Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

e-learningLearning & developmentLearning & Skills CouncilsSupplier News

Growth of social learning stunted by lack of knowledge in UK business

by Personnel Today 29 Jul 2009
by Personnel Today 29 Jul 2009

New Brightwave research confirms business leaders and data security concerns are key barriers to social learning with many UK workers lacking social media access, despite support and high usage amongst HR professionals

New research* out today from work-place e-learning specialists Brightwave concludes that social networks and social learning are not being maximised or encouraged because business decision makers don’t understand their value (41%). This is despite nearly half (43%) of HR and L&D professionals using social networks, such as LinkedIn, to learn and gather knowledge.

Social learning is also unlikely to make much impact in the majority of large UK organisations in the near future, as almost two thirds (63%) of those surveyed confirmed they do NOT plan to facilitate social learning in the next 18 months.

Furthermore, the majority of UK workers in large organisations (7 out of 10) don’t have any access to leading social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. A secure company Intranet is the only tool which is commonly and actively encouraged for informal learning – used by 72.5% of those polled by Brightwave.

Lars Hyland, director of learning services at Brightwave said: “UK businesses are missing out on a huge opportunity to cost-effectively build knowledge and understanding, as well as engagement, across large volumes of employees in different locations. Business leaders must be informed about the real opportunities in applying social networks to business, otherwise they risk alienating their highly networked current and future talent in today’s global workforce.”

Data security is the key reason why most businesses (8 out of 10 of those surveyed) do not actively encourage participation in social networks. Wasted time (61%) and concerns over company IT infrastructure (48%) were also cited as key reasons for not using social media for learning.

Virginia Barder, director of projects at Brightwave picks up the issue of data security: “Organisations should certainly be concerned about data security as more people than ever can theoretically access personal and confidential information online. Most organisations should have processes in place to manage this. Any worries can be addressed by developing and communicating an effective information security policy. In fact, opening up access to such networks can benefit organisations hugely as it enables a freer flow of knowledge and access to information for people to do their jobs better.”

Barder concludes: “Common sense, context, communications training and Moderation should be enough to enable safe and effective social learning.”

* Brightwave survey polled e-learning and training specialists within large UK organisations (5000 plus employees) in July 2009.

 

 

 

 

Avatar
Personnel Today

previous post
e-Learning and in-house training on the increase – a new survey finds
next post
HR not doing enough to close gender pay gap

You may also like

Give wellbeing a board seat: Prof Sir Cary...

30 Jun 2022

What has cyber security got to do with...

29 Jun 2022

Young people need more guidance over ‘green jobs’

24 Jun 2022

Three in 10 workers’ skill sets not being...

23 Jun 2022

CIPD Festival of Work: ‘Push the boundaries’ with...

17 Jun 2022

How career pathways can attract and retain talent

13 Jun 2022

MPs threaten supply chain levy if HGV driver...

1 Jun 2022

Would a general training levy solve the UK...

1 Jun 2022

Age remains a barrier to upskilling finds research

27 May 2022

‘Inequality is embedded in our labour market’ says...

27 May 2022
  • NSPCC revamps its learning strategy with child wellbeing at its heart PROMOTED | The NSPCC’s mission is to prevent abuse and neglect...Read more
  • Diversity versus inclusion: Why the difference matters PROMOTED | It’s possible for an environment to be diverse, but not inclusive...Read more
  • Five steps for organisations across the globe to become more skills-driven PROMOTED | The shift in the world of work has been felt across the globe...Read more
  • The future of workforce development PROMOTED | Northumbria University and partners share insight...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+