1.

How an organization changes the training and development strategies and

explore new dimensions of learning during the pandemic covid 19?

Findings:

The findings indicate that companies must pay attention to the factors of e-training, e- work-life
balance to keep employees motivated and to maintain optimal employee performance,
especially during the COVID-19 pandemic through working online.

As of the beginning of April, roughly four billion people around the world had been told to stay in their
homes in a continued effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. It goes without saying that the steps we are
(rightfully) taking to control this virus have meant massive disruption for businesses in every sector. For
weeks, employees of all but the “essential” businesses have been working from home, forcing
companies to shift to 100 percent remote work if they want to continue to operate. While remote work
was already on the rise before the pandemic hit, many companies that considered the practice
impractical or inconvenient are having to adapt.

One business fact that will require serious adaptation is learning and development. As many companies
scramble to trim the sails and batten down the hatches, it may be tempting to let L&D fall by the wayside
for now in favor of core business strategies. But to do that would be shortsighted as, now more than
ever, connectivity, engagement, and leadership growth are critical in steering businesses through
COVID-19 and a new normal on the other side.

Adapting Training and skills Development Strategies to meet

the Covid-19 challenge which is Shaping the Workforce

As eLearning enables corporate training during this pandemic, the workforce entirely relies on online
based courses and insights. Learning and Development strategies now maximize the use of online
learning platforms and also consider the avid use of technology to enable accessible learning and
communication methods. For instance, a usual weekly meeting can still be held through a virtual
conference through PC and mobile devices. Online virtual communications such as Zoom, Skype,
Google Duo, DingTalk, Facetime, WhatsApp and similar video conference platforms can be used as
options to substitute ways of communication among the workforce as well as between learners and
coaches or trainers. This can simplify circumvent the need to communicate face-to-face effectively.

Microsoft even disclosed an increase by up to 70% from a month ago with a total of more than 40 million
daily active Skype users, as Marketwatch reports. This also applies to Zoom. According to data from
Apptopia, as of March 22, there was a 378% increase of daily users and a 168% increase of monthly
users. The increasing numbers of Skype and Zoom users during the pandemic and work-from-home
policies, indicates the learning and development process successful for virtual communication
approaches.

The increased use of eLearning also shapes how data is being stored, mostly through cloud storage
such as Google Drive, DropBox, Microsoft One Drive, and personal devices. For companies with
confidential data management, storing data with this method might be a risk. But with technology such
as intranet, internal drives and multi-factor authentication, these security issues can be prevented to
keep data secure.

Despite the risk, eLearning is still one the most effective ways to keep the workforce connected. Digital
learning can also shape the workforce with creative methods. Unlimited boundaries of eLearning access
can spark interesting approaches such as online collaborations, extra courses, and out-of-the-box
learning concepts. Online based learning can also advantage employees that prefer self-directed
learning or those that prefer learning through social media platforms, virtual events, webinars, and online
classes with or without instructors. But at the end of the day Learning and Development during a
Pandemic is all about adapting. The corporations have to adapt their business plans, Learning and
Development professionals to online and virtual approaches, and the workforce to an eLearning
experience. Digital learning might just be the solution that helps corporations maintain a productive and
healthy workforce during difficult crisis.

Hidden Benefits Of COVID-19

On the other hand, there are organizations that have been making the move toward online
training over the past years and are now leveraging the new work environment by putting their
L&D into next gear.

As per LinkedIn’s 2020 Workplace Learning Report, “After years of being under-resourced,
L&D budgets are expected to continue to grow—shifting from Instructor-Led Training (ILT) to
online learning—and executive buy-in continues to build.” Further, “For 83% of L&D pros,
executive buy-in is not a challenge.”

Along with garnering more attention from the C-suite for its budget allocation, online training is
also getting more mindshare than Instructor-Led Training initiatives, indicating that online
learning is playing a bigger part in blended learning programs.

Along with making digital the default way to conduct and manage training, the COVID-19
lockdown also renders itself to another hidden benefit. By reducing employees' commute time,
in-person meetings, and other time-intensive activities at the workplace, it gives them the much
needed time to work and learn (at work or home), as the top factor that prevents employees
from learning is lack of time to learn at work. It’s also important to note that most learning
happens during the week, according to LinkedIn Learning platform data.

