Prioritizing Your Employees: Who and How to Train

Speaker- Prashant Michael Vice President and Global Head - Leadership Management and Organization Development, , [24]7.ai

Date- 27 October 2023

At a recent L&D event, Prashant Michael , representing [24]7.ai, delivered an insightful presentation on the critical importance of prioritizing employee development in today’s dynamic workplace. Titled "Prioritizing Your Employees: Who and How to Train," the session addressed the urgent need for organizations to strategically train and retain talent.

According to industry research, a staggering 63% of employees cite the lack of advancement opportunities as the primary reason they quit. This statistic serves as a wake-up call for organizations to reimagine their training programs and ensure clear, meaningful growth pathways.

He Focused on What Are the Top 3 Business Priorities?

Prashant outlined three essential business priorities for workforce training and development:

1. People Skilled to Perform Their Roles Effectively
   Employees must have the tools and skills to perform their jobs with confidence and excellence.
2. Achieving High Standards of Performance Continuously
   Organizations should focus on cultivating a culture of ongoing development to maintain high performance.
3. Alignment with Organizational Goals at All Levels
   Employees need to connect their individual roles to the company’s broader vision and strategic goals.

The Aspire 2.0 Framework: A Three-Stage Learning Journey-

To address these priorities, Prashant Miachle introduced Aspire 2.0, a structured learning and development framework tailored to create a progressive, stage-wise growth journey for employees.

1. Silver Stage (0–12 Months)

Objective:

• Build awareness about the organization’s culture, values, and expectations.
• Retain new hires through proactive measures and smooth onboarding.

2. Gold Stage (13–24 Months)

Objective:

• Identify and develop leadership potential, preparing employees to take on backup leadership roles.

3. Platinum Stage (25–36 Months)

Objective:

• Foster long-term leadership sustainability by providing practical exposure and refining key leadership competencies.

A Structured Learning Journey

The Aspire 2.0 framework features a well-defined process for training and development, combining skills training, hands-on application, and certification.

1. Critical Skills Training: Essential skills are taught to empower employees in their roles.
2. Essential Skills Certification: Certification validates that employees are ready for more significant responsibilities.
3. Individual Development Plans (IDPs): Personalized development goals are set to align with organizational objectives.
4. Leadership Transition Training: Employees are equipped with transitional skills and practical coaching.
5. General Management Certification: Advanced training prepares employees for leadership roles.

Driving Employee Engagement Through Leadership Practices

Prashant emphasized the importance of leadership in creating a thriving learning environment. Key practices included:

• Goal Setting & Vision Creation: Leaders guide teams in setting achievable goals.
• Feedback Mechanisms: Regular one-on-one meetings and team huddles drive continuous improvement.
• Capability Building: Managers focus on aligning team capabilities with organizational objectives.

Impact of Aspire 2.0

The results of Aspire 2.0’s implementation were compelling, showcasing its tangible impact across various locations:

• Reduction in Defects: Locations reported a 67%–81% reduction in operational defects.
• Behavioural Improvements: Training programs achieved an average improvement of 45%–93% in employee behaviours.
• Performance Metrics: Across multiple programs, performance improvement ranged from 11%–20%.

Aligning to Organizational Values and Competencies

An essential aspect of the Aspire 2.0 program is its alignment with the organization’s values, culture, and leadership goals. This is achieved through a robust 15-day orientation plan that emphasizes:

• Organizational Values and Leadership Competencies
• Metric and People Management Training
• Frameworks such as VAE (Values, Alignment, Execution)

Prashant’s presentation reinforced a vital truth: employee development is not just a training strategy—it is the foundation of organizational success. Through the Aspire 2.0 framework, [24]7.ai is creating a workforce that is skilled, aligned, and prepared to meet evolving business challenges.

For more insights and information, connect with us by subscribing to our community of learning frontline