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Case studies

• Developing a Learning Strategy for Remploy
  
• A Learning Strategy for the Inland Revenue
  
• Serving the Self-Reliant Learner at Linklaters
• A career development framework for IT professionals: Ford Motor Company
• Investment in people at INA Bearings Company Limited

Developing a Learning Strategy for Remploy

Employment and development for disabled people

Remploy is a government-funded organisation that provides employment and development opportunities for disabled people. It operates 83 factories and can be described as a mini-conglomerate with twelve distinct product lines. Remploy is a direct supplier to over 50 per cent of the FTSE 100 companies; it is particularly strong in automotive products, educational furniture (where it is the UK's largest supplier) and textiles. Some 5,500 people are directly employed at the factories, with a similar number of disabled people receiving support from Remploy at other workplaces. Once turnover is taken into account over 13,000 disabled workers have some contact with Remploy in the course of a year.

The company's strategy for learning is explicit, and well understood in the organisation, and was developed from the bottom-up rather than top-down. Its starting point was a recognition that a number of local initiatives in the factory were proving successful and could be developed on a national basis.

Remploy Coventry, for example, which is one of the largest with 60 employees, provided opportunities for a group of some 40 workers on short-term contracts. In the course of their year with Remploy they were given training and a learning centre was established at the site for that purpose. Arrangements were made for staff from Coventry City College to visit this centre and offer training in subjects ranging from PC skills to communication. The evident success of this initiative led to demands from the existing Coventry staff to have access to this facility to update their own skills.

Developing and national strategy

At the Hartlepool site, at about the same time, the trade unions strongly advocated enhanced opportunities for skill development in the basic skills areas. As a result a national strategy was developed with learning centres as a major element. Currently all 83 sites (which can range in size from 150 employees down to 25) have learning centres. Gareth Parry, Remploy's Learning Resources Manager, is keen to emphasise that the establishment of these centres is demand-driven. It is not an imposed strategy. He attributes the high level of involvement and usage to an underlying desire to improve basic skills. Throughout the initiative much emphasis has been placed on skills for life: numeracy, literacy, IT skills and basic communications. There is a noticeably high demand from the workforce for improved computer skills - particularly a recognition that these are now an accepted part of the life of younger family members.

Although the use of each learning centre is locally determined, they all have the following in common: a physical location (with at least some PCs); a relationship with a local college whose tutors will visit the site to advise and facilitate; access to a suite of e-learning programmes, made available from the LearnDirect library (the national e-learning initiative).

Reviewing and refining the strategy

Remploy's learning strategy is regarded as important for the company. As Gareth Parry puts it: 'in the medium- to long-term it will be the business that will benefit - not just the individual'. The company is undertaking this initiative for sound business reasons. In early 2002 the Remploy board considered and agreed the strategy. A sub-committee of the main board was then established to monitor the strategy and this body undertakes a review of progress every quarter. The strategy is made available to all on the company intranet, but it is intended to be communicated, as it is to be implemented, at the local level. To date the emphasis has been placed on establishing the necessary infrastructure, but in the next stage attention will shift to quality of provision and better links with the business.

The provision of adequate time to learn is seen as an important element of the strategy. As an overall figure, Remploy considers that five per cent of the workforce's time at work should be devoted to learning. Within this overall commitment, every individual should have a minimum of 50 hours' development.

A Learning Strategy for the Inland Revenue

Background

The Inland Revenue is one of the largest employers in the UK. It employs over 80,000 staff at locations all over the UK. Like most large organisations it has a legacy of, and for some staff an expectation of, top-down training. Given the need to equip the workforce to meet the demands of an increasingly complex role, with more demanding customers, a new high-level policy for learning was developed in 2000 and reviewed in 2002.

This policy was called 'Learning Directions' and stated that:

'Learning is a necessary process for achieving business objectives and essential to improving organisational performance. It bridges the gap between the organisation's current capability and that needed to deliver the business results. From an individual point of view, it enables people to add to their stock of personal competences and develop their full potential.'

'However, learning is also a business process and must take place in the business environment in order to deliver the results that the Department requires.'

Sharing the plan

The policy has led to the production of a medium-term learning strategic plan (MTLSP), which is updated regularly. This is made available on the Inland Revenue's corporate intranet. The electronic presentation of the policy and MTLSP means that information can be made available to staff in different ways according to their role and responsibilities. For example, it answers the question, 'What does this mean to me if I am a manager?' At the heart of the approach is a set of simple principles:

• Learning is important
• Learning should take place in the workplace
• Knowing can be accomplished in a variety of different ways.

