CIPD Helping people learn
*
*
*

Overview

Research
summary

Case Studies

Your views

Discuss in the
communities

Responses

 *

Case studies

Create an environment for effective learning

Learning Contracts at Surrey County Council


The pilot programme

In July 2002 Surrey County Council introduced a pilot programme designed to improve the IT skills of staff working within the Sustainable Development Service (formerly known as Environment).

126 staff were chosen by a mixture of nomination by their heads of department, needs identified on their performance review, and self selection. All were give the opportunity to pursue the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL). This qualification enables people to demonstrate their competence in computer skills across seven modules.

Staff were supported in acquiring and demonstrating the necessary skills through a combination of CD Rom, supplied by a company called Electric Paper, access to ECDL reference material on the Intranet, in-house courses and a clinic/coaching session. ECDL testing was conducted by external consultants. The target for this initial group of 126 staff was 50 per cent to have completed the whole qualification and 50 per cent to complete at least four modules.

Producing a learning contract

A key part of the initial process was the production of a learning contract. This was signed by the individual and his or her manager and signified that both parties were supported to the pursuit of the qualification. Most importantly the manager would ensure that the participant was allowed at least two hours a week to pursue the ECDL.

This idea of the learning contract has been continued in the next phase of the Surrey County Council ECDL project. This phase will involve some 200 staff across the full range of Council activities. They will be chosen using the same approach; the learning opportunities will be similar, though the clinics/workshops will be limited, as they proved less popular with the pilot learners. Tests will be taken in-house and as a result the costs will be considerably reduced - for each participant department will be charged £145 as against £300 in the pilot.

John Adcock, the County ICT Training Manager, feels that learning contracts have significant benefits for this sort of programme. However, he also feels that some people in the pilot stage underestimated the time involved and failed to sustain the necessary progress. As a result the learning contract has been changed so that the milestones in terms of modules completed are made more explicit. In his view this will greatly assist in clarifying the responsibilities and commitments of all parties involved. Extracts from the contract are shown below.

Course Details

The European Computer Driving Licence will be the accepted standard for IT skills at Surrey County Council and is an internationally recognised Information Technology qualification. After successfully completing the course, candidates will be equipped with all the core applications for using a computer at work.

The Candidate

  • I understand the nature and requirements of the course and the commitment needed to complete it.
  • I undertake to complete a minimum of 2 modules every 3 months.
  • I agree to inform my Line Manager if I can't continue.

Line Manager

  • I understand the benefits of this training to the candidate and agree to provide protected time per week to enable the candidate to complete the course.
  • (2.5 hours protected time per week is recommended for full-time staff - this includes test time).
  • To inform the Test Centre Manage if the candidate is unable to continue.



Learning Through Team Reviews at Rolls-Royce


Change management

East Kilbride, in Scotland, is one of 17 worldwide locations that form Rolls-Royce Aero Repair and Overhaul Business. Some 1,100 people are employed at East Kilbride, the majority of who are skilled engineering craftsmen who are servicing a range of civil and military engines for over 90 contracted customers. It is a demanding high-technology engineering business.

The team review forms an integral part of a change management process that has transformed the business. At the start of the change process in 1998 the business was facing serious problems in an increasingly competitive market. Customers were dissatisfied, and turnaround times for repairs were unacceptable. The turnaround delivery time for the Pegasus (a military engine) in 1996 was 260 days; to put this figure in context, by 2001 this had been reduced to 58 days. The firm's reputation was suffering and staff morale was poor. A particularly high profile example occurred in 1997 when an aircraft carrier was ready to sail to Hong Kong at the handover of the territory to China. Sailing was delayed because a Harrier jet engine had not returned in time from East Kilbride to be refitted to the plane.

The overall change strategy focused on two main themes, that of processes and people. There were a number of elements to both these themes, including re-engineered processes, the implementation of an enterprise resource planning system, team-based working, a management re-organisation and the use of the balanced scorecard. These were seen as an integrated whole and a key aspect was engaging employees in the organisation. According to John MacInnes, the Organisation Development Executive involved at the time of the change 'traditionally we paid our workforce for their skills, but we didn't have the processes in place to tap into their knowledge.'

