Planning a talent retention and development strategy is getting more complicated thanks to shifts in workforce attitudes, generational changes and, of course, the ever-shifting face of technology.

As younger generations move through the workforce, traditional leader-follower relationships are less prevalent, and the onus is on work-life balance and continuous personal development: Generation Z see their careers as a series of experiences, rather than a chronology that leads them up a career ladder.

Employers must adapt their human resource management practices (and supporting systems) accordingly, and one of the most effective ways to do this is by implementing a process of continuous development and learning for employees.

People development needs to form a key part of an overall HR strategy, and one that reaches far beyond the traditional boundaries of the human resource function of the past.

Such a concept may be perceived as a one-way street: employers funding training programs for employees who will, eventually, move on to better-paid roles, clutching the qualifications and certificates paid for by their ex-employers. But when well implemented with the right technology, retention is aided. Built on decades of experience providing solutions to the most complex and regulated industries including airlines, financial services, and pharmaceuticals, SumTotal Systems offers a comprehensive human capital management solution that can be integrated into any workplace

Source: Skillsoft – SumTotal

Enhancing the employee experience

SumTotal’s solutions strengthen culture and employee experience, leading to vastly improved retention, talent acquisition aided by enthusiastic personnel becoming company advocates, and a workforce that is trained and skilled in ways that improve outcomes for the business. Deloitte has found that engaged employees are 87 percent less likely to want to leave a company: therefore, employees will turn to a business with a platform of continuous learning designed around today’s life and work styles that keeps them engaged and in charge of their goals.

Catered to all learners and industries

In some industries or areas of the enterprise, learning and development are valued more than in others – in IT, for example, staff tend to value training higher than salary – and in other areas, such as nursing, increasing digitization of the role means training in new systems is, effectively, mandatory.

Creating a single platform to accommodate different learning abilities and attitudes is one that’s not easy to achieve, but thankfully, the cutting-edge learning solution from SumTotal provides personalized training that can be very different from one another but are centrally controlled, monitored and managed. Organisations can instill a culture of learning right across the enterprise, from gamified, social mobile app-based learning, to immersive, personalized training programs in complex technical subjects.

Bridging generation gaps

In addition to different expectations and requirements for training from the various divisions of the enterprise, there are also differences in how staff expect to train according to their age and technical fluency. For younger workers, consumer-led attitudes to technology (always-on, mobile, bite-sized information in rich media) are at odds with those of the 40-plus Generation X, who may still prefer workshops and group seminars led by trainers.

Source: Skillsoft – SumTotal

SumTotal’s Learn and Talent systems are the frameworks that cover off these differing requirements, capable of creating and managing training & development programs across media, methods, and platforms suited both to employer and employee. Employers will, of course, have their own requirements for skillsets and expertise, and the training system framework can steer suitable staff into roles advantageous to both parties: training existing staff is infinitely preferable to sourcing and onboarding new staff. Growth can be targeted by creative course suggestions, based on traditional and emerging career paths.

Improved reviews and staff management

Companies that are adapting digitally and becoming more forward-thinking are moving away from the annual review model of staff management. It has been found that engaged employees who liaise with peers and supervisors on training platforms value these way-markers and touchpoints, as they increase the number of collaborative opportunities and lead to greater acceptance and openness to feedback. Companies can experience the power of the whole SumTotal platform and see for themselves how iterative touchpoints between employer and employees can make significant differences to their staff acquisition and retention rates.

SumTotal delivers right across the human capital management environment. At its core is the learning specialisation that your employees crave and your business needs. Get in touch today with a SumTotal solution expert to find out how.