• - Backwoods Promotions, Inc. provides staff and brand ambassadors to top-line outdoor and motorsport clients
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• - This staffing agency prides themselves on genuine relationships with companies through passionate, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic event staff who go above and beyond to promote products

Backwoods Promotions specializes in motorsports, outdoor, and automotive event staffing across North America. Founded in 2012 by Jessica Kline, the company provides ongoing service to a number of large corporations, primarily focused on supplying brand ambassadors and event staff to outdoor festivals, trade shows and more.

Since 2019, Backwoods Promotions has successfully trademarked its motto: Promote What you Love® and Enthusiasts First® to use in marketing and commerce. Backwoods Promotions was also certified as a Woman Business Enterprise by WBE Canada. In addition, its founder and CEO, Jessica Kline, was accepted into the Forbes Business Council. 

In terms of clients and services, Backwoods Promotions has demonstrated an ability to maintain its existing client base for years. This year, the company celebrates its sixth year providing service to Bombardier Recreational Product brands (i.e. Ski-Doo), its sixth year working with Fox Factory Inc., and now its second year working with Harley-Davidson Canada and Anheuser-Busch. In total, the company has provided thousands of event staff to work at 500 events across North America. 

What makes Backwoods Promotions unique is an emphasis on sourcing staff who are passionate about the companies, products, and services they represent at events and trade shows. While a number of staffing agencies and modeling agencies exist, none have successfully dominated the motorsports and outdoors industries with the same specialized approach that Backwoods Promotions has. Since the beginning, they have touted the fact that they are not a typical staffing agency, resulting in a rich niche of opportunity to supply skilled staff for motorcycle demo tours, off-road ride and drive events, corporate product launches, trade shows, and more. Backwoods Promotions’ unique approach to staffing is one that consistently adapts to North American motorsport and outdoor markets. 

Backwoods Promotions won three Stevie Awards for Company / Organization Categories: a Silver Stevie for Company of the Year - Diversified Services - Small, a Silver Stevie for Company of the Year - Business or Professional Services - Small, and a Bronze Stevie for Company of the Year - Hospitality & Leisure - Small in the 2020 International Business Awards®. 

Interested in entering the 2021 International Business Awards? 

• -HGC Global Communications is a telecom operator group that provided extensive COVID-19 relief to customers and communities
  
  
• -They distributed free face masks, refurbished computers, and cloud capabilities to thousands of people.

About HGC Global Communications

HGC Global Communications is a leading fixed-line operator that owns extensive infrastructure in Hong Kong and overseas and offers a wide portfolio of products and services. HGC provides other operators with telecoms infrastructure, while acting as service provider to corporations and households alike. 

HGC believes telecommunications operators should take one step further to contribute to society. Here’s how they do it. 

Managing Operations & Supporting Customers

As isolation from social distancing is increasing, so is internet data usage. HGC saw a double digit bandwidth consumption increase. Prior to this surge, HGC had increased their backbone capacity, network resilience, and reliability to support a skyrocket in usage. HGC is also well-prepared for the long-term by securing critical components as part of their supply chain management and planning They spontaneously created special teams to provide instant support, maintenance, and installations to customers.

Support for Staff at HGC Group

Apart from being the first telecom operator in Hong Kong to announce flexible work-from-home arrangements, HGC also introduced other safety measures including regular deep cleanings and sanitations of offices, remote monitoring across impacted offices via home/office IT systems, and delegating more authority to in-country staff to facilitate emergency support. HGC also arranged hotels within walking distance of operation centers to help essential service supporting teams to perform their important duties. They have also offered all staff (around 2,000 people) with four months supply of medical masks. 

Giving Back

HGC has offered meaningful assistance to the community by being the first telecom operator in Hong Kong to distribute free essentials to the public. This includes onsite delivery of masks to elderly citizens living alone and distribution of free refurbished computers to schools and students to support e-learning. HGC has delivered free unified communications and cloud connect services to corporate customers to help with extreme emergencies. 

HGC Global Communications won a Gold Stevie for Product & Service Categories - Business Technology Solutions - Infrastructure as a Service and a Silver Stevie for COVID-19 Response Categories - Most Valuable Corporate Response in the 2020 International Business Awards®. 

Interested in The 2021 International Business Awards®? 

Winners were announced today in the 2020 People’s Choice Stevie® Awards for Favorite Companies, a feature of The International Business Awards®, the world’s only international, all-encompassing business awards program which is now in its 17^th year.

