Office 365 and Learning in the Flow of Work

Focusing on learning in the workplace can engage employees, develop staff, increase productivity, prevent turnover, and upskill key professionals. Company leaders recognize the value of learning at work, which is a key reason why learning and career management software is the fastest-growing segment in HR technology, according to Josh Bersin.¹

What Does “Learning in the Flow of Work” Mean?

“Learning in the flow of work” is a concept popularized by Bersin. “It refers to informal learning that literally happens in the flow of work and can be immediately applied to work-related tasks,” stated Why Your Company Should Promote Learning in the Flow of Work.

Workflow learning is not structured. It happens outside the confines of a traditional employee training program. Because it is informal, it gives professionals a sense of control over their learning processes and tends to be more fulfilling and enjoyable than traditional learning.²

Since this type of learning can be quickly put into practice, it provides immediate gratification for employees, encouraging them to continuously learn without having to be pulled away their work.

Why It’s Important to Learn in the Flow of Work

Today, it is more important than ever for employees develop a culture of continuous learning. This is because professionals are busier than ever. To say the average employee has a lot of his or her plate is an understatement.

Most employees are so pressed for time that they have just 24 minutes per week to focus on training and development, Bersin wrote.3 This is not nearly enough time to acquire new skills necessary for growth and professional competence. Employees who learn in the flow of work glean these skills at a natural pace fitting their immediate objectives.  

Tools That Support Workflow Learning: Office 365 and the EdCast Knowledge Cloud

Most companies aren’t equipped to ensure employees are constantly learning in the flow of work. They often use outdated methods of learning and training that don’t drive results. By implementing tools that facilitate workflow learning, company leaders can set staff up for success.

One resource that can promote workflow learning is Microsoft’s Office 365. This cloud-based tool integrates a variety of apps and services, which can include Skype for Business Online, OneDrive for Business, Powerpoint, Excel, Word, and more.

EdCast, known as the operating system for the knowledge economy, now provides technology for learning, knowledge management and information discovery to users of Microsoft Office 365. EdCast’s Knowledge Cloud app enables all Office 365 users to gain one-click access to knowledge on-demand. Organizations can use the Knowledge Cloud to address sales enablement, training and upskilling needs in ways that are integrated into the flow of work with Microsoft’s leading cloud-based business productivity suite, Office 365, now commercially used by 120 million people around  the world.

The EdCast app for Office 365 increases productivity and fosters a corporate learning culture by making learning in the flow of work readily available.

Support learning in the flow of work at your organization. The EdCast app can be downloaded from the AppSource Marketplace.

References:

1, 3. Bersin, Josh. Learning in the flow of work. https://www.slideshare.net/jbersin/learning-in-the-flow-of-work/8-Copyright_2017_Deloitte_Development_LLC.   

2. eLearning Industry. 8 benefits of informal learning in the workplace. https://elearningindustry.com/informal-learning-in-the-workplace-8-benefits.

Reskilling the Global IT Workforce to be Future-Ready

By 2020, it’s estimated that 75 percent of organizations will experience business disruptions due to infrastructure and operations skills gaps, according to CIO.¹ This source also stated that there are currently more IT jobs available than qualified IT professionals to fill them. Clearly, the global IT workforce is not fully staffed or prepared for the future.  

The Dismal State of the Current IT Skills Gap

Organizations of all kinds are facing an IT skills gap. According to TechCo²:

• 45 percent of small businesses weren’t able to find qualified (IT) applicants to fill job openings in the first quarter of 2017.
• 70 percent of cybersecurity professionals believe that their organization is being negatively impacted by the skills shortage in the tech industry.

Many IT professionals around the world are simply not equipped to handle high-level information technology roles. If these individuals do not obtain the skills these roles call for, they as professionals will eventually become obsolete.  

Why Reskilling is Essential to IT Pros’ Future-Readiness

Due to the speed at which technology is transforming and the need companies have for qualified IT workers, the only way an IT professional can truly become future-ready is through regular reskilling.  

Today’s information technology professional should be skilled in big data, cybersecurity, analytics, and cloud computing. While a small percentage of this population has these skills, the majority doesn’t, which is why IT roles are remaining unfilled.  

Reskilling is helpful to both IT pro and employer. It increases IT employees’ hireability while simultaneously increasing their productivity, which has major payoffs for the companies they work for.³

The EdCast Knowledge Cloud is Helping to Upskill IT Pros Around the World

The EdCast Knowledge Cloud platform powers FutureSkills, an initiative created by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM), to re-skill and upskill the global IT workforce. This initiative is targeting one million IT pros in India and other parts of the world by January 2021. India’s Minister for IT and Law, Ravi Shankar Prasad, said, “Even if a technology destroys ten jobs, it will create 100 jobs. This reskilling platform will help manage that transition.”

