New CI eLearning Network to Launch in October
Our new CI eLearning Network will launch in October and aims to provide a forum to discuss and learn about CI eLearning issues, trends, innovations, experiences and best practices.
Following feedback from our recent two CI eLearning virtual round tables, we have decided to launch a CI eLearning virtual network which will take place on the 13th of October. The network will be open to those working in LCS accredited organisations, those involved in designing, delivering and managing CI eLearning. Please have a look below to find out about our network key points:
- The meeting format will be flexible in order to cope with varying numbers of participants, with the extensive use of breakout groups.
- Meeting topics will include best practice/case presentations, guest speakers, innovations/new products, evaluation of tools and platforms, research results/opportunities.
- The network will be community-led, with members leading/coordinating sessions and meeting agendas developed by members.
- It will meet approximately every four months, with sessions lasting from one to two hours, using Zoom platform.The provisional date for the first meeting is 13th October, time to be announced soon.
Click here to register and to provide input on the agenda topics and to indicate your interest in presenting or facilitating.
Virtual Roundtable – Output Highlights
The current crisis has challenged the traditional face-to-face CI training delivery approach and many organisations are developing online alternatives. However, questions remain about the online model’s effectiveness in delivering acceptable learning outcomes and its ability to compensate for the absence of physical presence and interactions.
Two ‘virtual round tables’ for LCS community members took place in June and July as a forum to discuss the challenges in delivering CI training in the current environment, aiming to generate and share ideas to help in the development of workable solutions.
Below are summaries of the themes and key points discussed and links to the full output documents:
Themes:
- Classroom and virtual delivery methods
- Gemba challenges and some alternatives
- Delivery packages and IT issues
- Further insights from the virtual teaching challenge
Issued Raised:
- Quality of delivery
- Many different platforms with their own strengths and weaknesses depending on context: Miro, Mural, MS Teams, Zoom, One Note, Blue Works and Totara
- IT administration restrictions on using some platforms
- More demand for improvement training during the lockdown
- Projection of team onto wall so facilitator can act more naturally
- Creating own websites to deliver
- New people being trained, not being exposed to ‘normal’ methods
Click to review the outputs of round table 1
Click to review the outputs of round table 2
LCS Features on Springest.nl
The LCS Springest web page launched
Based in The Netherlands, Springest works as an educational and learning search engine featuring with over 700 learning providers offering courses and training programmes based on e-learning, online video, e-books, trainers, speakers and coaches.
Springest now features 14 LCS accredited providers in the Netherlands offering Lean Six Sigma courses to over 2 million visitors to the site per year.
The LCS dedicated page on Springest covers further information about the LCS, including background, levels and contact details and aims to reach those companies interested in starting or continuing their lean journeys as well as individuals looking into self-development (level 2 and level 3 pathways).
See the dedicated LCS certification page >>> on Springest.
Should Employers Implement a Culture of Learning?
The 2020 Workplace Learning Report
According to this report recently published and compiled by LinkedIn, to build a culture of learning is fundamental within any existing workspace.
This has the merit of improving employees’ engagement and productivity within the workplace. LinkedIn goes as far as producing a comprehensive research model focused on how the culture of learning improves both performance and general morale within different companies including MGM Resorts International and Swiss multinational pharmaceutical company Novartis.
With 58% of learning and developing professionals expecting to spend more on online learning platforms and increasing their budget to facilitate this (37%), it is apparent that to create a culture of learning should be at the core of every company’s long-term development plan.
Benefits of implementing a culture of learning
But what are the benefits of implementing a culture of learning? These can be multiple and varied, and, according to LinkedIn, the following ones are the most common:
- Productivity
- A better, healthier mindset leading to more positive company morale.
- Major flexibility when it comes to being more adaptable to change
- A better general employee satisfaction
Opportunities for leaders
Learning leaders should start creating more opportunities when it comes to training initiatives by making training and development plans mandatory and formalised, working on marketing and promoting learning initiatives, establishing a process based on sharing knowledge and information, welcoming feedback and, finally, giving recognition to those embarking on a learning journey. Leaders should also consider having friendly competitions and recognising accomplishment as part of building a culture of learning, something employees’ motivation could definitely benefit from.
According to LinkedIn, the culture of learning is finally starting to getting some recognition with 83% of executives supporting learners and their ongoing training.
Importance of recognition
LinkedIn, particularly, found that employees thrive following recognition from their manager—especially younger learners with 36% of people from the 22 to 36-year-old bracket admitting they would spend more time learning if it was recognised by their manager.
Despite this, only 27% of learning professionals admit being actively championed by their CEOs, something that, according to LinkedIn, constitutes the next opportunity within companies and their approach to establishing a more engaging and efficient culture of learning, something that could bring long-term benefits to both employees and employers alike.
LCS’ Dr John Homewood Appointed to New Role
Dr John Homewood has been appointed manager at Lean Competency System. He spent over 18 years in the electrical steel industry, from research through operations, technical and improvement management, in the UK, Germany and the Netherlands. John’s vocation in business improvement began in 1999 and later, as Manager Lean and Continuous Improvement, he began working with the Lean Enterprise Research Centre (LERC), contributing to ‘Staying Lean: Thriving, not Just Surviving’ [2008] and other research areas. Through LERC, John began supporting the Lean Competency System in 2011. Since then he has worked closely with the LCS Level 3 system and its candidates, as well as contributions towards network events, conferences and other developments on an associate basis.
During this period he has also been a Research Fellow at Cardiff University School of Engineering.
Following his new appointment, John will manage the delivery and development of LCS Level 2 & Level 3 Approved Prior Learning & Experience (APLE) products and LCS Practitioner Membership
services. Dr Homewood will also support LCS assessments, organisational LCS accreditation and development of research themes and projects with the Lean Enterprise Research Centre (LERC).
Contact
LCS Appoints New Member of Staff
We’d like to welcome Rose Sgueglia, our new Marketing & Administration Coordinator, who has recently joined the LCS. Rose has extensive experience in developing customer relations, PR and communications and in digital marketing.
Rose will support all the existing accredited organisations from a marketing, CR and administrative point of view.
Rose graduated from Cardiff University’s BA in Journalism, Film and Media and PG Diploma in Magazine Journalism in 2008 and 2009. She also took a Diploma in Digital Marketing in 2015 and has worked as a marketing and PR consultant for several companies in Cardiff and the rest of The UK including Trendy Products, Sedna Lighting and Flubit.com.
She is a freelance journalist for different publications including GQ, Yahoo UK, La Repubblica and more recently, WI Life (Women’s Institute magazine).
Rose is a professional writer whose first book about Coco Chanel will be published in May 2020 with Pen & Sword.
She is currently working on her second book with the same publisher.
