Organizations that align learning with overall strategies and accomplish measurable positive business impact have documented a level of productivity 27% higher than comparable firms that don’t link learning with overall objectives. A survey of 285 learning
executives by Accenture Learning found that, while only 10% of respondents said they achieved that learning/strategy connection, those firms also reported higher growth in revenue and net income.

In a recent report HRI has reported that employee use of personal music players like iPods is generating debate in the workplace about the devices’ effects on worker productivity. While some employees – especially those who work in close proximity to others – claim that music helps them focus by drowning out workplace noise, some experts think that tuning out might ultimately damage morale by isolating employees.

Does your organization have a policy on this matter?

Globalization and the rapid pace at which businesses must change are challenging CEOs to make corresponding changes in their management styles. Speaking to the World Economic Forum held in

Switzerland

in January 2005, Deloitte Touche CEO William G. Parrett told attendees that the complexities of decision-making also are pushing CEOs toward a greater focus on people and on consensus building.

As these changes start to take place- will the training industry (historically more of a ‘cottage industry’ and slow to change with the times) be able to keep pace to truly provide ROI to organizations?  What are your thoughts?

Overall, outsourcing of HR functions is growing, and the trend will continue through 2008, according to a survey conducted by consulting firm Hewitt Associates. Of the surveyed companies, 94% reported that they outsource at least one HR function, the most common of which are outplacement services (91%), employee assistance programs (89%)

That being said some companies that have taken previously outsourced HR functions back in-house during 2005 include Conesco, Dell, Capitol One and Lehman Brothers, according to Deloitte Consulting. One sign that outsourcing may not be going as well as it should is the need to renegotiate vendor agreements.

What are your thoughts on HR outsourcing?  Is it a trend that will soon disappear? Or is it here to stay?

In most parts of the world, women’s wages continue to lag behind those of men in the field of manufacturing. Women in

Switzerland

and

Qatar

are exceptions, while women in

Sweden

,

Norway

and

Australia

have closed the gender gap to a greater extent than their counterparts in most other nations.

What’s your opinion, will this gap ever be closed?

The Spanish government is considering a radical cultural change aimed at improving labor productivity in the country. Despite a decade-long period of economic growth,

Spain

’s productivity level remains about 80% that of the average for

Europe

. To address
productivity and other economic concerns, the government has developed a “Dynamization Plan.”

It is now well documented that Canada is also lagging behind in it’s overall production.  Is it time for Governments to step in with thier own plan to to boost productivity?

Workers in the

UK

registered a high level of stress in 2005, which researchers correlate with organizations’ inability to manage change constructively, suggests a study by the British research organization

Roffey

Park

. It surveyed more than 600

UK

managers
on the challenges their firms encounter. Training Journal quoted the study’s authors:

“Change and restructuring are often badly managed; as a result, we’re seeing greater incidences of stress.”

Because of human nature will all change situations become major sources of stress or will preventitives, such as training, ease the stress contributed to organizational changes?

Many

U.S.

companies are outsourcing HR functions incrementally, not wholly, as some expected in the early days of HR outsourcing. Companies are selective with the functions they are choosing to outsource and the vendors with whom they contract, according to a 2005 survey conducted by Watson Wyatt.

What do you see as HR functions better left in-house?

Teamwork skills training is a valuable tool for organizations to use, according to a recent study. In the study of 65 project teams, each containing four persons, researchers wanted to determine the effects of training on three skills: “planning and task coordination, collaborative problem-solving and communication.” The researchers found that this kind of training did indeed “provide individuals with the skills needed to perform across a broad range of team and task environments.”

Until actual ROI is effectively established for this type of training; will senior management accept this type of research as proof of the benefits of training on organizational bottom lines?

Although it is important for senior leaders to align around common goals to accomplish team objectives, the incentive to collaborate is lacking in many companies, says The Hay Group, an independent human resources consulting firm. And one reason is that team leaders are primarily heads of separate business units and have little incentive to cooperate.

What are your thoughts on using team building training with department heads with the goal of the organizations bottom line?  Have you seen this type of solution work in your business?