The Importance of (Proper) Employee Learning & Development.

The article "Where Companies Go Wrong with Learning and Development" published in the Harvard Business Review analyzes common mistakes companies make in the process of employee learning and development.

The authors argue that companies often err when focusing solely on building skills needed for current jobs, instead of focusing on a broader perspective of employee needs in the future. According to the authors, companies should work on developing skills that will help their employees adapt to changes in the business environment and innovations that will impact their industry.

Another mistake companies make is focusing only on the development of individual employees, instead of focusing on the development of all employees in the organization. The authors argue that it is important for companies to establish a culture of continuous learning and development, and to ensure that all employees have the opportunity to develop their skills.

The authors also state that companies often make mistakes in their approach to employee learning and development by relying on passive methods such as lectures or online courses, rather than using active methods like simulations or interactive work assignments that allow employees to apply learned skills in a real work environment.

The article summarizes that not only is most training ineffective, but the timing and content of the training are often poor. They suggest sending employees to training for business writing skills or conflict resolution, or any training that aligns with the actual needs of the employees.

Additionally, the text discusses the problems with traditional employee training programs in many companies. The authors argue that such programs are often ineffective because they lack alignment with the specific needs and goals of individual employees. They propose adopting a "lean learning" approach, which focuses on providing targeted and relevant educational content that can be immediately applied in real situations, leading to better learning outcomes and better business results.

Lean Learning

Lean learning is an approach to learning based on the principles of "lean manufacturing," which were first applied in the manufacturing industry and then expanded to other industries, including education and employee training.

This approach focuses on creating targeted and relevant educational content tailored to the individual needs and goals of employees that can be immediately applied in the real world. Instead of lengthy and general courses, lean learning offers rapid learning and practical exercises that employees can apply in their daily work.

Key elements of this approach include: focusing on the most important skills and knowledge, rapid learning and application, receiving performance feedback, and continuous adaptation of courses and training based on that feedback.

The goal of lean learning is to improve the effectiveness of educational programs, enhance business results, and develop agile and adaptable employees who are ready to face changing business conditions and market demands.

Research on the Importance of Employee Learning and Development

• According to research published in the Harvard Business Review, organizations that invested in employee training and development reported 28% higher profit per employee than those that did not. They also had 24% higher employee retention rates.
• Gallup research showed that employees who had access to training and development programs were 14% less likely to leave the organization than those who did not.
• A study conducted by IBM showed that organizations that invested in the training and development of their employees had 65% lower employee turnover rates than those that did not invest in such programs.
• According to research by Deloitte, organizations that invested in the development of their employees had 37% higher productivity rates and 34% higher employee satisfaction rates.
• Research conducted by LinkedIn showed that organizations that invested in the development of their employees had 30-50% lower employee turnover rates compared to organizations that did not invest in employee development.

Research on the Importance of Soft Skills Development

• Research conducted by Adecco showed that 92% of employers believe that soft skills are as important as technical skills. Furthermore, 80% of employers stated that soft skills are harder to develop than technical skills.
• Research conducted by LinkedIn showed that “teamwork” was the most sought-after soft skill in the labor market in 2020. In addition, creativity, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and time management were among the most requested skills.
• Research conducted by CareerBuilder showed that 77% of employers believe that soft skills play a key role in organizational success. Furthermore, 16% of employers stated that soft skills are the most important factor in hiring decisions.
• Research conducted by Deloitte showed that organizations that focused on developing their employees' soft skills were more successful in managing change and achieving business goals.

Benefits of Learning and Development

Investing in the development of soft skills is a key factor for organizational success. Soft skills refer to a range of personal and interpersonal skills that are important for successful job performance and collaboration with others. This includes communication skills, teamwork, problem-solving, decision-making, leadership, empathy, flexibility, creativity, and more…

The Largest and Best Assessment Center (Competence Center)

The LEGO® Serious Play® Croatia Competence Center utilizes methodologies for assessing employee skills and competencies, often as part of employee development programs. The LEGO® Serious Play® Croatia Competence Center includes a series of activities and tests that employees undergo, such as business situation simulations, group exercises, interviews, personality testing, and others. These activities are evaluated according to predefined criteria to assess employee performance in various aspects of business.

The LEGO® Serious Play® Croatia Competence Center will create a unique development plan for each employee. The development plan will include the development of deficient, but also necessary, skills for each employee.

The Competence Center helps us in:

• assessing skills and competencies,
• improving development programs,
• enhancing selection processes,
• employee motivation.

Research on the Importance of Assessment Centers

• Research published in “Personnel Psychology” showed that assessment centers were associated with better employee and organizational performance. The study found that employees who participated in assessment centers had higher levels of job performance, greater job satisfaction, and lower turnover rates than those who did not.
• Research published in “Human Resource Management Review” found that assessment centers can help develop key competencies needed for job success. The study showed that assessment centers are linked to improved communication skills, problem-solving, and decision-making.
• Research published in the “International Journal of Selection and Assessment” showed that assessment centers are also becoming useful for leadership development. The study found that assessment centers were associated with an increased understanding of one's own competencies and the development of leadership skills.
• Research published in the “Journal of Business and Psychology” found that assessment centers can help reduce organizational costs. The study showed that employees who participated in an assessment center had a lower turnover rate, which resulted in lower organizational costs related to hiring and training new employees.

The Most Serious, Largest LEGO® Serious Play® Croatia

The LEGO® Serious Play® Croatia team consists of human resources management consultants from DeeP Project d.o.o. and external collaborators, who are certified LEGO® Serious Play® facilitators. This combines years of experience in various roles within the ICT, healthcare, and service sectors, knowledge of the LEGO® Serious Play® methodology, and expertise in organizational psychology, enabling LEGO® Serious Play® Croatia to provide its clients with the greatest value for money invested.

Creating Unique LEGO® Serious Play® Scenarios According to Specific Company Needs for Employee Learning and Development!

With this, LEGO® Serious Play® Croatia becomes a true partner to companies in their growth and development processes by addressing and solving real organizational and business challenges. Change management, embracing new or existing processes, better understanding of various methodologies (Scrum, Agile, ITIL…), improved collaboration in project teams, giving feedback, developing strategic thinking, developing creative and critical thinking… these are just some of the scenarios that make LEGO® Serious Play® Croatia unique in facilitation, both in Croatia and beyond. All LEGO® Serious Play® scenarios are developed according to the specific needs of the company, based on an assessment of the current situation and relationships, which may include various evaluations of both employees and managers.