.
L&D Is More Critical Now Than Ever
Today, there’s no such thing as standard operating procedure as safety guidance, virus-related health
and economic projections, and employees’ needs (in and out of work) are changing daily. That’s why it’s
more important than ever to ensure employees’ have access to development opportunities that will
empower them with the skills they need to navigate business uncertainty.

But there’s something else a robust, digital L&D offering can provide, and that’s a sense of belonging.
We’re all feeling a little isolated and anxious right now, and to the extent that they can, it’s incumbent
upon employers to show that they still care and that they’re still invested in their employees’ engagement
and growth. If businesses can do that, they’re well on their way to preparing their workforce for the new
normal—whatever that may be.

Here are some dos and don'ts during the training program. Adopt innovative tools, and techniques to
ensure takeaways for learners. Speak in the language of the learners. Make your training session
learner-centric. Avoid taboo language. Add value to your audiences. Your mission in life is to make a
positive difference, not to show how smart you are. Don’t worry excessively about your end result and
feedback. Question whether you are doing the best thing or the right thing. Emphasize doing the right
thing to ensure longevity.

The Advantages of eTraining strategies During the Covid-19

Pandemic
With social and physical distancing, lockdowns and also quarantines deployed as measures to avoid
transmission during this pandemic, many corporations and businesses have considered work-from-home
or remote working policies for employees.

These policies support corporations and businesses to still operate despite the pandemic, but at the
same time minimize the risk of transmission while maintaining a healthy and productive workforce. With
a quick and adaptive approach, ideas such as e-learning, online training and virtual communication can
be successfully implemented throughout the workforce, even from home.

For companies that are not yet familiar with eLearning, this would be the right time for the Learning and
Development professionals to initiate ideas to successfully make use of online training approaches and
make it familiar among the workforce.

Meanwhile companies that have already operated eLearning and training have a better chance of
developing and experimenting various methods and courses, preferably creative approaches to prompt
new online strategies.

A few examples aside to activate corporate eLearning, can include strategies and ideas such as
providing psychosocial support, activating digital learning systems, setting offline functions for easier
accessibility, opening massive open online course (MOOC) platforms and providing self-directed
learning content.

These initiatives can also help narrow the knowledge gap of conventional employees that aren’t yet
familiar with e-learning and modern workers who are already in line with the progress of eLearning.
With a well-planned eLearning platform, Learning and Development can be accessed efficiently, and still
effectively maintain productivity while supporting social and physical distancing.

Conclusion:

COVID-19 has pushed companies to rethink their approach towards employee training and
professional development. Professional development is essential for engaging and retaining
employees. Globally, companies are shifting from face-to-face professional interactions to
remote work in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. And with that, remote workplace learning
and development is becoming a new reality. These strategies are starting points for
companies who want to provide learning and development opportunities to their employees
as they pivot to online remote work. Doing so boosts professional growth in a time of
business uncertainty. And above all, it ensures that employees come out of this crisis
stronger and more skilled to tackle new challenges when the global crisis comes to an end.

Survey questions:

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on staff development and training

Question Title

* 1. Has your enterprise or organization suspended operations in response to the COVID-19

pandemic?
Yes, completely
Partially
No closures
Question Title
* 2. Has your enterprise or organization introduced work from home measures in response to
the COVID-19 pandemic?
Yes, completely
Partially (some from home, some at workplace)
No
Question Title
* 3. Has the delivery of staff training programmes and activities been interrupted due to the
COVID-19 pandemic?
Yes, completely
Partially
No
Not applicable

Question Title
* 04. Has your enterprise or organization taken any specific measure to ensure the
continuation of staff training programmes and activities during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Yes
No
Not applicable

Question Title
* 05. Has your enterprise or organization planned or organized any new training programmes
or activities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic?
Yes
No

Question Title
* 06. Was your enterprise or organization using any of the following online and/or offline
distance learning tools for staff development and training before the COVID-19
pandemic? Please check all that apply.
Online learning programmes and resources
Video conferencing tools
Virtual reality simulators
Multimedia including podcasts and YouTube videos
TV
Printed materials
No distance learning tools were used
Other (please elaborate further below)