Team-based learning

Team-based working was an essential part of the change process. This was seen as a move from a command and control style of management to a leading and coaching style. There was a sustained effort to allow teams to own and resolve their own problems through knowledge sharing within a supportive environment. Team-based working began in 1998 and the change could be said to have been firmly embedded six years later. However, the devolution of responsibility through increased empowerment is a continuing activity.

The formal elements of team-based working are a regular team review, an allocation of and acceptance of team roles and responsibilities, and senior management sponsorship. A team of between 15 and 25 members is committed to hold a team review every four weeks; this is the formal means of allowing the team to review performance against agreed objectives. A team review session will last about one and a half hours and is run by the team members. There is a preset agenda which includes, turnaround times, work in progress, quality, cost performance, production scheduling, process improvement would be discussed and the 'softer' human resources and team working issues are also dealt with. All members of the team are encouraged to take on a specific role to support this team working. These roles would involve responsibility for co-ordinating capacity planning, finance and budgeting, risk assessment, the control of consumable items (those used up in the repair and overhaul process) through to a holiday champion.

The team coach

A critical team role at the time of the change initiative was that of team coach. This was an individual selected from within the organisation, against a specific criteria, provided with 14 days of off-the-job training and development, and charged with facilitating the team-based working process from within 'to create a vision that team members find inspiring.' This role was designed to facilitate effective team-based working. Initially the team coaches were expected to play a central influencing role with the team; they were then expected to operate as part of the team supporting where appropriate; in a third and final stage, when the team had demonstrated their ability to operate on their own, they would disengage from the team and move onto other activities. A number have become production managers. In addition, each team has a senior management sponsor whose role is to assist the team overcome any issues that prevents the team from making progress.

The results of this change strategy have by any standards been impressive. As has been noted, turnaround times for repair and overhaul have improved dramatically. Profitability has increased: the business has expanded. The team review plays a pivotal role in the improvement process through empowering the workforce and thus improving morale and commitment. It is fair to ask, however, to what extent is this a learning initiative? Like many change initiatives it involves a team-learning element linked with knowledge sharing and performance improvement. In addition, an inevitable by product of a process of devolved management is individual development of those who are shouldering additional responsibilities. Presenting at team reviews can be a challenging experience. This is particularly true if the business director is present: these more senior managers attend one or two team reviews each week.

Skills matrix

What links the process firmly to individual learning, however, is the skills matrix. This is a chart that maps the current capabilities of all team members against business requirements. These capabilities embrace both essential engineering skills and the softer skills and competencies involved in team-based working. Thus the current capabilities of any team member are made evident to all the team and the team is encouraged to work to find a solution. One of the roles is that of training co-ordinator and a solution based on on-the-job learning within the team will be sought. One essential factor to be considered is the immediate importance of the current business competence requirements; another is the overall level of competence within the team. If a need is recognised as important, and is best met through off-the-job training, a solution will be found, possibly using the facilities of the company learning and development centre located at the East Kilbride site. Generally, however, with team-based working and learning the amount of off-the-job courses has declined and 'menu-based' training has become less important.

With this method of working, roles and responsibilities have changed. The role of the line manager has become more strategic, though there is still a need for the performance management role, driving process improvement and dealing with sub-standard performance. The heart of the process, however, is self-management within teams leading to the delivery of business excellence.



Protected Learning Time within Enfield Primary Care Trust


Background

Enfield Primary Care Trust is responsible for the health care provision for the population of a large London borough. In addition to taking responsibility for the Trust's 900 direct employees it also provides support for General Practitioners (GPs) and their staff. There are just over 60 practices in Enfield, which range in size from GP practices employing no more than three or four staff to larger group practices which employ as many as 20 staff.

Encouraging HR best practice for such a diverse group is not easy. Some GPs are committed to effective knowledge and information sharing at a professional level and carry this ethos into their practice by encouraging all of their staff to learn and develop. Others question any time spent on staff development.

Promoting HR best practice

Gillian Morris, the HR Manager at the Trust who carries responsibility for promoting HR best practice amongst this group, stresses that she must proceed through influence: 'pointing out the benefits and highlighting the risks'. There are however some opportunities to advance effective learning and one of these is the review of critical incidents. All incidents, clinical or non-clinical, which could have patient or organisational implications, must be reported to the Trust. GPs and their staff are encouraged to review and learn from such incidents.

