by Brian Clark | DOTS LMS, learning management systems, LMS, Performance, performance management
In DOTS LMS you have the option to use the Performance Management module. This module has a number of features that help support performance with tight integration to learning. This integration includes the Position Management module that acts to link learning and performance for each and every person in your organisation. The position management module must be used in order to use the DOTS performance module. When building a position in DOTS you are creating the inputs necessary to activate and execute the automated online performance appraisal. Position management includes the position description and the elements including environment, decision making, relationships etc.
The primary linkages between learning and performance are established when the Key Result Areas are added including ratings for the various levels of performance. I recommend the Key Result Areas include learning objectives for the position. You can add any type of learning objective including those that are achieved in the LMS environment as well as external formal, informal, social and conference based learning activity. By adding these as Key Result Areas with performance indicators you are driving home the message that learning in all forms is important to the organisation and aligned with its culture and values. I also recommend you align these Key Result Areas to your strategic objectives and definitely include the learning areas in this alignment.
Behavioural performance may also be included in the Position Description and Performance Management module. You achieve this by adding your behavioural performance criteria in the DOTS Competencies module. You should consider how you group these competencies [as well as all the others] to ensure greater accuracy and efficiency using the LMS. You assign behavioural competencies to each position. These may be universally shared or specific to business units, departments, groups or individuals. These behavioural competencies will also be linked to a rating scale to permit the manager to provide feedback and comments to the employee. You align the behavioural competencies to your strategy, your values and other cultural and business initiatives that may be active in the organisation.
There is no hard and fast rule that you must do performance reviews annually. If you can convince your managers to retain a more interpersonal coaching style to performance you can set dates or time cycles in DOTS LMS to remind persons that they are due to have a meeting to review performance and progress. It is important that you not use the technology as a ‘crutch’ to simply tick the box for performance management. The DOTS LMS needs to be a support tool and not a replacement to effective interpersonal relationships between managers and employees.
by Brian Clark | DOTS LMS, Performance, performance management, strategy
As more and more organisations adopt technology solutions to support performance management there are also an increasing range of options available in how to structure your performance management processes.
There is one area that I find to be incredibly useful in aligning learning and development to performance. I would go further and say that this alignment will extend to the strategic level if you design it to do so. The majority of performance management processes I come across are still using Key Result Areas and Key Performance Indicators as the primary means of measuring a person’s performance. I also find a splash of behavioural indicators that are usually linked to a mission, vision and values document somewhere.
If you are not including competencies (skills) as a factor in measuring performance you are missing a vital piece to sustaining a learning organisation and one that has a broader scope in developing its people as opposed to simply measuring performance. It is input vs. output.
The measurement of a person’s development in your organisation is a measure of a valuable input. The measurement of key performance indicators is a measure of an output. You cannot ignore either one. In an era when we hear approximately 70% of workers in the United States Gallupare not engaged in their work, we may like to find ways to develop frameworks to encourage greater engagement and the benefits that accrue from it.
Start at the beginning. Each job title in your organisation has a purpose and to meet or exceed that purpose the person must have the competencies to undertake the work. Therefore we start at building competency frameworks at the Job Title level. People who join the organisation to assume a job title may not necessarily have all the needed competencies at the start. Having the framework in place provides a path to achieving them.
In the performance area, the competencies achieved that are directly part of the Job Title framework are usually considered essential. If there are gaps in achieving these essential competencies then these need to be picked up and addressed in a performance appraisal. With an LMS or talent solution this is made much easier with data capture and automated notifications.
If you take this further and permit people to explore other learning and development opportunities then you are creating the scenario whereby a person makes themselves more valuable to your organisation and this should be linked to performance appraisals. I like to include a large section of the Performance Appraisal that is capturing the learning undertaken by the individual [competencies achieved] and weight these results at least on par with other measures. You can increase or decrease weightings as needed to encourage learning outcomes.
The Performance Appraisal now has a forward looking perspective. We are acknowledging learning and development and hopefully gaining some insight from the person on how they applied their learning in their work. A manager should also be seeking feedback on learning activities and resources during the appraisal and ensure this information is captured. A new Development Plan can now be discussed and in most cases I encourage the employee to create their development plan first and then have it reviewed by their manager as necessary. This ensures individual stewardship and responsibility for their career development.