As the strategy puts it:

'If you are a manager

Learning Directions says that:

• You should recognise that learning is what really counts, not training and development.
• You should understand that learning is a business process that will enable you to meet business needs, but that also needs planning effectively.
• You accept responsibility for helping to plan and support the learning of the people who work for you within a framework that includes local and national learning specialists.
• Learning will be provided 'just-in-time' before the performance changes it is intended to promote, are required.
• You will understand that most learning happens in the workplace and your role is to help plan and support that learning appropriately.
• Off-site learning will happen where it is the only way of meeting the learning needs or there are other benefits.
• Online learning will make an increasingly important contribution to meeting learning needs.'

There is further information available in all these statements embedded in the electronic programme.

Serving the Self-Reliant Learner at Linklaters

Learning and Development at Linklaters

Linklaters is one of the 'magic circle' of large global law firms with a head office in the City of London. It is a global partnership with 5,500 staff worldwide. About half of these staff are based in London - but there is a significant presence in other Western European countries, in the developing countries of Eastern Europe, in Asia and also a growing practice in the US. The firm covers a broad spectrum of law and is ranked in the top three law firms across a range of disciplines. It has a particularly strong and well-regarded corporate law practice.

Half of the 5,500 staff are fee-earners, 450 of whom are partners. The other half are involved in a variety of business support functions.

The importance of self development

Fee-earners at Linklaters are highly intelligent self-motivated individuals; selection is rigorous and standards are high. The firm would claim to provide the best legal advice in the most complex situations. The training provision must be judged against its ability to support and develop such expertise.

A new approach to learning and development at Linklaters is concentrating on developing an appropriate framework in which the fee-earners can manage their own development. Entry into partnership is a compellingly attractive goal for lawyers. If they cannot achieve progress towards partnership they are likely to leave to pursue opportunities elsewhere; it is essential for continuing relationships that any parting is amicable.

There is a potential contradiction here. The emphasis on technical excellence is associated with a top-down teaching mindset (it is consistent with a legal practice of 'taking instruction'). Training is often seen as the need for people to attend courses to improve their technical knowledge. However, learners are expected to demonstrate, and be capable of demonstrating, a high degree of personal choice. An ability to manage these two approaches ('we must be taught to deliver best legal advice and we must learn to fend for ourselves') is a strong indication of an ability to progress in the firm. One consequence is that there is not a tradition of coaching, counselling or developmental management. However, career development in the sense that it allows people to progress to the ultimate goal of partnership is recognised as crucial to the firm's continuing business success. Any processes that improve career development will command wide support.

A different approach to delivery

So far the preponderance of training has been course based and centred on technical legal content. It is almost entirely delivered in-house, by Linklaters' subject matter experts. Non-technical subjects are growing in importance, particularly training concerned with client handling; these non-technical areas will be delivered in part by external consultants.

The new Head of Learning and Development, Des Woods has articulated the role of his department in the following terms:

'To optimise the competitive advantage of the firm by providing our people with the awareness, understanding and skills they need to develop their careers and provide excellent service to our clients.'

Such a statement emphasises the self-reliant learner and the clear link to career development as well as the business objectives. The challenge is to create an appropriate climate and an organisational context and the related opportunities.

Des Woods is clear about what constitutes success. The softer indications, which can nevertheless be assessed through survey data, include:

'People will talk about "my learning" rather than "your training"; they will recognise that the firm, while remaining firstly commercial focused has created an active environment for career development; people will be a lot more involved in their own development.'

Harder indications will include a move away from event-based training to managed coaching, there will be greater coherence between knowing something and doing something; there will be a shift away from purely technical training to client/management training.

To achieve this transition a number of short-term steps are in hand. First, there is a major initiative, on a global basis, to improve coaching capacity at all management levels. This follows a review of the performance appraisal system, which highlighted some deficiencies. A second initiative is to create a more visible leadership for the firm achieved through partnership development. Harvard Business School faculty will be delivering an in-house course but a wider offering will be made available on a self-select basis. Courses, e-learning modules and other developmental activities will be presented and partners will choose their own portfolio. Individual coaching support will be made available.

The firm has a well-developed technology platform and infrastructure. However generic e-learning offerings to date have not achieved significant penetration. A revised approach will seek to place an emphasis on electronically available performance support tools (blurring the distinction between learning and performance). The emphasis will be on knowledge-based activities ('I want to know something' rather than 'I want to do something') and on refreshing existing knowledge rather than the acquisition of new knowledge. All these l earning modules will be produced in-house. Existing portals and search engines will be developed further to support this initiative.

