Prudential realised that to achieve its aim of being a high-performing organisation in the retirement industry, it had to formulate an entirely new L&D strategy that was fully aligned with business area requirements and covered all levels of staff.
The winning framework it produced put leadership, management, business skills and functional learning at the heart of the strategy. The learning management system was redesigned around the concept of knowledge centres, allowing L&D to group and promote learning that is specific to individual business areas. It also included a review of regulatory learning and induction.
The judges particularly liked the way the company communicated the new learning. The home page of its intranet used a default screen that everyone saw when they accessed their system each day. This contains details of news items including new training programmes and has a direct link to their individual learning account, or 'learning space'. In addition, a monthly magazine, Potential, is distributed to all staff and contains features on learning-related topics.
From the start, senior managers were involved through individual briefings by the head of L&D and through regular business forums to find out management needs and how to meet them.
The following improvements have been linked to the new strategy: as a result of the management and business skills courses the corporate culture has moved towards behaviours consistent with a high-performing organisation as measured by the Organisational Character Index. The 12% increase in profits to £657 million in the UK part of the organisation for 2009 was attributed to its 'Selling to Succeed' programmes; the improved quality of the product and regulatory e-learning modules is reflected in a rise in 'star' ratings given by users on completing each module. In addition it renegotiated contacts with learning partners, which have produced cost savings of £130,000.
"This is a complete learning strategy," said the judges, "solidly embedded in the business, well communicated to staff and able to show quantifiable business results."
FINALISTS
B&Q
Deutsche Bank
Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust
Midcounties Co-operative
Nationwide Building Society
