and the staff have the same vision. If everyone's intention remains the growth of the business, it will be easier to collaborate on the road to success.

3. How to develop intrapreneurship values through online training?

To organize the integration of intrapreneurship within your company, you should offer an online training program. In it, you can include 2 types of training: those intended for the adaptation of methods (change management) and those intended for the development of intrapreneurs. 

While the first type should be mandatory, the second one is rather offered according to the employees' career plans. They can serve as an incentive for staff retention and allow for investment in talent internally. 

By giving access to these online training courses, each employee becomes responsible for their own progress, at their own pace.

The key steps to developing intrapreneurship among your employees

1. Knowing your team

It is essential to know what your employees' needs are in order to be more fulfilled and involved. To recognize intrapreneurs, it is necessary to detect in a person strong creativity and a high sense of initiative. 

The “ideal” intrapreneur is one who, beyond innovation, knows how to motivate and inspire his colleagues. He is an employee who likes to give meaning to his work and to have an impact.

2. Encourage autonomy 

The more hierarchical levels and strict procedures, the more difficult it is for an employee to innovate. Although you must set a clear framework, giving maximum freedom facilitates the achievement of intrapreneurship objectives. 

It is still advisable to give deadlines and deliverables to be able to assess the success of the process. However, inviting intrapreneurs to participate in the development of these criteria feeds their commitment and motivation towards the project.

3. Empowerment

Opportunities for advancement and growth within a business are powerful strategies for staff retention. Trust your employees and give them the flexibility to use their own work methods.

Although he enjoys his job security, let the employee understand the impact of his actions. Explain to him the costs, risks, and results related to his work so that he can experience the reality of entrepreneurship more intimately.

4. Train your staff

There is no better way to develop internal expertise than training. Investing in the development of your employees shows them your encouragement and support. Motivation will be directly impacted!

Do not hesitate to establish personalized learning paths for each of your employees to involve them in their professional development.

5. Show appreciation

Be attentive to the needs of your employees in terms of their work environment. Introduce measures that facilitate schedule flexibility, comfort at work and reconciliation of personal and professional lives.

Regularly recognize and reward the efforts and achievements of your team! Offer your support in projects and highlight the good things in a personalized and sincere way.

4. How to prepare your business for intrapreneurship?

Now that you know why encouraging intrapreneurship will benefit your organization, you can begin to prepare the field. On your online training platform, you can already publish content of interest for your future intrapreneurs.

To develop the leadership of your employees, it is necessary to strengthen their technical skills (hard skills), but especially their general skills (soft skills). These improve the ability of an individual to build relationships and manage a team, for example.

Several companies such as Boostalab offer simple tools for developing leaders. Among the soft skills that can be put forward, with the highest priority are:

• Communication
• Decision making
• Teamwork and team management
• Problems and conflict management
• Emotional intelligence and empathy
• Project management (deadlines, budgets)

Whether you plan to adopt an intrapreneurial culture or not, training your employees for this skill set will not be lost! You will have staff better prepared to become competent leaders, therefore more likely to apply for internal offers. 

Start training your future intrapreneurs now!