Some dilemmas

The emphasis on self-reliant learning and the link to career development cannot fully meet the needs of all Linklaters' learners. Des Wood emphasises that people have different motives for learning and what is on offer must reflect that motivation - rather than the hierarchical position of the learner.

As an indication of a possible approach, Des Woods has suggested four different sorts of employees, each with different motivations to learn.

The main challenge is a need to change the mindset, to move away from 'training is what is done to somebody else'. In this respect Linklaters is experiencing similar problems to those encountered in many other organisations. The shift to learning must be pursued, however, as it will bring many benefits. Generally, almost irrespective of the organisation, a perception that there are opportunities to learn and develop will create satisfaction for the individual. It will help to build trust. Circumstances will differ, not every organisation will have staff as self-reliant as Linklaters. However, the opportunities for learning must be communicated effectively and the experience must be on appropriate quality. Linklaters is particularly demanding and expectations are high.

A career development framework for IT professionals: Ford Motor Company

Background

Ford is one of the best-known global companies and over 300,000 people are employed across the world in automotive, financial and adjacent activities. Effective IT is a critical component of business effectiveness. Currently approximately 11,000 staff are involved in IT services: 4,500 are Ford employees and the remainder work on contract or through agencies.

In 2001-02 a major reorganisation took place within IT designed to achieve greater efficiency through standardised processes, competent professionalism and effective governance within the function.

One consequence was a move away from agency staff towards greater development f internal resources. A second consequence was restructuring around four key departments: Information Technology Infrastructure; Application Development Services; Process & Technology Group; Information Technology Strategy & Organisational Development. This last group (ITS&OD) has been responsible, together with the human resource function, for developing and implementing a major competency-based framework. This is designed to give Ford IT staff throughout the world clearer development opportunities consistent with the requirements of a competent professional in a leading organisation.

The framework

The approach adopted by Ford has been to develop a Career Development Framework (CDF). The vision statement for this initiative is reproduced below:

We will provide the right IT resources at the right time and place to support current and future business needs, as we grow:

• An IT culture in which learning is a core value, integrated into every project and operation.
• IT people who think of themselves and are regarded by their customers as proud competent professionals.
• IT professionals who take ownership of their career development.
• IT leaders who take responsibility for the continuing development of employees as a core element to their role.
• The best infrastructure among all large companies for encouraging supporting tracking and rewarding IT professional development.

Underpinning the CDF are 22 competencies defined for IT staff. Seventeen distinct job families have been identified within the function across the four key departments. For each job family a subset of the 22 competencies have been identified as 'core' (the most relevant and, in some cases, critical), others are identified as qualifying (here the individual should have demonstrated that competency in the past, though they may not need it to perform their current role, particularly at senior levels).

These competencies and the related tools and paperwork are available on the web and the CDF process proceeds as follows. Individuals should become aware of the relevant competencies for their role; they should conduct a self-assessment against those competencies; they should conduct a gap analysis designed to highlight deficiencies which should then, in agreement with their manager, be addressed through participation in relevant developmental activities. A set of learning opportunities are set out on the web. These include courses, websites, references, e-learning, and suggested individual action (for example, presentations at professional groups).

Implementation of the CDF processes should produce clear benefits for both company and individual. According to Paula Leach, Ford's Global IT Competency and Learning Manager, the framework was introduced for the following reasons:

'We needed a framework in which we could direct people's learning in the company's interest. Within IT there are four areas of specific skills and knowledge - the company needed a model that ensured consistency of standards. Most importantly we needed people to have pride in their role, to be motivated and energised for development. Further, we wished Ford IT to be at the forefront of the profession.'

Considerable resources have gone into building a robust framework; efforts have been made to secure appropriate buy in at all levels. Paula Leach emphasises that CDF is not a process defined by a tool; it is its effective use by IT professionals within the global business that will produce the benefits. Here the company is refreshingly candid about previous difficulties and the issues that were encountered.

Practical issues on implementation

Ford was able to benefit from the lessons of earlier efforts with competency frameworks. A previous system, based on self-assessment against competencies introduced in the late 90s, exposed many of the practical problems. For example, there was a large volume of paper work downloaded for self-reporting and the extent of the skills gaps revealed could be demoralising for the individual. Moreover, inevitably, given the company's structure, the initiative was driven from the United States. According to Helen Tovey, the UK IT Learning and Development Strategy Manager, there were occasions when the recommended 'solution' to a deficiency was only available in the US.

