Whitepaper

Top Learning Trends for 2012

A SumTotal Whitepaper

Following the economic events and strategies of 2011, the theme of 2012 will be doing more with less. When it comes to management, cost cutting and time cutting have always been initiatives that seemed difficult to incorporate while still delivering learning effectively. But technology has progressed, and management solutions can be integrated and centralized, delivered on-the-go with formal or informal learning, created for consumption by a variety of audiences, and updated and innovated with behind-the-scenes smoothness. It is these technologies and motivations that are influencing the five trends in todays management space: the continued convergence around integrated solutions, the emergence of using social media for effective informal learning, the adoption of mobile learning, the importance of progressive SaaS model, and the evolution of a global understanding in learning content. Though not all novel, the more familiar trends tend to focus on increasing the reach and potential of existing solutions so companies can leverage their existing systems instead of replacing them. Recognizing the relevance of these trends is the first step in maximizing them for your organization in the next year and the years to come.

100%
Organizations with effective integration of learning and talent systems are 100 percent more likely to have strong business results.

Source: Bersin & Associates

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Top Learning Trends for 2012

Integrated Solutions
No matter the size or industry of a company, one of the main keys to success is efficiency: Dont do unnecessary work, dont repeat steps and make sure that all areas of the company follow the company vision and targets. An emerging tool in business process and analysis efficiency is an integrated management and talent management solution. According to Bersin & Associates research reported in Pillars for Performance: Integrating Learning and Talent Management, organizations with effective integration of learning and talent systems are three times as likely to have strong employee results and 100 percent more likely to have strong business results. While this trend has been emerging over the last several years, it will be better recognized in 2012 than in years before. Previously businesses were hesitant to leave their full-functionality single solutions for an integrated system where they would be required to compromise, the same research said. However, this year, businesses are three times more likely to say they would switch to a solution providing talent management and learning management integration. This is partially because of the adoption of best-of-breed products into the core solution by human capital management software providers and partially because the utility of functional integration in consolidating the products employees need to learn, the number of IT projects to create and vendors to manage. Benefits of an Integrated Solution

Improve bottom line performance with closed-loop actionable analysis.

Improve data accuracy and eliminate errors with single source, centralized reporting.

Execute efficient staff scheduling by linking capabilities, availability, and development.

ARE YOU ON TREND?

Are you already taking advantage of an integrated system with a single logon, look and feel, HRIS integration, user profiles, system of record and administration?

Fill leadership gaps faster with real-time development aligned to career and performance objectives.

OR

Are you spending extra time and resources connecting the dots from one solution to the next in order to view your business practices as a whole picture?

Reduce processing costs and overhead by leveraging technology to streamline operations.

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Top Learning Trends for 2012

Social Learning
Since Facebook became a multi-generational phenomenon, businesses have thought about ways to leverage social learning. However, this year represents the dawn of the social cyborg, according to Training Magazine. This means that it is likely that your employees have integrated social networks into the way they think, learn and solve problems. Rather than passively taking in social information, your employees could be actively seeking out social context to help make their decisions and learn how to solve specific problems. So, when you create a social solution to foster informal learning, cross-divisional understanding and self-motivation, it needs to be more than a stagnant site that people can visit when they want. Creating an engaging social learning portal is about encouraging multiple inputs and helping the best information rise to the top. Benefits of an Social Learning

Provide richer, more interactive learning experiences for all users.

Improve knowledge retention among users by fostering informal learning between peers.

ARE YOU ON TREND?

Do you encourage employees to take advantage of your exceptional resources and learn from each other in sometimes informal, though effective environments?

Drive improved business performance through more effective learning management programs.

OR

Do you expect each employee to learn on his or her own without tapping into the company knowledge base?

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Top Learning Trends for 2012

Mobile Engagement
Many businesses have done a great job of offering truncated and just-in-time mobile courses and job aids for their employees to use on the go. In fact, Corporate Executive Board, a research and advisory services company, says that supporting the mobile employee is a top infrastructure priority in 2012, with mobile application spending projected to increase 60 percent this year for companies. As great as the current mobile programs have been for employees out in the field and those without internet access; up until now, the courses have had a rather flat delivery. Chief Learning Officer magazines article Mobile Learning: The Next Evolution, proposes that SMS within mobile learning can engage users for more effective training. Leveraging one of the most basic elements of mobile technology to respond to polls, surveys and questionnaires is the best way to increase participation, making an investment in mobile learning even more worthwhile. Benefits of Mobile Engagement

Reach workers or affiliates who do not have easy access to computers.

