The uptake of e-learning is slower than many people predicted. For
many companies, the e-learning options available are just too
confusing
Click2learn completed research in June 2001 analysing which UK
companies were using e-learning and examining the importance placed
upon learning, training and human resources within leading UK
corporations. The research found that few companies in the UK have
embraced e-learning as an integral part of their training
programmes.
EBR recently attended a Click2learn roundtable, whose participants
included editor of IT Training Donna Murphy and e-learning director
of the Institute of IT Training Clive Shepherd, among others. The
roundtable sought to highlight the reasons why e-learning adoption
by UK companies has been so disappointing. Among the questions
posed was: "Has e-learning failed to convince board directors of
its merits? Are employees really viewed as a company's greatest
asset? Who is responsible for implementing e-learning
projects?
Click2learn's research uncovered that British companies are merely
paying lip service to e-learning. There is a gap between a strong
awareness that learning is important in an organisation and
companies taking action to make it a priority at board level. This
is partly associated with a lack of action from human resources
departments and partly because many organisations are still unaware
of what e-learning can actually do.
"For IT-based training, e-learning has good penetration, but for
soft skills it is hardly ever used," said Jon Buttriss, director of
marketing development at e-learning company NETg. "E-learning is
viewed as a personnel issue when it should be about
communication."
Professor Anne Jones, founder and chief executive of Lifelong
Learning Systems, believes e-learning is more than a communication
issue; it is a strategic business one. Jones said that if it is to
be viewed as a strategic decision, it needs to be discussed at
board level.
According to Shepherd, the best way to get the board to buy in to
e-learning is to demonstrate the business benefits. He said the
board wants assurance that people will be trained and accredited by
a certain date and that board members need to know what makes
e-learning commercially viable.
But it is still unclear which department should be responsible for
the implementation of e-learning strategies, which leaves most
e-learning suppliers unclear about who to approach in a company.
"There is the view that if we want to be successful, we should not
approach HR. Instead, we should go through the financial route,"
said Buttriss.
Although most HR professionals seem convinced by e-learning, the
roundtable attendees also found them reluctant to make changes to
company processes. "We need to give HR professionals the facts - to
prove that e-learning can provide ROI," said Buttriss.
E-learning could ultimately be responsible for elevating HR
directors to chief learning officers in the way that e-business
directors were elevated through the implementation of CRM and ERP.
But there may need to be some staff changes before this can happen.
"You need a new breed of people that understand strategy, HR and
technology, and they are very hard to find," said Jones.
HR is just part of the jigsaw. If e-learning is to have any
success, HR has to work in conjunction with the IT and project
management teams, according to Joe Pelissier, consultant director
of sales at Click2learn.
It seems unlikely that e-learning will take off in the short term,
although the roundtable attendees were optimistic for its future.
"Businesses need to realise they are knowledge-driven," said Jones.
"We are probably two years away from achieving this.
"If a recession hits it could actually be an enabler because
e-learning is viewed as a cost-saver. Still, it would be wrong to
get rid of collaborative learning," said Jones.
Progress will depend on how well informed companies are. "We need
more transparency. There is currently too much confusion, which is
then aggravated by suppliers. All people want is honest advice,"
concluded Murphy.
Roundtable attendees
Professor Anne Jones, founder and CEO, Lifelong Learning
Systems
Clive Shepherd, e-learning director, Institute of IT Training
Jon Buttriss, director of marketing development, NETg
Donna Murphy, editor, IT Training
Joe Pelissier, consultant director of sales, Click2learn
Stephen Bennett, VP Europe, Click2learn