The worldwide public vote was conducted the past two months, with the highest number of votes deciding the winners in a variety of industries. More than 43,000 votes were cast. All Stevie Award winners in the Company of the Year categories of this year’s International Business Awards were eligible to be included in voting for the People’s Choice Stevie Awards.

Winners of the crystal People’s Choice Stevie Awards will be honored for their awards at The International Business Awards virtual awards ceremony on Tuesday, 1 December. Tickets for the event are now on sale.

The winners of peer-adjudicated Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Awards will be presented with their awards along with the People’s Choice Stevie Awards. Stevie winners were selected from more than 3,800 nominations received from organizations and individuals in more than 60 nations.

The winners of the 2020 People’s Choice Stevie Awards for Favorite Companies are:

-Advertising/Marketing/PR: Purpol Marketing
-Aerospace & Defense: Modest Tree
-Business or Professional Services: CAREERISTS AND TALENTANK
-Computer Services: KoçSistem
-Computer Software: VOMO
-Consumer Products: Makers Nutrition
-Consumer Services: Mayen
-Diversified Services: Backwoods Promotions Inc.
-Energy & Utilities: Dubai Municipality
-Financial Services: Cebuana Lhuillier
-Food & Beverage: Empire Eagle Food Co., Ltd.
-Health Products & Services: flowhub Software GmbH
-Hospitality & Leisure: Kindersley Hospitality Endeavors
-Insurance: USHEALTH Group
-Internet / New Media: SiyonaTech
-Manufacturing: Makers Nutrition
-Materials & Construction: Viettel Construction Joint Stock Corporation
-Media & Entertainment: STREET SCIENCE
-Non-Profit / Government: The Pahang State Foundation
-Other Industries: Makers Nutrition
-Real Estate: Filinvest Alabang, Inc.
-Retail: Georgio’s Bottega
-Transportation: Whale Logistics

Grand Stevie Award winners will be honored at an awards ceremony this December

The Stevie® Awards have announced the winners of the Best of the IBA Awards in The 2020 (17^th Annual) International Business Awards®, the world’s premier business awards competition.

Nominees in the 2020 IBAs were not able to apply for the Best of the IBA Awards directly. Winners were determined by a points system based on the total number of awards won in the IBAs, with a Gold Stevie win counting for three points, a Silver Stevie win for two points, and a Bronze Stevie win for 1.5 points. 

This year’s Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners in The International Business Awards were announced on 9 September. The winners of the Best of the IBA Awards will be presented with Grand Stevie Award trophies, and recognized during The 17^th Annual International Business Awards virtual ceremony on 1 December.

Winners of the 2020 Grand Stevie Awards are:

Most Honored Organization: The third largest private bank in Turkey, Yapi Kredi of Istanbul wins this honor with 43 points earned by Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie-winning entries for their website, mobile site, business technology solutions, and COVID-19 response.

Most Honored Public Relations Agency: LLYC, a global communications and public affairs consulting firm headquartered in Madrid, Spain, wins this honor with 42.5 points earned by Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie-winning entries for communication campaigns, videos, publications, and COVID-19 response. This is the third time in the past four years they have earned this honor.

Most Honored Marketing Agency: Magnet20, Istanbul, Turkey, which creates human experiences with products, services, and platforms to transform brands and grow businesses, wins with 9.5 points for Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevies on behalf of GSK Turkey & TOG. In 2019 they won the Grand Stevie for Most Honored Interactive Services Agency.

Most Honored Interactive Services Agency: mensemedia Gesellschaft für Neue Medien mbH of Düsseldorf, Germany earns this honor with 10.5 points for Gold and Bronze Stevie-winning nominations on behalf of Mercedes-Benz Buses Online.

Top 10: These are the top Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie winners among all other organizations honored in the 2020 IBAs, who will also receive Grand Stevie Awards:

1. Melissa Sones Consulting, New York, New York USA (41 points)
2. DP DHL, worldwide (37.5 points)
3. (tie) Jeunesse Global, Lake Mary, Florida USA (32)
   Ayala Group of Companies, Manila, Philippines (32)

5. (tie) Thai Life Insurance Plc., Bangkok, Thailand (31)
   PJ Lhuillier, Inc (PJLI), Makati City, Philippines (31)
   Ooredoo Group, Doha, Qatar (31)

8. PAIRELATIONS, Centennial, Colorado USA (29)
9. Türkiye İş Bankası, Istanbul, Turkey (29)
10. Makers Nutrition, Hauppauge, New York USA (25)

“Of all the outstanding organizations and achievements that were recognized among this year’s IBA nominations, these 14 organizations stand out as the ones with the widest breadth of achievement,” said Maggie Gallagher, president of the Stevie Awards. “The Best of the IBA Awards honor organizations that show an especially strong dedication to honoring the work of their employees, the projects they produce and execute, and their commitment to customers. After the uncertainty 2020 has brought upon the world, these honorees should be especially proud of their “best of” recognition. We look forward to celebrating Grand Stevie winners during our virtual awards ceremony on 1 December.”

