Company X is a Global Electronics Manufacturing Services provider focused on delivering design, engineering, and manufacturing services to automotive, computing, consumer digital, industrial, infrastructure, medical, and mobile OEMs. Globally they employ over 200,000 people with facilities in 80 countries. HR is represented on the global executive team and is then seperated into divisions, as is the business. Each division is further separated by location and each has HR representation. There is no specific HRD team for divisions or site, this is managed by the local HR teams along with the onsite management team.
For this analysis, I interviewed the HR Business Partner responsible for all HR activity in Ireland, one of its manufacturing and logistics sites, with 200 employees. It is worth mentioning that this is a loss-leading division and thereby under great financial constraints. Other divisions in this company may not look at HRD in the same manner.
For the purpose of this paper, I am looking at both individual learning and organisational learning. With increasing importance being put on the benefits of learning to both the individual and the organisation, I am interested to see if and how Company X is embracing learning, to develop their human resources to gain competitive advantage.
ACADEMIA
Kim (1993) suggests that individual and organisational learning are linked, as organisations are comprised of individuals and therefore learn through them and Prange (1999), as cited by Carbery and Cross (2015), believes that the literature for both leaves an unclear distinction between them.
Individual Learning
Learning is an ongoing process in which an individual takes responsibility for acquiring knowledge, skills and understanding, thereby changing behavior and enhancing their capability (Noe et al., 2014). Everyone learns, whether this is intentional in a formal structure, or unintentionally through experience but to achieve the best results from learning, the learner should be interested, engaged, motivated and able to see the results of their efforts. Boomers et al. (2018), suggests that where individuals see opportunities and have goals, they are more likely to engage in development activities to increase their employability and achieve their goals. Garavan, (1997) suggests that individuals are expected to take more responsibility so it is important for them to be involved in the learning process.
As individuals learn differently, understanding how, why and the way learners learn will impact outcomes. Learning styles, learner characteristics and preferred methods of learning, along with variables such as personal issues, support, opportunity, and learning climate, can act as facilitators or barriers to learning and influence outcomes The possibilities for learning are growing with the advancement of technology and e-learning, with its on-demand access, allows individuals and organisations to take control of where and when they learn (Carbery and Cross, 2015 pp. 63-80). For effective learning, Kolb and Kolb (2011), suggests experiential learning by engaging in four steps in a continuous cycle. Taking action, reflecting on what you have done, using the experience to generate new ideas and then using these new ideas to take the action again.
According to Garavan (1997), training, development and education are all aspects of learning as they are all concerned with enhancing a person capability, but according to Noe, et al., 2014), training relates to the present job, education relates to the person and development looks to future roles or jobs and is focused on change in the individual. According to Kumpikaite (2008), training must involve more than basic skill development which is not linked to organisational strategy and goals.
Workplace Learning
Organisational Learning
Organisational learning is the process of improving an organisations performance by identifying, developing, capturing, refining, transferring knowledge and adjusting its behavior based on experience. It is seen as a way of developing its workforce to increase its competitive advantage and achieving strategic goals (Carbery and Cross, 2015 pp. 84-99). Vijande et al, (2012) are of the view that organizational learning affects the flexibility, competitive strategy and performance of an organization and Shipton et al, (2013) believes learning organisations have higher performance than non-learning organisations.
Organisations need to facilitate learning to learn (Ortenblad, 2004), look at what is learned, how it is learned and how it can be learned better. Engaging in double or triple loop learning, rather than single loop learning will provide far greater insights and increase effectiveness and productivity (Carberry and Cross, 2015 p.88).
Managing knowledge and ensuring tacit becomes explicit knowledge ensures the company is never dependent on any key resource.
Garvin et al., (2008) suggest that a supportive environment, concrete learning process and practices and leadership that supports learning are essential for organisational learning. According to Noe et al., (2014), learning contributes to the strategic development of human capital resources, which enables organisations to gain competitive advantage and Garavan et al., (2015) believes that developing individuals rather than producing skills needed, should be the focus for organisations as development leads to performance gains.
Senge (1990), advises of five disciplines that must be mastered when introducing learning into an organisation and believes that seeing the big picture, committing to lifelong learning, focusing on openness, fostering commitment and team learning and working together to set goals are the keys to a successful learning organisation.