To assist the process, and promote learning more generally, in 2002 the Trust introduced a protected learning time (PLT) initiative. Each of the three localities in Enfield (Enfield North, Southgate and Edmonton) holds an event once a month. Attendance for GPs and their staff is mandatory, though enforcement is difficult and procedures are currently under review. To support the initiative, and underline its importance, locum GP cover is provided by a GP or co-operative, which is paid for by the Trust. This ensures that while the practice is training, patients will still be able to receive medical attention.

Learning through shared knowledge and experience

These PLT events, which last half a day, are organised by a member of the Trust's staff who has specific responsibility for this activity. GPs and practice staff are asked to contribute items for consideration on future agendas. Each of the three localities, however, has a designated lead GP who will carry responsibility for determining at least part of the agenda. Often, this will take the form of a facilitated discussion on an important recent critical incident. In this way, as well as protected time, there is a strong emphasis on learning through shared knowledge and experience.



On the job training at Roseland Care


Background

Care of the elderly is one of the biggest growth areas in employment. It is a challenging activity which may not seem immediately attractive to a job seeker. It is not highly paid; the work can be physically demanding, and the tasks that are undertaken may appear mundane. However, the job can be immensely satisfying with appreciative clients who value the contribution that effective care makes to the quality and dignity of their lives.

Roseland Care Ltd and Residential Home, which is located in Cornwall, offers accommodation and support for 31 residents, all of whom are over the age of 65. Round the clock (7 x 24) cover is provided by staff who are managed and led by Mrs Joy Floyd-Norris, a qualified nurse who is Roseland Care's matron. Some 45 staff are employed at the home, involved in care work (by far the biggest category), maintenance of the property, the preparation and serving of meals, cleaning and laundry. Many of these staff work only part-time; some only evenings or nights.

Given the difficulties in recruiting, and the imperative of retaining staff, Roseland Care places great emphasis in creating opportunities for development, particularly for those involved in the delivery of care.

Developing the care staff: induction

Residential care is highly regulated. All homes must be visited at least twice a year (one announced, one unannounced) by the Commissioners of the Social Care Inspectorate. There is therefore a compliance aspect to much of the training. One Inspectorate requirement is that effective induction arrangements for new joiners are in place.

However, Joy Floyd-Norris is keen to emphasise that what's at issue are standards of service rather than compliance. In her view the defining characteristic of good residential care is the ability to deliver to clients whatever they may require at the time to live a 'happy and contented daily life'. This may involve dressing, feeding, transporting or assistance with personal hygiene. However, all these tasks need to be undertaken by the carers in a way that maintains the dignity of the resident, whatever their physical needs. In Joy Floyd-Norris' view these skills and attitudes can only be learned effectively on the job. Induction training at Roseland therefore proceeds as follows. All new joiners working on caring duties are given an induction pack which lists some 30 items or activities that they must be capable of undertaking. The list, which was prepared by Joy Floyd Norris and her deputy, involves some 'technical' items (using a hoist to lift a patient for example) and well as the softer skills of personal care (procedures for washing a patient, for example).

On joining, the new member of staff is assigned another experienced carer who will act as mentor throughout this induction period and will demonstrate and give guidance and feedback on these identified tasks.

Joy Floyd Norris argues that this is effective because: 'High standards must be installed at the very beginning and embedded throughout. How to behave to a resident is something that can only be acquired if you see it being done in practice.'

Given this stress on standards, Roseland Care is confident that the mentors identified are capable of fulfilling their role as on-the-job trainers.

Developing the caring staff: beyond induction

Induction takes some three or four months, and caring staff are encouraged to progress and acquire recognised care qualifications. Of the 30 staff involved in care, six are qualified nurses but the remainder will have few if any qualifications before joining Roseland Care. A typical joiner will be a woman who has some care experience within the family, but could be wary of examinations.

As Joy Floyd Norris puts it: 'If you haven't completed qualifications recently it can be frightening to re-start. Committing yourself to paper to demonstrate knowledge can be particularly daunting.'

