BTSR guidebook ~ Training & skills self-evaluation
CNBC – Knowledge Sharing and Learning Forums
| Date: | May 2008 |
|---|---|
| Contact: | Gayle Templeton, Anne-Marie Groeger |
| Telephone: | 020 7653 9309, 020 7653 5950 |
At CNBC Europe we have developed and implemented two ways of training our staff internally – Knowledge Sharing sessions and Learning Forums.
The Knowledge Sharing sessions were devised by our Newsroom Team to promote and encourage individuals to share their expertise on certain subject matters with the rest of the company. It was felt by Newsroom Management that there was a lot of internal knowledge from which other employees could benefit and instead of outsourcing training to an external provider, Knowledge Sharing sessions were introduced. These sessions take place at least once every month over a lunch time. Various members of the Newsroom take it in turns to present on a specific matter, with which they are particularly familiar. Some of the most recent sessions have included: How to Format a Show, Choosing News Headlines & Creating a Rundown. Invitations to the sessions are sent to the whole company and any individual from all departments within the company can attend the sessions if they are interested in the topic being discussed.
The Knowledge Sharing sessions have proved very popular with all staff across the business. The sessions are always very well attended and although no formal feedback is collected, as the aim is to keep the sessions as informal as possible, informally our employees have responded very positively. The sessions have not only been well received by our staff but we have also benefited from a cost perspective. Outsourcing specific training to an external provider is very expensive and we would not necessarily be able to sustain monthly training for our staff. By using our internal expertise and resources we have managed to train our employees effectively on a continual basis. The Newsroom Management Team have noticed an improvement in the knowledge and ability of the department and this has been reflected in the participation of individuals in editorial meetings and the way stories are reported.
The Learning Forum’s idea was generated after receiving our employees’ feedback in the Opinion Survey, which all staff complete every two years. It was clear from the results of the survey that our employees wanted to gain an understanding of the day-to-day remit of other departments within the company. There was a general consensus that individuals did not fully appreciate the workings of other departments and therefore could not appreciate the work that was executed by the department or understand how other departments could help them with their own jobs.
Following on from the results of the Opinion Survey, focus groups were formed and they decided that it would be beneficial for each department within the business to hold a session explaining the specifics about their role in the context of the wider business. The idea was presented to the Human Resources Team, who then worked with each department to create pitches and select speakers to present to the rest of the company. Company-wide invitations were sent out and sessions were held over lunch times to maximise individuals’ availability.
Similar to the Knowledge Sharing sessions, no formal feedback is collected, to keep the sessions as informal as possible. However, there has been a marked increase in the cross-departmental communication throughout the business and this has helped contribute to closer working relationships. In addition individuals have a greater respect for the work other departments produce, as they now have a clear understanding of how everyone contributes to the workings of the channel. The sessions have now been running for two years. As staff have expressed how useful they find the sessions, they will continue to be run in the future.
The Learning Forums have again provided the business with significant cost savings as we have been able to improve working relationships across all departments and maximise the use of our employees’ skills, without the need for an external consultant.