Effective implementation of CDF is therefore seen as a long-term task. Importantly it must be delivered and supported in the IT functions across the globe. Culture and practices differ: 'coaching' is interpreted differently in the United States than in South East Asia and Europe. Moreover the resources available for local support and development vary considerably.

Competency centres

One approach which has been developed in the US, UK and Germany to support the initiative has been to establish a centre with staff whose role is to assist implementation. In the UK some seven staff are employed as coaches. Their role is to conduct one to one discussions with all IT staff up to the level of first line management and to provide guidance and support on career development. This means that the individual takes responsibility for self-assessment and gap analysis but is helped and advised by an experienced coach. The development plan must then be agreed with the line manager, who has a responsibility to ensure the individual is able to implement their plan.

The US operates a similar arrangement, but given the greater scale, the staff at the competency centre are able to specialise and focus on the needs within particular job families.

The future

Ford's emphasis on individual learner responsibility supported by a published competency framework is by no means unique. However, their commitment is considerable and they have reflected and learned from previous experience. They are conscious of the challenges posed by a global initiative. Both individual and company benefit from successful implementation. Given the time scale it is important to demonstrate the business benefits to ensure continuing long-term commitment to skills development against the framework.

Investment in people at INA Bearings Company Limited

The business challenge

INA Bearing Company Limited is a subsidiary of a privately owned German engineering group. At its UK manufacturing facility in Llanelli, West Wales, it employs 320 people producing precision engine components.

The business has faced a particularly challenging time. In the 1990s it experienced rapid growth. Over the last three years, the Company has been faced with increasing competition from low labour cost countries as group production capacity has been placed in Eastern Europe (Slovakia and Romania) where wages are a fraction of those in the UK.

INA Bearing Company Limited has responded by seeking to compete through developing the capability to deliver higher value added products. There has been a planned and sustained focus on continuous improvement, cost reduction and, as an integral component of the process, a sustained attempt to up-skill the workforce. As the Personnel Manager, Adrian Roberts puts it:

Previously the investment has been in machinery, now the investment is in people

You never know what the next product will be, so you need to update the skills so that people have new techniques to cope with whatever comes their way.

The change process began with a management offsite strategy day held in March 2001. The culture change programme developed there identified 'production location of choice' as the vision for the Llanelli Plant. 'Integrity, Innovation, Respect Commitment and Passion' were identified as values. A series of initiatives were put in place on a planned timetable.

The culture change programme involved continuous improvement, training and flexibility; significantly they were linked and supported by the statement "the rate of learning must be greater than the rate of change" (L>C).

A learning culture

The Company felt it important to communicate as early as possible, the vision and strategy for the future to its employees and so embarked upon a communication exercise whereby a member of the senior management team on an individual basis interviewed each employee.

Guidance for this communication exercise was prepared in the form of a briefing document, to ensure consistency of the message. The guidance note states that:

To achieve this vision a "learning culture" must be at the core of our activities, so that we are practising a culture of continuous improvement and consequently whatever "change" is necessary in the future we have the requisite skills, knowledge and experience to adapt and achieve our targets.

This will mean the training and development of all people in the organisation to improve our skills knowledge. We will be assessing and appraising everyone within the organisation to ensure that we have a suitably trained and experienced team.

A major obstacle to overcome was to encourage employees to learn. INA is located close to a ward in Wales with some of the lowest levels of adult literacy. Many employees had few or no qualifications, and generally were disenchanted with education and learning. To embrace these "reluctant learners" in the culture change programme, the Company initially "sold" the concept in individual interviews with employees:

The employees had nothing to lose, if the investment in learning and development paid off, there was a more secure future. If despite these efforts the fortunes of the Company did not improve, then at least the individual had a nationally recognised qualification.

Qualifications and learning

National Vocational Qualifications were delivered that were tailored to and relevant to the individual's job. An E-Learning Centre was established in conjunction with AMICUS, the local college, Coleg Sir Gar and Learndirect and a wide range of courses were offered to employees, including "Computers for the Terrified" for those unfamiliar with IT. Other initiatives were developed also, such as "lunch and learn" sessions to engage with employees and get them on the learning ladder. The Company now has four Union Learning Representatives who are playing an active role in promoting learning in the workplace.

Three years on the majority of employees now have an NVQ, all employees have individual development plans and learning now is an integral part of the culture of the organisation. While from a business point of view the investment is paying off also. New products are being introduced to Llanelli, for the first time since 1997. In addition 2005 will also see a large investment in new machinery.

This was produced on behalf of the CIPD by the University of Cambridge, Programme for industry.