The International Business Awards feature a wide variety of categories to recognize achievement in every facet of work life, including management awards, new product awards, marketing awards, PR awards, customer service awards, website awards, and more.

Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award placements in the 2020 IBAs were determined by the average scores of more than 250 professionals worldwide in the three-month judging process.

For more information about The International Business Awards, including a complete list of all Stevie Award winners in the 2020 competition, visit www.StevieAwards.com/IBA.

Businesses Honored for Achievements Amidst COVID-19

High-achieving organizations and executives around the world have been recognized as Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie® Award winners in The 17th Annual International Business Awards®, the world's only international, all-encompassing business awards program.

Nicknamed the Stevies from the Greek word for "crowned," the awards will be presented at a virtual awards ceremony on Tuesday, December 1.

Tickets for the event are on sale now at www.StevieAwards.com/IBA.

Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie winners were selected from more than 3,800 nominations about 200 fewer than last year, from organizations in more than 60 nations. “Given the extraordinary circumstances in which businesses and other organizations around the world have operated over the past six months, we’re gratified by the number of entries the IBAs received this year and the amazing number of stories of continued business success, individual heroism and selflessness, and increased commitment to the health and safety of employees, customers, and communities,” said Stevie Awards President Maggie Gallagher.  

Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie winners were selected from more than 3,800 nominations. “Given the extraordinary circumstances in which businesses and other organizations around the world have operated over the past six months, we’re gratified by the number of entries the IBAs received this year and the amazing number of stories of continued business success.”

All organizations worldwide are eligible to compete in The International Business Awards, and can submit entries in a wide range of categories, including management awards, company of the year awards, marketing awards, public relations awards, customer service awards, human resources awards, new product awards, IT awards, web site awards, and more. 

More than 250 executives worldwide participated on 13 juries this year to determine the Stevie winners.

LLYC, a global communications and public affairs consulting firm headquartered in Madrid, Spain won nine Gold Stevie Awards, more than any other organization in the competition.

Other top winners of Gold Stevie Awards include Jeunesse Global (Lake Mary, Florida USA) with eight, Yapı Kredi Bank (Istanbul, Turkey) with seven, PJ Lhuillier, Inc (Makati City, Philippines) with six, and BURSALI (Bursa, Turkey), Mayen (Istanbul, Turkey), Pan American Energy (Buenos Aires, Argentina), Samsara (San Francisco, California USA), and Thai Life Insurance Plc. (Bangkok, Thailand) with five each.

The top winner of Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevies overall is Turkey’s Yapı Kredi Bank, with 20.  Other multiple winners of note are LLYC (18), Ooredoo Group, Qatar and globally (16), Thai Life Insurance (14), PJ Lhuillier, Inc (13), Jeunesse Global (12), Makers Nutrition, Hauppauge, New York, USA (12), Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Cotai, Macao (10), and Türkiye İş Bankası, Istanbul (10).

A complete list of all 2020 Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award winners by category is available at www.StevieAwards.com/IBA.

During the week of 21 September the winners of the Best of the IBA Awards, five best-of-competition prizes, will be announced. Winners will be determined by a tally of the total number of Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevies won by organizations, and will be honored on 1 December.

Bill Swann is a professor of Social and Personality Psychology at the University of Texas, based in Austin, Texas, United States. He wanted to study the effect of employee diversity on a work group’s overall performance.

He, along with his colleagues, signed up 400 MBA students for the study. They split the students into groups of four to six members, ensuring each group contained students with diverse backgrounds. The members of each group had to work together over the course of their first semester, and their performances at the end of the summer were used as an indicator of the group’s effectiveness.

At the end of the study, they found there were groups where members freely expressed their individuality and groups where members downplayed their identities in order to align with the rest of the team. Diversity notwithstanding, groups where members expressed their individuality emerged more successfully.

