As Baby Boomers slowly retire and their Generation X successors continue to take up the reins, the global workforce is experiencing an unprecedented generational shift. By the end of 2020, Generation Z is expected to account for nearly a quarter of the world’s labor pool, which means that Digital Natives are creating new challenges for managers with unsure expectations. Cornerstone OnDemand, an industry paragon for professional development solutions, has unveiled Plan Z: Managing Digital Natives, a new Microlearning® series designed to bridge the cross-generational gap between managers and their young, diverse, well-educated workforce. The series serves as a complement to Cornerstone’s Digital Native Advancement (DNA) program geared toward preparing the new class for the modern workplace. Although learning technologies evolve over time, key performance indicators (KPIs) remain a constant in determining the best learning management systems (LMS) an organization can adopt. Examining KPIs is a great way to determine the value of such contemporary continuing education.
Corporate learning programs generally cover one of three broad areas of continuing education: policy compliance, skill learning, and soft skills. In today’s corporate ecosystem, effective leadership and open communication are as crucial to a company’s success as their balance sheets. Cornerstone’s Plan Z program gives managers the tools and skills to maintain a positive professional environment and foster employee growth. Using KPIs, an organization can evaluate the effectiveness of a program like Plan Z, ensuring the greatest ROI on an investment with somewhat intangible benefits. Soft skills are particularly challenging to grade using traditional standards, so a program like Plan Z requires more interactive evaluation like engagement surveys or post-completion feedback. It is also a good idea to oversee the employee’s progress through a course; if they cram the information the night before, there’s less likelihood of retention. Cornerstone offers a complete suite of Talent Management Systems built to usher the development of both new hires and existing staff. With proper attention paid to KPIs, Plan Z may be an essential educational resource for bringing together a diverse staff and building successful workplaces of the future.
