The Hindu Business Line : A culture that cares to learn

As the head of Learning and Organisational Development (L&OD) of a 20,000 strong BPO company, Farzana Batlivala was committed to developing people through lifelong learning. With the appreciation of the rupee, questionable commitment to residency with employer and escalating wage levels, the benefit yielding from the standard policy of a mandatory minimum of 15 days of training for everybody was questionable. Some deeper questions required attention:

Dismayed at the contrasting considerations, the participants applied to their own learning and growth, the participants were caught up between a concern for sheer survival at job (X-axis) and dedication to personal growth (Y axis).

Blocked: Training meant nothing to at least one-third of the workforce that ‘warmed up’ the seats and faithfully ‘served’ their time at class because of the prospects of a buoyant job-market outside and a lifestyle guaranteed by hefty bank balances, additional streams of income from investments or spouse’s earning. Why were the supervisors oblivious to the futility of sponsoring such personnel for training?

Minimalist: For another lot, the motivation to learn emanated from external considerations rather than internal needs for personal growth. Malicious compliance to seniors and peer pressures necessitated their picking up just enough learning to get by.

Should she insist on aligning the absorption levels of training inputs to enhanced productivity at work as a mandate for their ascendance in the career path?

Mercenary: What about the segment that viewed training as an insurance against obsolescence and an opportunity to build up premiums on market driven ‘hot skills’. Why should the senior management allow them the luxury of applying their learning on subjects that suited their personal considerations rather than the needs of the organisation?

Motivated: How about some appreciation for such individuals that blended their own interests for learning with the needs of the organisation justifying the investment made in them. Can these exceptional learners that are driven to enriching the current body of knowledge with their own demonstrated mastery and insightful contribution be rewarded openly?

Before seeking budgetary approvals for the next financial year as a matter of routine, she sought time from the CEO for a possible re-examination of the training policy.

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