Organisations are invited to join Towards Maturity's 5th Learning Benchmark Study to help them improve take-up, efficiency and business performance through learning innovation
The 2011 Towards Maturity Benchmark Study was launched today, once again with outstanding support from the wider Learning & Development industry. Organisations from the private, public and not for profit sectors looking to improve performance through learning innovation are invited to take part during June and July at www.towardsmaturity.org/2011benchmark. Participation is free of charge.
www.towardsmaturity.org/2011benchmark
In a time when economic uncertainty is putting pressure on budgets and time, organisations are increasingly relying upon technology to help improve learning results, efficiency and business performance. However Towards Maturity's benchmark research over the last eight years clearly shows some are more successful than others in achieving this.
Uniquely among research-based organisations in this space, Towards Maturity leverages the wealth of data provided by its ongoing Benchmark Study - an internationally recognised, vendor neutral, longitudinal review based on the input of over 1200 organisations and 3000 learners since 2003. The study has identified six work streams of implementation activity that support performance improvement and these power an authoritative standard of measurement, the Towards Maturity Index.
The Towards Maturity 2011 Benchmark Study now provides three simple steps to help organisations use those findings to improve their own results. Organisations are invited first to confidentially review their current implementation processes and plans, then to compare their results and actions with top performers to identify strengths and weaknesses, and finally to act on the findings to improve performance.
Individuals responsible for implementing learning technologies in their organisation are invited to take part at www.towardsmaturity.org/2011benchmark.
Peter Butler, Learning director at Lloyds Banking Group says 'The stark reality is this - if learning professionals aspire to be world class, to add core value and improve business performance, we have to be willing to constantly improve, I believe that benchmarking is an essential business tool required to achieve this and one that is not used often enough in learning. The Towards Maturity Benchmark Study opens up an opportunity to benchmark for all'.
The Benchmark Study process requires an investment of approximately 40 minutes of time. But this is time well spent as over 70% of organisations who completed the review step alone in 2010 found new ideas to help drive their strategy forward.
'The Towards Maturity Benchmark Study isn't just an industry survey, it is a performance improvement tool ' says Laura Overton, MD of Towards Maturity.' Our benchmark supporters and ambassadors help us to ensure that the benchmark itself constantly evolves to reflect the changing industry. Every participant will receive their own Towards Maturity Index within a few weeks of completing to help them monitor ongoing improvements against evolving good practice.'
All participants who take part in this free, confidential benchmark service during June and July will receive a personalised online report providing them with their Towards Maturity Index as a baseline for benchmarking and improvement, feedback on key performance indicators and recommendations for further actions. They will also receive a new white paper: Time for Action - 101 tips for success containing practical advice gathered from previous benchmark participants.
The consolidated industry report following the Towards Maturity 2011 Benchmark Study will be launched in November and will be available to download free of charge thanks to the ongoing support of the Towards Maturity Ambassadors.
Last year's report from the Towards Maturity 2010 Benchmark Study can be also be downloaded at www.towardsmaturity.org/2010benchmark.