If you would like to see how this can be set and structured in the DOTS LMS you are welcome to make contact with me [Brian Clark] by calling our Brisbane office or submitting a form on this website.
by Brian Clark | Business Process, development, DOTS LMS, LMS, Performance, performance management, resource planning
The DOTS LMS has been designed to provide a comprehensive suite of tools and reports. Your organisation may be investigating an LMS option for delivering e-learning, compliance management and a host of other outcomes achievable with a solid LMS platform. The DOTS LMS has the capability to extend even further into enterprise management as an excellent support tool for human resource governance. HR governance is strategic and vital for organisations to remain stable, agile and competitive. What is HR Governance? Generally speaking governance includes elements that help to define communications, decision making and business objectives. Linked to these elements are the need to manage and control to manage risks and support business performance with engaged employees.
The DOTS LMS platform has the tools to not only capture vital information in real time, the reporting capability permits visibility to leadership and throughout the organisation. This visibility of key data contributes to risk mitigation in compliance but also provides greater decision making agility to support competitive advantages and control costs. For example, a company can quickly determine its workforce capabilities for current or future requirements and then deliver training to address gaps or allocate resources differently to alleviate any risks from competency/skill gaps.
Knowledge of policies and procedures may be delivered both in online courses as well as available in the online knowledge portal to ensure access and availability at any time. With online delivery you can ensure that the results of this training is tracked and repeated at necessary intervals. Delivery of online training supports more effective communications as well. Senior leadership use the LMS to deliver messages pertaining to company strategy, performance updates and celebrations of success. All of these uses contribute to a more engaged workforce.
Performance monitoring is a key ingredient to HR governance. In DOTS, clients are cascading their strategic plans deeper into the organisation by including key result areas for persons to have line of sight to the overall strategic objectives. The appraisal process is automated to ensure that the appraisals are done and actions are taken to address further development needs and deliver rewards for high performance and commitment.
These are just a few of the ways the DOTS LMS supports human resource governance in an organisation. There are other tools and business processes that contribute to governance success. If you are interested in learning more about using DOTS LMS to support HR governance or would like some ideas on formalising governance in your organisation, please make contact.
by Brian Clark | competency frameworks, e-learning, learning and development
The eLearning Industry Association of Victoria is hosting a breakfast seminar on May 16. You do not want to miss ‘Development Best Practices.’ You can register for this event here. The presenter is Cindy Pascale, Founder and Vice President of Vado Inc. Cindy’s presentation is full of insights based on research and these translate to actions you can execute in your organisation.
Cindy has over 20 years of Human Resources, Sales & Marketing and Operations experience. Before co-founding Vado, she:
- Was a SVP & Partner for a niche employee engagement provider, leading the sales, marketing and business development functions
- As the President & COO, led an assessment services organization delivering employee surveys and 360 degree assessments
- Lead the Human Resources, Training & Development and Organizational Development functions for a mid-sized software company and a medical device manufacturing company.
Cindy earned a MBA in Human Resources from the University of St. Thomas and a B.A. in Business Management with a Minor in Organizational Communication from the University of Wisconsin.
If you would like to learn more about Vado’s innovative learning content and supporting tools, please get in touch with us here. We can set up online access so you can see for yourself this unique range of courses really is.
by Brian Clark | DOTS LMS, DOTS webinar, e-learning, learning and development, utilisation
We are focused on helping you get the most out of the DOTS LMS. We know how hard it is to juggle the demands of your position as well as knowing all the features and tools in DOTS. We are giving you an opportunity to take 60 minutes out of your day to learn and refresh your knowledge in using DOTS LMS.
This online webinar is going to focus on how to “Set up a Beautiful Course Catalogue”, which will include the following topics:
- Changing the Course Catalogue Home Page
- Adding and Editing Categories and using images and description
- What course components display in the Course Catalogue
- Creating Deep Links to Course Detail Pages in the Course Catalogue
- Creating an Auto-Enrol Link for Course Sessions in the Course Catalogue
- Why you can’t see a course in the Course Catalogue
This webinar will be hosted by Kathleen Bosworth.
Block out one hour in your calendar on Tuesday 23 April.
- 12.00pm AEST (Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane)
- 11.30am ACST (Adelaide)
- 10.00am AWST (Perth)
You can register by sending an email to dotsinvitation@dotstalentsolutions.com
Your registration will be confirmed by email with a link to the online webinar.
