An independent research report released today by eLearning and advanced content solutions provider IMC Learning reveals nearly four out of five HR leaders believe it is important to reduce costs, while over half want to minimise the time staff spend out of the office.
The survey, ‘Staff training during an economic downturn – opportunities and threats’, polled 150 UK HR professionals on their training needs, practices and expectations during an economic slowdown.
It found that a flexible and cost-effective training solution is vital during an economic slowdown with 79% of respondents stating the importance of being able to produce in-house training content quickly and cost-effectively.
A staggering nine out of ten (89%) of respondents cited the ability to tailor training to an organisation’s changing needs quickly and cost-effectively as the attribute they want most from staff training, with an overwhelming 98% of respondents from large organisations (5000+ employees) believing it is important.
Commenting on the research, Dr Dirk Thissen, managing director, IMC Learning says:
“Large or small, public or private, this report indicates that regardless of the size or makeup of the organisation, cost-effective, flexible training content, that can be produced quickly and effectively, is extremely important to HR professionals during an economic downturn.
“With the wealth of learning management systems and rapid authoring programs on the market, HR leaders now have a wide range of products, services and options available to fit their specific training and budget needs.”
In addition, 78% of those surveyed believe it is important to execute a training programme that offers flexible training times for employees. This is particularly true in very large (90%) and very small (82%) of organisations.
Thissen continues:
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“Now, more than ever, it is imperative to have a fully trained and knowledgeable workforce on hand to see you through these tough times but not at the expense of productivity.
“eLearning solutions such as virtual classrooms, web based training and mobile learning not only minimise the time employees spend out of the office, but they also allow employees to carry out training at flexible times, thereby reducing impact on their day-to-day work.”
