LERN 2009 Contract Training Trends Report

1. LERN 2009 Contract Training Trends Report Julia King Tamang, LERN Senior Consultant

2. Not business as usual • Average training expenditures (which include training budgets and payroll) fell 11% from $1,202 per learner in 2007 to $1,075 in 2008. 2009 was predicted to continue that trend, and it seems to be so. • The average number of formal training hours dropped from 25 hours per learner in 2007 to 17.2 hours in 2008. This decline was steady in 2009, and may extend into 2010.

3. Making training an efficient business tool • Tightening the reigns may actually be good for our clients as they • Track and control spending on training • Assess the value of training programs • Choose programs that are high value and that are aligned with corporate goals • Focus on quality, value and on understanding the needs and culture of your star clients. • Work repeat business to the max this year.

4. Shifting priorities • With tighter budgets, funding is moving away from IT and leadership development towards mandatory content and to content very directly related to a learner’s job. • Understand your clients’ work and what will make them successful.

5. Online training falling off, collaborative learning is up • Use of online training fell for the first time ever, as companies turned to coaching, collaborative programs and less-costly delivery methods.

6. Coaching and mentoring are up • The learner, with less access to training, is seeking more informal learning, and more access to search tools as a means to find information. • Coaching programs have become especially popular and are now incorporated into 30 percent of all training programs. • Are you teaching or providing coaching, methods courses in collaborative learning? • Are you offering courses in how to maximize “informal learning” and collaborative learning programs?

7. Collaborative learning to grow in 2010 • In 2010, use of collaborative learning methods will grow. • Communities of practice • Collaboration • Coaching • Companies are also finding that other types of collaborative programs (such as blogs, wikis, CoPs and expert directories) can enhance the learning experience, build social connections and enable workers to quickly find information when they need it.

8. Learning communities are up • Group and peer-to-peer collaboration are being facilitated through social networking tools, such as communities of practice, wikis and blogs. • In fact, the use of communities of practice doubled from 2007 to 2008, and was still growing in 2009--making this the fastest-growing segment of the learning tools market today. • This growth is expected to continue.

9. Outsourcing is up--again • With leaner staffs in 2008, companies turned to outside instructors for a broader scope of programs. • One area that has been rising steadily is the use of external instructors and facilitators. • Sixty-nine percent of large businesses used outside professionals for facilitation and teaching—and it’s on the rise. • Do you have a big enough pool of facilitators and teachers?

10. Outsourcing of content development is up • More than half of large and medium companies outsource custom content development—and it’s on the rise.

11. Availability of informal learning content will increase • Informal Learning is similar to On the Job Training (OJT). • Just-in-time info and learning • Access to info in a format the user wants

12. Creation of user-generated content will increase • SME (subject matter expert) generated content, or user generated content, is the future core of online learning. • New tools and technologies are being created to allow the subject matter expert to create rich media based content while being a novice in the use of internet based instructional design and authoring tools. • This empowers SME’s within the lines of business to create rich media training for their peer employees at a very low cost, without anyone from the training organization having to touch the material. 

13. Compliance-based training increases • With the increase in litigation costs from employees and customers suing companies because they were not properly trained, we are seeing an increase in compliance based training to mitigate the risk and cost of litigation. • In the healthcare industry, compliance based training is the standard as the costs of not training is greater than the cost of training. • This translates into strong growth for companies that provide testing and assessment services. Where the risk of failure is high, testing of skills will increase.

14. Top learning tools of 2009 Jane Knight and 160+ learning professionals.

15. Learning tools you need to explore • Twitter • Facebook • Blogs • Wikis • Google and all its tools • Instant messaging • Skype • Audacity and other tools to create audio presentations • Webinars

16. Business practices in vogue • Lean, leaner, leanest • Collaborative learning communities • Outsourcing everything but core work • Virtual workers • Green everything • Strong branding and creation of cultures

17. Sell solutions • Be sure you have the right name • Stop selling training—it’s a death knell • Sell learning • Sell results • Sell customization • Sell solutions • Sell your knowledge of training • Sell facilitation

18. Boost LifeTime Value for growth • Increase frequency • Know your segments and focus on best customers • Get certificates • Be sure you have new programs and products and identify them as new • Be cutting edge • Stay in touch with your customers • Increase average contract value • Consider added services • Reduce development and delivery costs

19. Customer service is in vogue again • 24/7 • Online chat • The extra mile for your best customers

20. Create loyalty programs • Discounts • Memberships • VIP service

21. Use webinars to reach more people • Easy to create • Easy to store • Synchronous or asynchronous • Reach a wide audience • Get your instructors out there more • Get your brand in front of the customer

22. Use your website • Get your websites polished up • Offer downloads • Collect emails and use them • Offer email newsletters • Advertise it in your brochures, too • Make content available to your clients in mobile formats • Get FAQs up so people can get over their concerns and call you • Be a PERSON on your website • Have multiple sites for contract training

23. Let people sample your stuff • You go out to them • Webinars • Blogs, etc. • Community programs • Presence at events that business people attend • They come in to you • Events • “Try It” programs • Facilities rentals

24. What hasn’t changed and probably never will.. • Contract training is a people business • Relationship is everything

25. Learning from your colleagues in CT • What is your number one challenge right now? • What was your smartest move last year?

26. Let’s be in touch in 2010 • kingtamang@lern.org