‘The Future of Work is Remote White Paper’ is compiled by Randstad offices in Hong Kong SAR, Malaysia and Singapore.
Based on the survey data from the 2021 Randstad Employer Brand Research and qualitative interviews with 16 HR leaders across Hong Kong SAR, Malaysia and Singapore, the paper outlines expectations between employers and employees on remote and hybrid work as we enter the next normal.
download the white paperClassroom-based learning has always been the most effective method of knowledge sharing for corporate learning & development (L&D) programmes. Through workplace learning opportunities, employees are able to improve their skills and hone their knowledge at work.
However, with social distancing measures in place, L&D practitioners had to figure out new ways to continue workforce upskilling — both remotely and virtually. Even if it means going beyond the traditional methods of corporate learning methods.
employees want to work for a company that invests in their development
* based on the Randstad Employer Brand Research report 2021
% of respondents that consider “good training” an important employee value proposition.
Hong Kong SAR: 45%
Malaysia: 55%
Singapore: 59%
In some cases, the lack of career development is the reason why employees leave their job. It takes effort and investments to continuously engage employees and retain them in the business. Investing in your workforce’s skills development is a great opportunity to equip your employees with skills and knowledge that could bring your business to success. In doing so, you’ll also be able to nurture a cohesive and curious work culture that inspires them to be more innovative and productive.
using online platforms & resources to learn
When in-person training and workshops became too risky to carry out during the pandemic, companies like Cepheid, Klook, and TDCX shifted their learning and development sessions online. Online platforms give companies bigger bandwidth and real estate to host more learning content. In turn, employees can have access to a wealth of virtual learning resources to self-learn throughout the pandemic.
Whether in a hybrid workplace or remote environment, new learning technology has created equal and on-demand access to learning resources for workers to acquire new skills, knowledge and competencies.
While learning marketplaces provide continuous corporate training and learning opportunities for employees, there still exists a need for customised corporate L&D programmes. Besides the fact that not everyone prefers or excels at classroom learning, many existing L&D programmes have proven to be ineffective for numerous reasons.
integrate meaningful community engagement
The traditional approach towards learning requires change, and it needs to be revamped in light of remote work. Community-based learning, which is an educational strategy that promotes learning and social development beyond academic learning, is a powerful form of employee engagement, and it can be applied even in a remote setting.
According to the 2021 Workplace Learning Report Southeast Asia edition by LinkedIn Learning, learners who used the platform’s social features watched an average of 30 times more hours of learning content compared to those who didn’t. These social features include:
- Joining Learning Groups to share what they’ve learned (1,100% increase since the pandemic)
- Sharing courses within a learner’s professional network (225% increase)
- Participating in course Q&As (121% increase)
creating new digital platforms to engage and upskill
Besides using these digital learning platforms, L&D professionals also have the opportunity to create virtual classrooms and courses based on the company’s and employees’ development needs. For instance, Klook Hong Kong shared that it launched an e-learning portal during the pandemic. Its L&D team prioritised creating courses around skills that would help employees adapt to the transition to remote work, such as “taking ownership”.
Klook also promoted knowledge sharing within the organisation, and encouraged individuals to lead “train the trainer” sessions where they could share their expertise through virtual workshops. Some courses Klook trainers have conducted include Python programming and SEO marketing.
Leading the future of work with L&D, Randstad’s on-demand e-learning portal “Randstad University” allows employees from all over the world to access corporate training of more than 2,000-course modules. These allow all the Randstad employees to learn at their own pace and stay ahead of their recruitment game while enjoying a new type of learning experience.
As learning technology becomes more sophisticated, L&D professionals could experiment with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning to create more personalised courses. These technologies can identify difficult subject matters for learners and recommend additional resources to improve engagement and help them catch up. With a productive learning culture, employees can stay focussed on learning opportunities that are most relevant to them.
With the rapid change in technology, the world continues to digitalise and business environments grow more competitive. The upskilling and reskilling of talent will be a key theme for HR leaders moving into the future of work.
are you prepared for the future of work?
‘The Future of Work is Remote White paper’ covers the following topics and course of action:
- Adjusting your teams and workforce to remote work
- Redesigning your office workplace
- Building trust and leading your hybrid workforce
- Navigating a hybrid learning & development environment
- Embracing new organisational technology to nurture an innovative culture