Roseland Care can claim a record of success. About 60 per cent of caring staff, discounting the qualified nurses, will go on to secure a NVQ qualification in care at levels 2 or 3. After induction the next stage is to proceed through a foundation course. A local college provides this, but they deliver all the training support at the residential home itself. Topics will include etiquette, checking against and detecting abuse, diversity issues - all of these topics are supported by workbooks. After success in a multiple choice examination a certificate is awarded.

The next stage is to proceed to study the competency-based and assessed NVQ at a local college, generally St. Austell. For staff under the age of 25, this will form part of a Modern Apprenticeship.

Motivation to learn

Although Roseland Care has been successful in encouraging care staff to proceed through this development path, ultimately it must depend on learner motivation. There can be no compulsion.

Joy Floyd-Norris emphasises the importance of adjusting the approach to make it easy for those who are tentative. The emphasis on on-the-job training and the delivery of the foundation course in the home rather than at College are two examples. She does however recognise that people with low levels of literacy may need extra support - the ability to complete a chart, for example, is part of the job. Arrangements were made for one carer to receive special support in written work during her time off, and the person concerned progressed to level 2 NVQ over time. It is important that people are allowed to proceed at their own pace and it is made clear that however long staff have been employed at the home it is never too late to begin. There is always support for them to acquire relevant qualifications.



One-to-one IT training at Transport For London


Background

Transport for London (TFL) is a large, high profile organisation which faces the considerable challenge of planning, arranging and delivering the bus and underground services which serve the needs of the capital city. London Underground, which is the main focus of this case study, employs 12,000 staff in total of whom some 2,500 are office-based management and administrative staff. In late 2002 TFL recognised that they faced a particularly difficult challenge following the introduction of a new system. Their experience led them to reconsider their approach to training in IT skills.

The skills and knowledge required.

As part of a wider business improvement programme, London Underground planned to introduce SAP (an enterprise resource planning system). This would include a number of modules including HR, finance and procurement. Implementation was planned for spring 2003. However, in November 2002 the project team responsible expressed concern that the IT skills of potential users were not of the levels required to permit acceptable use of the new system's functionality. One thousand London Underground staff were involved but the problems experience by one group offers an illustration. Some 120 operational trainers would need to use the SAP system to record their progress on delivering training to drivers and station staff: such training could concern safety issues, and precise recording and early input of results was essential.

Those responsible for IT training in the learning and development team realised that prompt action was required. How could basic IT skill-levels be diagnosed rapidly and appropriate training put in place? The problem was not complex - what was at issue was some straightforward skills and knowledge mainly reporting to the core Microsoft Products - but the timescale was tight and budgets constrained.

According to Tom Harlow, the member of the learning and development team responsible for developing their approach: 'Even at the outset we had doubts about whether the traditional approach of a one or two-day course could deliver what would be required'.

The first step in defining the approach was to send the now 1,100 staff involved a questionnaire, which asked them to assess their current capability. This consisted of some 40 statements covering the main applications. The importance of this questionnaire was indicated by advance e-mails and underlined by support, in the business, from senior management. As a result over 90 per cent of questionnaires were returned within the three-week deadline and it was possible to proceed to the next stage of the training needs analysis - the review of the results.

One obvious way of analysing the data was to consider a number of identified needs or deficiencies. There was a proportion, some 15 per cent of respondents who had no needs. This group required no additional training. There were a range of intermediate needs and some 120 who recorded more than 20 needs; this population clearly needed to advance a great deal if they were to reach required standards.

The solution adopted

For the population as a whole the following options were considered:

  • First, a training course or workshop. Using the information from the training needs analysis it would be possible to group people with similar needs and these courses could be targeted more effectively.
  • Secondly, work based coaching, offering individual tailored tuition delivered by WWP trainers, a main supplier of TFL's IT training, at the employees' desk.
  • Thirdly, for someone with few if any, identified needs, tips e-mailed to them at their PC.
  • Fourthly, again mainly for those with limited needs, direct personal support through a telephoned helpline manned by WWP staff.

A thorough examination of the training needs analysis by Transport for London and WWP Training led to the derivation of a rough rule of thumb. A single need or deficiency could absorb five minutes of training on a one-to-one basis and 10 minutes in a classroom time. The solution adopted after consideration, was to deliver all the training on a one-to-one basis. This was accomplished over a six-week period in spring 2003.

