You are being asked to work with a Managed Learning Service provider.
Who will take on the management of L&D activity such as sourcing training, booking administration and supporting employees with their learning needs.
But hang on a minute, that’s your job isn’t it?
Or is it?
Well of course it is your job, but we are guessing that it’s only part of your job, and that there are other things you do and even more that you could do. It’s worth remembering that, if your manager has introduced working with a managed learning service provider, it won’t be because you are doing a poor job, it will be because you are doing a great job, and can progress to doing more, higher value and strategic work.
So, step back for a second and think of this as an opportunity for you to progress and take on more responsibility. Questions we recommend you ask yourself are:
- What do you currently do?
- What do you love doing at work?
- What stops you from doing this?
- How can you do more of what you love doing?
If you say you love being responsible for the sourcing, booking and organising of training, then don’t fear. Working with a managed learning service provider will still allow you to do this, in the way you want it do.
Remember these benefits of working with a managed learning service provider:
1 – You’ll have more time and less stress
In your role do you have anyone who you can delegate to, or helps you out when things get busy? Not a colleague who helps out in a while, but someone who is there on a regular basis? You will when you work with a broker. They will act like your own team, helping you on the things you want or need assistance with, and, perhaps more importantly, doing the things you don’t want to do.
2 – You can see the wood not just the trees
Ok, so you might not have a reduced workload, more like a different workload, however you should be spending less time on reactive and transactional tasks, enabling you to consider the bigger picture and the longer term impact.
3 – You are the boss
Which means you will have influence and control over how you are supported by the broker. Be smart, work with the broker to create processes, use them to do the time intensive tasks, whilst still being able to retain a supervisory position.
Being able to delegate effectively is an important skill to learn, and mastering this can really help you progress, so you’ll have the perfect environment to learn by delegating to the training broker. In addition to delegating tasks, if your ambition is to be a L&D Manager, or higher, in the future, you’ll need good management skills, and if you don’t mange anyone right now, then managing a supplier relationship is a good starting point.
4 – Managed learning service providers are on your side
All training brokers are here to help, because we want to help. We want to help L&D professionals have more time to focus on their company, implement a successful strategy, and ensure all of their staff receive high quality training.
We act on our customers behalf to source the best training solution each time. We create bespoke working processes to suit our customers’ requirements ensuring they receive the service that works best for them.
5 – Your company will benefit
Adding an extra resource to the L&D team will have a broader impact than just making your life easier. If you, your manager and colleagues are able to spend more time with the business, more detailed needs will be uncovered, better solutions put in place, and the right training chosen for each requirement, resulting in what should be an improvement in company performance.
So what’s to lose?
If you are concerned that working with a broker might involve doing less of some of the things you enjoy, then, you are right. Don’t despair though, as this could happen if you were promoted or changed roles. Chat with the managed learning service provider, decide who will do what, but making sure that you aren’t keeping tasks that are holding you back.
Be patient
Like with any new process, there will be some areas which need amending, or changing, and probably some teething problems. We do all we can to minimise them, and take a flexible approach, so if you identify a better way then tell us, and then the process can be amended. After a few months, you’ll look back and think, “I wish we had done this sooner”.
Recap time!
Working with a managed learning service provider is a positive move for you, and your company. Remember, you will now have a resource to call upon, to manage, to rely on and use to ensure you spend more time on the tasks you really enjoy doing and are important to your career progression.
Manage the process, but don’t work in the process – delegate those tasks out.
Don’t believe us?
We have dealt with some very sceptical L&D professionals prior to using us, and, once they started to use us, they saw the benefits. If you want to chat to them, just let us know and we’ll put you in touch.
“The training sourcing service Optimus Learning provide is so handy, saves me so much time when sourcing training. I didn’t think using them would be as beneficial as it is and I will never go back to sourcing training myself”
Leah – Office Manager, Global IT Security Service Provider, Reading
“Optimus Learning have been of great assistance to us in sourcing effective and affordable training for our staff. They provide us with a variety of training options per query so that we can make an informed decision on which training is most suitable.”
Gareth – Learning & Development Manager, Housing & Homelessness Charity, Birmingham
“I have used Optimus Learning for a few years now and they are a great help and usually my first port of call when I have training which needs sourcing. They save you time, give you various options as alternatives and set everything out for you with quick turnaround and with training providers whom I’ve yet to find fault with. They are a friendly team who give you the impression nothing is too much trouble.”
Alison – Training Officer, Law Firm, London
Next steps
If you are interested in exploring what help you need or working with us, then we’d love to have a chat. We might be the best thing for you, or if we don’t think we are, then we’ll point you in the right direction. Either way, we’d love to have a chat about your situation. Call on 0845 519 7408 or email info@optimuslearningservices.com