A learning organisation continuously scans the environment for what is needed, is continuously learning, relearning and looking to the future. Learning organizations challenge employees at all levels to tap into their inner resources and potential and advocate collaboration and communities of practice, whereby employees learn from each other. They have the ability to renew, revitalise and develop core competencies, and have an environment and leadership that supports continuous learning and improvement. An organisation that focuses on its own learning and the learning of its individuals is far more likely to succeed
Practice
Company X is divided into two separate sections whereby employees learning needs are treated differently. One area focuses on formal double loop training with the purpose to provide specific capabilities for standards of work. This pedagogical approach to training does not facilitate employee contribution for the most part but is seen as effective for what is needed. Peer to peer learning is adopted in the other section of the business. The common factor of both is that learning is seen as a method of having skills to do the job. They adopt a strategy of learning for need rather than continuous learning for development with the exception being for higher-level employees in whose development an interest is taken. Learning is not actively encouraged in its culture, proof of which is in that a large portion of the workforce engages in learning only when it is mandatory or compliance related. There is little motivation, recognition, or reward to learn more than what is necessary. With an average tenure of 18 years, it appears that most are not even aware of the concept of development and lifelong learning and see their employment as a job rather than a career, so will possibly never realise their full potential. Added to this is a management team who have advanced through the ranks with little experience in this area, and do not appear to see the benefits of investing time and money into developing employees beyond what is needed, the barriers to learning far outweigh the facilitators for developing employees.
There is significant interest and investment in learning at a corporate level. The company has its own online university that is available to all employees and currently offers over 50,000 courses covering a huge range of subjects. The theory is that through trial and error and getting feedback from users, they can keep the learning needs of the individual and organization at the forefront as part of their people development. But the reality is that the online university is rarely utilized in this site. The option for continuous learning for development is available with this tool, but only those at higher levels looking for advancement take responsibility for their own learning and engage in it. So the best intentions from a corporate level are not making their way down the ranks to site level. Company X also has an employee reimbursement fund for employees, who want to further their education in their field, but most are not even aware of it and it is not widely publicised due to the costs involved.
Without facilitating and encouraging individual learning, organization learning is severely impacted. Although successful at training, the company is not developing the potential of its workforce to use it as a source of competitive advantage.
The overall results of the assessment tool for learning organisations, designed by Harvard Business School confirm the company’s approach to organisational learning (Garvin et al, 2008). The HR Business Partner took this survey and the overall results put them in the bottom quartile for learning organisations. In a breakdown, the company scored in the top quartile only once, and this was for analysis. Given that they focus on need, this makes sense. They scored in the third quartile for information collection and transfer, which is evidenced in them training people for more than one job. The scores for experimentation, education and training and leadership that enforces learning, and time for reflection are in the second quartile, with openness to new ideas, appreciation of differences and psychological safety scoring in the bottom quartile. These results are reflective of their attitude toward learning for need.
Gaps
By adopting a training rather than a learning and development ethos, the company appears to be behind the times. The concept of training and learning has evolved over the years from functionalism in job management to a constructive perspective with the focus on the learner (Kraiger and Ford, 2006). Learning solely focused on training for specific job capabilities will not help the company in the long term in achieving any strategic goals or competitive advantage.
At a corporate level, Company X equips employees with the tools for learning but seemingly without dealing with the barriers preventing best practice. Resources like the online university are not being utilized as employees are not aware of the importance, opportunities, or the value and are not taking any responsibility for their own development. Communication and support around learning are lacking in the organisation. Learning beyond what is needed for business outcomes and is not encouraged by management who lack experience, and it does not have a learning culture.
Recommendations
While we have to be realistic in what can be achieved in this under-resourced, division, looking at developing employee’s knowledge and skills would enhance the individual’s employability and provide the organisation with tools to increase their competitive advantage. In a time of job losses and uncertainty, they need to look at other ways to achieve strategic goals and secure their future. As they already have their own online university, using this to encourage and support individual and organizational learning would be relatively easy and cost-effective.
Assemble a team and task them with learning about the advantages of continuous individual and organizational learning. This team can then assist with engaging senior management and line managers. Senior management must become advocates of learning for all, to ensure that a continuous learning culture is adopted successfully. Sharing this vision with employees and helping them understand the value and benefits for both the individual and the organization will help foster engagement and commitment. Garvin, (1993) believe that companies repeat old practices without learning, and advises adopting five things to build a learning organization. Solving problems systematically, experimenting, learning from past experiences, other companies and customers and transferring knowledge throughout the organization.
Building a learning organization (Garvin
Facilitating learning to learn (Ortanblad, 2004), and open communication with all stakeholders will be key to its success. Communicate the opportunities for learning available to all employees and encourage them to take advantage of these offerings by advising on the benefits to the individual and to the organization,
Training is job focused, additional learning will be of benefit to the individual as well as the organization, therefore, ongoing development is in their interests.
A management strategy could involve recommending courses specific to employees during their annual review process to enhance their knowledge. As line managers best know their capabilities and learning styles, they could make suggestions ensuring the learning is focused on an individual’s needs and capability. It is important for employees to see the benefits of learning, such as employability and future advancement and to have the opportunity to use their learning.
Conclusion
Learning helps facilitate change, which this site needs to achieve stability and growth. Prioritising continuous learning and increasing the knowledge and skills of individuals and the organization will increase core competencies and with them opportunities for all and hopefully better outcomes. With access for all employees to the online university, resources are no longer a barrier to learning and becoming a learning organisation, the decision not to utilise it does. The company is missing out on potential by not facilitating and encouraging learning for individuals and the organisation.