The other means of delivery were found to be less appropriate. However, all learners received a series of some 40 e-mails each one relating to one of the topics in the original needs analysis e-mailed over the training period. This served to re-emphasise the importance of the training and reinforce its content.

All the monitoring, feedback and evaluation received subsequently has indicated that the approach adopted has been effective in terms of meeting the business objectives. In addition the learners seem to prefer it. A series of mails and informal approaches to the learning and development team have requested more of the same.

See also "Necessary Measures", Learning Centre, People Management, 20 November 2003.



Implementing a basic skills programme at TNT


Background

TNT UK Ltd has over 9,500 staff working throughout the UK and Ireland. Its core business is express and logistics delivery services both within the UK and internationally. The frontline of TNT's operations comprises of drivers and loading bay operators who work at the major depots and sortation centres. TNT offers a range of training to its staff in all roles at all levels. A need was identified for basic skills training for frontline staff. For instance, some workers who could not read had learnt from experience that trailers are parked in bays according to their destination so, for example, they knew parcels for Manchester would go in the van in bay eight. But when the parking place changed they were not able to read the changed destination and filled the vans incorrectly, leading to increased costs in rectifying the mis-sorts.

The basic skills programme was established as a joint initiative between TNT and the Transport and General Workers' Union (T&G). T&G provided the trainers and a contribution from the Union Learning Fund to establish the programme; TNT provided the resources including the office space, computers and refreshments. The role of the T&G's learning representative was crucial in identifying staff with basic skills needs. Individuals were identified and encouraged by the union representative to join the pilot programme. The challenge was to motivate staff to take part in the programme without it being perceived as a stigma. Tactics included selling the benefits of the programme, for example, improving communication skills such as reading, rather than focussing on tackling problem areas or deficiencies.

The programme

The programme was designed to take place over five days. A continuous course over several days has benefits over a modular approach, for example, staff are less likely to lose interest or suffer teasing from colleagues. Areas included reading, writing, numeracy and PC skills. At the end of the programme the participants received certificates from senior managers, such as the operations director. Getting staff to take part in later programmes has been much easier - the participants were able to sell it to their colleagues and several successful courses have run since the initial pilot, with over 60 staff having completed the course.

Ruth James, Head of People Development, stressed the importance of planning and implementing the programme, saying: 'It needs time and must be done properly'. Senior managers are kept up to date with progress through monthly training reports.

Individual and organisational benefits

In addition to the learning of basic skills such as numeracy, reading and writing, one of the most important benefits of the programme has been to build confidence and self esteem. One member of staff, a man in his 40s, who completed the programme, said 'I'd never written a letter before in my life and now I have managed to do this'. There are also benefits at an organisational level, such as managing health and safety risks. For example, if staff are unable to read health and safety signs at a depot, it could have consequences far greater than miss-sorting or miss-delivering post.



Removing barriers and encouraging collaborative learning at GCHQ


Background

Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) is a Civil Service department engaged in intelligence and security operations. Some 4,700 staff are employed; almost all work at the new, purpose-built high-security site at Cheltenham, Gloucestershire - housing one of the biggest computer complexes in Europe. Staff are engaged across two main areas. First, GCHQ produces signals intelligence to protect the vital interests of the nation - in line with government requirements, and within a regime of clear legal guidelines. Secondly, the organisation is the national technical authority for information assurance - helping keep Government communications and information systems safe from hackers and other threats. This includes assistance in the protection of information networks supporting critical national infrastructures, for example electricity and water supplies, against hostile activity from whatever source and in whatever form.

As well as terrorist threats to institutions and individuals, GCHQ is concerned with fighting serious crime - ensuring, for example, that the financial sector is protected from fraud or illicit movement of money through 'hacking'. GCHQ staff must be leading-edge in terms of applications and their abuses: this knowledge extends beyond the obvious areas of technology and the Internet.

To fulfil these objectives GCHQ employs highly intelligent staff who are capable of absorbing and applying information very quickly. These professional staff do not need to learn how to learn. Many are fluent in a wide variety of languages - almost 100 separate languages were spoken at GCHQ at the last count. More mathematicians are employed than in the average university faculty, and GCHQ staff invented the cryptographic concepts later used to make the Internet secure.