"Our research indicates that expressing personal identities in groups seems to have beneficial effects. Those who express themselves are more likely to feel known and understood because they actually are better known and understood," Swann said in a ​conversation​ with ​Inc.​ "Feeling known and understood causes people to open up, which can foster creative solutions to problems confronting the group."

As you can see, diversity in workplaces is important. But if you want to build a truly innovative workplace that not only survives but thrives in this competitive landscape, you have to work on fostering individuality.

Groupthink Out, Individuality In

You cannot talk about individuality in workplaces and boardrooms without also talking about its antithesis: groupthink. Groupthink is what affected the groups that didn’t perform so well in Swann’s experiment.

Imagine an organization where the team dynamics seem great. The thoughts of the team members align, everyone agrees with everyone else, and they are all working together to achieve the same goal. Sounds like a great workplace, right? Unfortunately, an organization like this could be the perfect example of groupthink.

An ​article​ on ​Forbes ​defined groupthink as the tendency for members in a given group to gradually drift toward the same beliefs and styles of thinking. This can be destructive. It creates forced conformity, illusions of unanimity, fewer rational decisions, and a narrower range of opinions and options.

Joe Gerstandt, an adviser on diversity and inclusion, conducted a ​webinar​ for the AICPA on the consequences of groupthink, and he spoke in support of individuality.

“No one intends to participate in groupthink,” Gerstandt said. “Rather, it occurs because people are uncomfortable with conflict and differing opinions. Welcoming differences is one key to preventing groupthink.”

How to Encourage Individuality and Build an Innovative Culture

Building an innovative work culture is not an overnight job, but it can be done. Organizations should start by building an environment where the ideas, skills, knowledge, and potential of every employee is respected. Team leaders should be trained to identify their team members’ strengths and weaknesses, and they should know how to help those employees amplify the former and provide support for the latter.

Employees should feel comfortable at the workplace, confident when voicing their ideas, and accountable for their work. Everyone should give credit where credit’s due and push for honesty, openness, and collaboration.

Organizations must also work actively on diversity inclusion, meaning individuals feel free to be themselves regardless of race, age, geography, or gender. When respect for individuality drives an innovative organization’s culture, it shows. This is the case with Qulix Systems, a software development, testing, and consulting company based in Minsk, Belarus. What started in 2000 as a quality assurance service company now also provides software development, system analysis, DevOps, blockchain and cryptocurrency, and machine learning and artificial intelligence services.

“We respect uniqueness in the way people do business, think, and act,” says Daria Zakharenkova, head of PR at Qulix Systems. When it comes to breakthroughs, individuality makes all the difference.  We hire and cultivate the best talent. We take pride in our teams. Constantly upgrading their skill sets and keeping them happy are our top priorities.”

Qulix Systems won a Bronze Stevie® Award at The 2019 ​International Business Awards​® in the Company of the Year - Computer Software - Medium-Size category.

The final entry deadline for the 2020 (17^th annual) edition of The International Business Awards® is Tuesday, July 28.

The International Business Awards are widely considered to be the world's premier business awards competition.  In 2019 the competition attracted more than 4,000 nominations from organizations in more than 70 nations.

All individuals and organizations worldwide—public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small—may submit nominations to The International Business Awards. The final entry deadline this year is Tuesday, July 28. Entry details are available at www.StevieAwards.com/IBA.

Juries featuring more than 150 executives will determine the Stevie Award winners. The Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners will be announced on September 9. Stevie Award winners will be honored at a virtual awards ceremony this year.

New this year are a variety of COVID-19 response awards categories that do not have entry fees. These aim to honor heroes of every industry including medical, education, food delivery, media, public service, business response, and more.

The International Business Awards recognize achievement in every facet of the workplace. Categories include:

• Management Awards 
• Entrepreneur of the Year Awards
• Company of the Year Awards
• Customer Service Awards 
• Human Resources Awards 
• Information Technology Awards
• Marketing Awards 
• New Product Awards 
• Public Relations Awards 
• Web Site Awards, Smartphone and Tablet App, and other media awards

The IBAs feature more than 40 categories that do not require the payment of entry fees, including all 35 of the Company/Organization of the Year categories, and that there are many new and revised features of the IBAs for 2020, including:

• Nine new categories to recognize singular business achievements in areas such as business turnaround, finance, revenue generation, and science and technology, among others.
• The simplification of submission requirements in the Company/Organization, Corporate Communications & Public Relations, Marketing, and New Product & Product Management category groups.

