How important is learning for organisations? The term Learning Organisations was coined in 1990, referring to organisations that facilitate the learning of their members and continually transform themselves. At the time, the author (Peter Senge) emphasised the importance of learning, stating that “perhaps the ability to learn faster than competitors is the only sustainable competitive advantage”. More than 30 years later, in a world undergoing accelerated transformation, the notion that organisations that manage to create ecosystems for continuous learning become highly adaptable to changing conditions.

The importance of learning and the skills development corresponds to law, It is the responsibility of companies and workers. It is the duty of companies to provide professional training to their employees and these, in turn, have a duty to collaborate and actively participate in the training activities organised by their employer. The aim of training is to promote developing workers' skills, and improve their performance, thereby contributing to the increase of productivity and competitiveness of the company.

In view of its purpose, the content of vocational training must cover subjects related to the workers' activity or similar, and may also include topics such as information and communication technologies, health and safety at work or foreign languages. Most companies are therefore obliged to draw up training plans annual or biannual reports specifying actions, objectives and training organisations, with workers and collective representation structures having the right to participate in the training. right to information and consultation.

Under the terms of the law, workers are entitled to one minimum of 40 hours of training, The employer must provide vocational training to at least 10% of the company's employees. Since the Portuguese business fabric is mainly made up of SME, The question is whether these legal requirements are appropriate, given the enormous challenge they represent.

The law has become increasingly demanding with companies in the field of vocational training, in line with the growing need for renewing knowledge to ensure competitiveness. In this sense Training Academies have taken centre stage as institutes for the creation, renewal and dissemination of critical knowledge for the organisational sustainability, They must be aligned with the strategy of the company.

To fulfil this aim, the Training Academies have reinvented themselves, incorporating the online learning and e-learning, by investing in personalising content, adopting approaches such as microlearning (short and modular training programmes), the gamification (game elements to increase involvement) and even resorting to virtual and augmented reality to create immersive learning experiences.

The technological advances are also an opportunity to optimise administrative processes and, above all, to evaluate the impact of initiatives. A analysing data to measure the effectiveness of training and implement improvements is one of today's biggest challenges. It is essential to carry out a proper diagnosis of learning needs, and in line with the business strategy, and objectively communicating the results to stakeholders, reinforcing the perception of training as a investment for companies and workers.

Marisa Pardal, Head of Training, SHL Portugal
Rui Dinis Miquelis, Associate Lawyer, VdA

Published in Human Magazine on 22/4/2024