The GCHQ Learning and Development staff operate within a knowledge-intensive organisation. This requires a very different sort of intervention from the traditional classroom-based training model and different skill-sets from the learning and development professionals.

Changing the culture

The Learning and Development team have a critical role to play in supporting organisational objectives and, in particular, the change management process that is underway at GCHQ. The changing nature of the external threat - new and more complex challenges to national security - requires a different approach to problem-solving. As Julia Cusack, one of GCHQ's management and development training consultants, put it:

"The emphasis throughout the organisation is on solving problems by combining expertise through cross-functional working. Knowledge sharing and collaborative learning is critical to our success. This is not consistent with a didactic approach to the delivery of training. We must deliver our management and interpersonal skills training in a way that is consistent with the business objective and vision"

It should be emphasised that such collaborative approaches to learning receive clear and powerful support from the top. They are consistent with the GCHQ Blueprint - a rolling five-year corporate vision - which sets out a shared aspiration for the way GCHQ will do business in terms of process and culture. The Blueprint, which was compiled on the basis of wide consultation with staff, emphasises innovation and flexibility.

Organisational agility achieved through collaborative learning is seen as critical to success. In May 2004 for example David Pepper, GCHQ's Director issued a message to all staff on coaching, in which he argued

" We should all see coaching as a natural role - not as an additional chore - and seek to improve our coaching skills. We all have our own objectives to achieve, and we rely on colleagues to achieve them. If we improve each other's performance we can take some load off ourselves and get more done as a team."

This sort of reinforcement, expressed in these terms, is of critical importance to the Learning and Development team. It is, in Julia Cusack's words, seeing the development of management skills as an essential part of the job - not an optional extra.

Combining expertise within GCHQ teams is critical. Much of the professional/technical updating can only take place in-house - as frequently the subject matter expertise is greater amongst GCHQ staff than anywhere else in the country, if not the world. Although, outside speakers and informal updating lunches are encouraged, it would be very hard, for example, to envisage an external tutor-led course on cryptography as a feasible way of extending staff skills.

As a result a particular job has been identified within the teams responsible for information assurance - that of development manager. The post-holder here is responsible for scanning the horizon for latest developments and sharing them with his or her colleagues - this is a full-time role.

The physical environment for learning

Knowledge sharing is seen as an integral part of learning, and the new GCHQ building is designed to encourage this. All offices are open plan and equipped on a standard pattern to allow, in response to changing business requirements, the immediate and easy formation of cross-discipline teams in new locations. There are breakout areas with comfortable furniture at convenient locations and a 'street' running round the building to facilitate encounters and exchanges. There is a conscious policy to shift away from strict 'need to know' to 'learning through sharing'.

Course delivery

Given this philosophy, the Learning and Development team stress the importance of bringing groups of people from different functions together for management and interpersonal skills development. However, this does not mean that there need be a taught element on courses.

A continuing major initiative is called Lead 21. This is more correctly described as an organisational development than a training initiative. The aim is to promote and practise (with the emphasis on the latter) the characteristics of the new desired culture for GCHQ. This stresses a more participative style of management and more team working and improvement at every level. The interventions, designed and delivered by GCHQ Learning and Development teams in conjunction with an external consultancy, International Training Services (ITS), The initial phase, launched in 1998,involved a series of off-the-job workshops. Facilitation was used but the emphasis is was on self-managed group work. Each workshop consisted of some 18 people, and action-learning groups comprising some 6 participants would meet between the workshops. The current phase sees the Learning and Development function encouraging 'support and challenge' groups. In this way individuals also manage their own development and learning outside the training interventions.

In Julia Cusack's view the following are the key elements of any initiative intended to promote interpersonal skills. People should be brought together in self-managed groups. There should be an aim to promote self-awareness (through the use of psychometric instruments and 360° feedback). Modules should be short and learning groups such as action learning or support and challenge used. Where an intervention from outside the group is required it should be facilitatory rather than directive or didactive.

In many ways members of GCHQ's Learning and Development team are in a strong position. They have support from the top, deal with committed and capable individuals and work in physical conditions which are almost uniquely conducive to knowledge sharing. Their challenge is to work in a way which is consistent with and models the ethos of the organisational and cultural change programme



 *

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


 *