Provide direct training for individuals who are in remote locations without easy access to internet connections.

ARE YOU ON TREND?

Do you understand the difficulty of being without necessary resources in sometimes stressful situations and therefore provide employees with tools for on-the-job help?

Enable customers and partners easy access to training materials to extend learning outside of the organization.

OR

Do you expect employees to learn everything they need to know before they get out to a job site where they are unable to access their resources?

Leverage existing learning content for varying audiences to reduce administration costs.

Access centralized reporting on all learning delivered (both mobile and computer-based) from within the same infrastructure.

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Top Learning Trends for 2012

Software as a Service Model

It has long been known that SaaS models are ideal for many clients who dont want to worry about data storage, upgrade transitions or bug fixes. Behindthe-scenes work has given users of this model the almost carefree ability to concentrate on their data and not on their systems. What people are just now realizing is that the more popular a particular SaaS becomes, the more beneficial it is to the companies using it, if the software comes from a company willing to innovate and listen to customers. Because SaaS products are not completely customizable, the more companies requesting certain features for a solution, the more everyone benefits as custom solutions are pushed out to the entire customer base in the next new release for no more than the regular subscription fee. Following trends like this, even enterprise-sized businesses like GE are turning toward SaaS for some of their sectors. The 2012 IT Budget Benchmarking report estimates that company spending on cloud infrastructures like the SaaS model will increase more than 20 percent and account for 7 percent of the total budgets in 2012. Benefits of Software as a Service Model

Save time and money up front with the low capital investment of a rented offering with no hardware or software.

Save money in the long-term by eliminating software, hardware and IT personnel for maintenance.

ARE YOU ON TREND?

Are you on point with the latest solution offering because you dont have to worry about implementation issues?

Rapid deployment with shorter implementation cycle and no added installation or setup.

OR

Are you two versions behind your vendors current release?

Always have the latest version as vendors make continuous provisions for centrally-hosted SaaS.

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Top Learning Trends for 2012

Global Language
Businesses are finding global success in developed and developing countries, but regardless of the industry or location, a keen eye on budget is necessary for long-term achievement. The biggest road block to potential achievement is poor communication between distant employees. So, some global businesses are moving toward the adoption of a global language that all employees will speak, read and write to limit disparity in learning, comprehension and business practices and to remove some of the burdens of cultural awareness. According to the 2011 Bersin & Associates Research Bulletin, Borderless Business Communication, the global language of choice for many businesses is English. The report stresses the importance of delivering any message, simple or complex, effectively with context for understanding. This has two implications for learning programs: if you adopt a global language, courses need not be translated prior to dissemination, and more courses training on the vocabulary, grammar and other elements of the global language may be required to achieve the appropriate proficiency level in your employees. Benefits of Global Content

Save time and money on a single language learning content everyone can use.

Everyone will learn in context.

Create a working environment that fosters the sharing of ideas.

ARE YOU ON TREND?

Do you consider language a primary skill for hire and so that you do not have to support a multilingual company, which can hamper business objectives?

Standardize learning initiatives for more meaningful impact analysis.

OR

Are you unconcerned with how language differences affect the productivity of your business units and how this affects your bottom line?

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Top Learning Trends for 2012

Applying Trends Today

With top learning trends defined, where do you start to apply these concepts in order to drive business performance? The most practical way to get started is evaluating ways to use them to your greatest advantage given your organizations current business environment and training strategies. Because SumTotal has made a concerted effort to stay on-point or ahead of current trends, you can speak to a SumTotal representative to learn how our recent product releases will position you perfectly for 2012 and beyond.

More Information
For additional information, send an email to connect@sumtotalsystems.com

About SumTotal
SumTotal Systems, Inc. is the global leader in strategic Human Capital Management (HCM) solutions that provide organizations with a new level of visibility to help make more informed business decisions and accelerate growth. Recognized by industry analysts as the most complete solution, SumTotal provides full employee lifecycle management, including a core system of record, from a single provider for improved business intelligence. The company offers customers of all sizes and industries the most flexibility and choice with multiple purchase, configuration, and deployment options. We have increased the performance of the worlds largest organizations including Sony Electronics (NYSE: SNE), AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN [ADR]; London: AZN), Amway (KUL:AMWAY), Seagate (NYSE: STX), Dell (NASDAQ:DELL), and Google (NASDAQ:GOOG). For more information, or to request a demo, please call +1 (866) 768-6825 (US / Canada), +1 (352) 264-2800 (international) or visit www.sumtotalsystems.com

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