Interested in entering the IBAs this month?

Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is certainly nothing new; it’s been around for decades. Essentially, small computer chips and antennae contained within tags are used to store and transmit data, making it the ideal solution for location tracking and information gathering.

So, it’s not surprising the tech got its start by tracking cattle and monitoring product shipments as they moved across the globe. What used to be limited to livestock and global logistics, however, has evolved over time. RFID tech is now one of the most exciting implements in modern event planning.

Modern RFID Solutions

One of the most significant ways RFID technology has evolved is in size. The computer chips and antennae are now small enough to seamlessly fit in personal badges or event bracelets.

This means an event attendee can slip on a bracelet or affix a badge to a shirt and have access to all the powerful benefits of this tech. Event attendees aren’t the only beneficiaries, though. Event planners are also seeing revolutionary possibilities thanks to this seemingly simple tech.

RFID Benefits for Event Attendees

As an attendee, RFID bracelets facilitate a handful of experience-enhancing benefits. First and foremost, it significantly cuts down on how long attendees must wait in line. More than half of live event attendees cite long lines as one of the most frustrating and negative aspects of attending an event. With RFID bracelets, though, a scan gets a person through check-in and security quickly and efficiently. By cutting down on the amount of time people stand around waiting to enter the event, you greatly enhance perception and enjoyment from the onset.

RFID bracelets can also be linked to various payment accounts, meaning attendees can swipe their bracelets to buy food, drink, souvenirs, or any other event-specific items. Attendees no longer have to stress about keeping an eye on their wallets or purses while navigating a crowded event or finding an ATM to get cash.

The other major benefit relates to social integration. Photographers can easily scan a bracelet and then link relevant pictures to that attendee, making posting to various social platforms easier than ever. This is good for attendees, but it’s also great for event coordinators, who thrive on positive word of mouth via social media.

RFID Benefits for Event Planners

RFID technology doesn’t just benefit attendees; it also makes the professional lives of event planners significantly better.

Security, for example, is always a concern at large-scale events. RFID-based passes can control attendee access to certain areas, such as VIP sections, and it allows security members to perform real-time checks of visitor accreditation. Plus, this technology significantly reduces the likelihood of  illegally reproduced, fraudulent passes.

The massive amount of tracking data also allows event coordinators to perform traffic pattern analysis, which reveals the most popular event features, identifies bottlenecks, and provides insight into venue layout deficiencies or successes.

As a particularly large incentive to incorporate this technology, several reports reveal that the speed and convenience of tapping to pay rather than dealing with cash or credit cards results in anywhere from 15 to 30 percent increased spend per person.

Events and Tech: Beyond RFID

RFID tech is just one modern innovation making its way into the world of event planning. Artificial intelligence (AI) and facial recognition software are also increasingly becoming a part of this landscape. Many companies today are tapping into the power of these technologies in order to enhance attendee or user experience at planned events. This includes EventsAIR, an event technology platform based out of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

“The way different technologies are starting to integrate and morph into one within the event planning space is something we’ve believed in from the start,” says Joe Ciliberto, global director of sales and marketing for EventsAIR. “Technology allows event planning companies today to be one-stop shops for all event-related needs.”

EventsAIR recently earned a Gold Stevie® Award in the Event Management Solution category at The 2019 International Business Awards®.

 When applied to the workplace, gamification uses game elements to improve employee engagement and performance. Key performance indicators (KPIs) are continuously measured to allow employees to compete against their past performances or to work toward prearranged goals. The concept is somewhat akin to wearing a fitness tracker, but instead of monitoring movement, the process looks at professional achievements.

Performance Management

Rather than setting annual goals, which often become less relevant as time passes, employees can set real-time goals. Achievement is measured without having to set up specific meetings or waiting until the right people are available. Many companies now are focusing their efforts on staying in the moment and adopting a coaching approach, rather than a punitive one. With this mind-set, if you notice problems developing in your business, you can correct mistakes, much like a sports coach, to adjust quickly.

Companies are choosing to focus their performance management efforts on continuous professional development by using gamification. To make the process as interactive as possible, some companies, such as Datagamz, are introducing artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance gamification platforms. In this system, feedback is immediate, and problems can be fixed quickly by demonstrating how the employees are meeting their KPIs and established targets.