Question Title

* 07. Is your enterprise or organization using any of the following online and/or offline distance
learning tools for staff development and training during the COVID-19 pandemic? Please check
all that apply.
Online learning programmes and resources
Video conferencing tools
Virtual reality simulators
Multimedia including podcasts, and YouTube videos
TV
Printed materials
No distance learning tools are being used
 Other (please elaborate further below)

Question Title

* 08. What challenges does your enterprise or organization face in delivering staff training
programmes and activities using online learning and/or offline distance learning tools in the
context of the COVID-19 pandemic? Please check all that apply.
Limited digital literacy of users
Limited digital skills of trainers
Cost
Lack of adapted training programmes and resources
Difficulty in delivering hands-on training
Infrastructure issues (e.g. internet connections, computers availability etc.)
No challenges faced
Other (please elaborate below)

Question Title

* 09. Has your enterprise or organization provided any additional support to the staff
responsible for organizing and delivering the training to ensure the continuation of training
programmes and activities?
Yes
No
Not applicable
If your answer is “Yes”, please elaborate below.
Question Title
* 10. Are you partnering with any external organisations to facilitate staff training and
development during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Yes
No
Not applicable

Question Title
11. Has the training of apprentices been interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic?
Yes, completely
Partially
No
Not applicable
If your answer is “Yes” or “Partially”, please elaborate how off-the-job and on-the-
job training is affected.
Question Title
12. Has the training period of the apprenticeship programme been adjusted due to the
interruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic?
Yes
No
Not applicable
If your answer is “Yes”, please elaborate below how is the training period adjusted and which
stakeholder(s) decided to make the adjustment.
Question Title

13. Does your enterprise or organization continue to provide apprentices with stipend/wages
during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Yes
No
Not applicable
If your answer is “Yes”, please elaborate below what is the source of funding.

Question Title
14. Has any measure been taken to ensure the continuation of apprenticeship training during
the COVID-19 pandemic?
Yes
No
Not applicable
If your answer is “Yes”, please elaborate on the measure(s) in relation to off-the-job and on-
the-job training respectively and which stakeholder(s) determined the measure(s).

Question Title
15. What challenges are faced by your enterprise or organization in continuing the training of
apprentices during the COVID-19 pandemic? Please check all that apply.
Limited digital literacy of users
Limited digital skills of trainers
Cost
Lack of adapted training programmes and resources
Difficulty in delivering hands-on training
Infrastructure issues (e.g. internet connections, computers availability etc.)
No challenges faced
Other (please elaborate below)

Question Title
16. Are you aware of any technical, material and financial support from government or other
stakeholders to encourage the continuation of apprenticeship training during the COVID-19
pandemic?
Yes
No
I don’t know
If your answer is “Yes”, please elaborate below regarding the nature, modalities and level of
support.
Question Title
17. Has the regulatory authority adjusted the assessment and certification requirements for
completing the apprenticeship programme due to the interruption caused by the COVID-19
pandemic?
Yes
No
Not applicable
The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on internships/traineeships (This section is only
required for enterprises or organizations offering internships/traineeships.)
Question Title
18. Does your enterprise or organization offer internships/traineeships?
Yes
No
If your answer is “Yes”, please specify the average duration in months of the
internship(s)/traineeship(s).
Question Title
19. Have the internships/traineeships been interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic?
Yes, completely
Partially
No
Not applicable
Question Title
20. Does your enterprise or organization continue to provide interns/trainees with
stipend/wages during the lockdown caused by COVID-19 pandemic?
Yes
No
Not applicable
Question Title
21. What challenges are faced by your enterprise or organization in continuing
internships/traineeships during the COVID-19 pandemic? Please check all that apply.
Limited digital literacy of users
Limited digital skills of trainers
Cost
Lack of adapted training programmes and resources
Difficulty in delivering hands-on training
Infrastructure issues (e.g. internet connections, computers availability etc.)
No challenges faced
Other (please elaborate below)

Question Title

22. Does your enterprise or organization have any good practice to share regarding continuing
internships/traineeships during disruptions caused by COVID-19 pandemic?
Yes
 No

Conclusion: After testing the hypotheses, the conclusions point to the fact that e-training,
work-life balance, and work motivation have a positive and significant impact on employee
performance. It was important to implement strategic steps during covid 19, related to
technology and life balance and work in supporting the improvement of employee motivation
and performance for achieving the long term efficiency and effectiveness of the organizations.