Page 202 - Managing the Mobile Workforce

hiring and preparing great mobile talent � 181

completely unaware who the CEO was, and they had no idea of the
identity of the new recruit. The objective was to get the head honcho
out of the boardroom and into the field where the company operates
every day, and where the heartbeat of progress really lives. This deep
immersion of the executive into the workforce provided great value
to the company, giving the leader a real, appreciable understanding
of how difficult jobs can be and what it takes to complete the tasks
employees face every day.
What if the training department were to go undercover to see how
well the available training is delivered and how the value of the de-
partment is scored? This question is interesting for a training depart-
ment, because often its employees do not come from the departments
they serve.
It’s an essential accomplishment with measurable results for any
training department and company to put training in place for all of its
employees, and to meet all of their unique needs by investing in those
programs that hit the bottom line.

` summAry

Training has transformed in many directions during the last 15 years.
In the office, blended learning now includes not only instructor-led
training (ILT), but also distance learning delivery. On demand,
search and find now, knowledge at your fingertips—these qualities
are all essential for the mobile workforce. It’s easier than ever to con-
nect and to set up a secure connection to access company systems.
With this paradigm shifter in place, the mobile worker finally has the
opportunity to learn on the go. The mobile workforce will use knowl-
edge not based on a set schedule but will need training, rather, on
just-in-time need. And that will take place at the coffee shop, in the
airport, on a train, or during drive time when moving from client to
client. These changes will take more effort from everyone—but will