Objectivity

Gamification is all about enhancing and developing employee performance in the most objective way possible, rather than relying on subjective scrutiny. The idea is that evaluation becomes a positive process that reflects real-time progress, which will, in turn, have a correspondingly positive effect on company culture. If benchmarks are missed, then workers can be directed to courses or receive additional workplace support.

Employees are secure in the knowledge they are being treated fairly and transparently, and they feel valued in the workplace. They also feel their performance and efforts are recognized.

Transparency

Companies in the tech field, such as Google and LinkedIn, use objectives and key results to demonstrate their expectations. Employees can see their results, as well as their colleagues’. Gamification is an excellent way for staff members who do not have specific goals not only to set appropriate benchmarks but to gauge how their performance compares to others.

This process allows the employer to set general goals and ensure expectations are fair and achievable. The vision is to create an environment that treats people as individuals in order to maximize workplace performance.

Motivation Method

For many, being scored as part of a leaderboard is not a positive motivation method. What managers need to understand is that, when evaluating employees, they are not necessarily rating outcome but performance. Gamification makes sure the focus remains firmly on driving the desired behaviors. For example, a gamification platform can enable staff in contact centers to gamify the working environment in order to engage and reward employees for the right behaviors.

What’s the Game?

Various game mechanics, such as graphs, comparison charts, and rewards for reaching goals, drive engagement. Employees can continuously monitor their progress at work and engage with their goals, which is important for work performance.

Datagamz, based out of Melbourne, Australia, took a Bronze Stevie® Award at The 2019 International Business Awards® in the category of Software Tech Startup of the Year. The company understands a pivotal truth about AI, as it relates to gamification. Although AI is on the rise in the field of workplace engagement, it is vital to retain gamification’s human element to fully reap its benefits.

Interesting in entering The 2020 International Business Awards?

Stevie-winner The LMC Group is a consulting firm that assists small to medium-sized businesses in updating their approach to training and engagement.

Having a process of learning and development in place for your employees is vital; it is the first step to improving employee engagement. With the right training and development program, you can positively impact efficiency and productivity and retain great employees. Remember to consider your end goals when putting a training program in place. A well-thought-out program needs to work for both the company and the employees. It must also deliver what you need when you need it.

Training Goals 

Look at your training program holistically. Ask yourself why you’re doing it and how the program is going to help you. Consider the problem you are trying to solve, and evaluate how the training you have in place is going to fix it. First you need to understand how to achieve your business goals with the training program, and then you must put measures in place that ensure you reach those objectives. 

Due to funding constraints, it can be difficult for smaller businesses to implement targeted employee training initiatives. If your small to midsized company needs guidance bringing an updated approach to your training and engagement systems, consider outsourcing. A niche of companies provide this service, including the LMC Group.

“It’s exciting to bring cutting-edge approaches to organizations lacking the funding, revenue, and resources that larger firms enjoy and often take for granted,” says an LMC Group representative.

By engaging your employees and showing them the benefits of learning systems, everyone involved is more likely to have a positive experience. The most impactful way to accomplish this is by designing trainings that meet defined needs. If you can't demonstrate to your staff members that their efforts in learning and development will be useful and effective, it will be difficult to persuade them to engage and to improve their skills. 

Evolution and Evaluation

You can't expect your years-old training and development program to keep pace with your business needs, technology, and workplace advances. You need to keep your training sessions fresh if you want to keep your employees enthusiastic about their learning. Don’t put out stale content if you wish to keep moving forward. Remember, the best learning and development programs are continually evolving and improving. Evaluate your training by seeing how employees interact with the program. Don’t forget to seek their input about how to make it tailored to their needs. 

Feedback

Ask your employees and service users about their pain points. If you have defined questions or problems to solve, you can better focus your efforts on these critical areas. If you use e-learning, for example, review the end-of-unit tests to ensure no questions are consistently being answered incorrectly. If such problems do exist, this is a sign to reevaluate how certain information is presented or to expand on that point in the training. You can also review customer satisfaction responses to ensure the training you have implemented has had the desired effect.  

Even if you are a small business, you can put some measures in place. You can either do this in house or through an external consultancy that can support you with various technologies and innovations. These days you can’t rely on a tired PowerPoint presentation or some dated online learning to help your employees develop. You need goal-specific training that fits the needs of your company and your clients and makes everyone’s experience more positive. 

The LMC Group, of Manchester, New Hampshire, United States, won a Bronze Stevie® Award in the Company of the Year - Business or Professional Services - Small category at The 2019 International Business Awards®. 

Interested in entering The International Business Awards?