The Cloud is also being used to help launch Nordic Futures learning portal. “The goal of this unique project is to provide knowledge, content, insights and learning across enterprise, academic, and government teams in all Nordic countries.”

The EdCast Knowledge Cloud is helping IT professionals around the globe prepare for the future by gaining critical skills. Learn more about the Knowledge Cloud here.

References:

1. CIO. The IT skills gap: facts vs. fictions. https://www.cio.com/article/3309419/hiring-and-staffing/it-skills-gap-facts-vs-fictions.html.
2. TechCo. The skills gap in tech: everything you need to know. https://tech.co/news/skills-gap-tech-everything-know-2017-12.
3. Entrepreneur India. Here’s how upskilling and reskilling will help the IT industry. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/317809.

Nishchae Suri to Join the Global Management Executive Team at EdCast

EdCast announced the appointment of Nishchae Suri as the President for EdCast’s operations in India, South East Asia and the Middle East. He joins EdCast from KPMG, where he served as Senior Partner for six years. Based out of Gurgaon, Mr. Suri will join EdCast’s Global Management Executive team starting January 2019.

EdCast’s award-winning AI-powered Knowledge Cloud platform is used around the world by Global 2000 companies and government enterprises to provide learning and knowledge-related solutions.

With a track record of building large-scale transformational technology solutions, EdCast’s executive team is passionate about enhancing enterprise knowledge-sharing, training and learning experiences for organizations around the world.

Speaking about Mr Suri’s appointment, Karl Mehta, Founder and CEO of EdCast Inc, said, “As the $200 billion market for corporate learning continues to expand with demand for upskilling solutions, EdCast is helping lead, both, a global shift to the cloud, and an enterprise transition to AI-powered solutions. Nishchae, with his vast experience in consulting, will not only help us in better understanding the needs of clients in key markets, but also provide leadership in developing an overarching strategy and customised solutions to address those needs.”  

With over two decades of experience in consulting and academia, Nishchae has worked with a wide array of clients across the globe. Prior to joining EdCast, Nishchae was a Senior Partner with KPMG. He was also the Managing Director and CEO for Mercer, India. Nishchae started his career with Hewitt Associates (Aon) where he held several leadership positions and was recognized for becoming their youngest Global Partner.

Nishchae has led some of the largest transformation engagements, working with Public Sector Enterprises, Indian & Foreign Multinationals and family-led businesses.

His passion for education and pursuit of building the next generation of leaders led Nishchae to co-found the School of Inspired Leadership (SOIL),

An alumnus of The Doon School, SRCC and Symbiosis, Nishchae is widely respected as a thought-leader in industry circles for his innovative, solution-oriented approach to client issues.

“I am pleased to join EdCast at a time of exciting opportunities. Over the last few years, EdCast has made rapid progress and developed innovative solutions. We are now uniquely poised to build on this strong foundation, given the sheer breadth and depth of our capability and intellectual capital,” said Mr. Suri.

About EdCast

EdCast is the AI-powered Knowledge Cloud solution for unified discovery, personalized learning and knowledge management across the enterprise. Its award-winning platform is used internationally by Global 2000 companies and large government organizations to solve the discovery and curation problems across all external and internal knowledge sources. EdCast’s offerings include its Learning Experience Platform (LXP) and MyGuide’s in-app guides, intelligence and automation for business software. Follow on Twitter @EdCast.

Why Companies Should Promote Learning in the Flow of Work

About 70 percent of employees are disengaged at work, according to Gallup.¹ Disengagement causes a slew of problems for companies, including high rates of turnover and increased costs. In fact, Deloitte reported that federal agencies lose $65 billion each year to employee disengagement.²

There are many strategies company leaders implement in an attempt to resolve employee disengagement issues. Here’s one you may not have tried yet: prioritizing learning for the sake of employee satisfaction, not just upskilling.

Why Your Company Should Make Learning a Top Priority

Creating a learning culture can be beneficial for any company. A culture of learning promotes efficiency gains and increases productivity and profits.³ New research by Josh Bersin indicates that learning not only makes employees more competent, but also more happy.

“In the research we just completed, we found that employees who spend time at work learning are 47% less likely to be stressed, 39% more likely to feel productive and successful, 23% more ready to take on additional responsibilities, and 21% more likely to feel confident and happy. And the more you learn, the happier you become,” wrote Bersin in a recent LinkedIn article.⁴

The trouble is that there is simply not enough time during the workday for learning. One way to get around this is to ensure employees are learning in the flow of work, which is what almost 50 percent of workers desire.⁵

How to Promote Learning in the Flow of Work

“Learning in the flow of work” is a term made popular by Bersin. It refers to informal learning that literally happens in the flow of work and can be immediately applied to work-related tasks.

Not every learning platform effectively facilitates learning in the flow of work. For example, learning management systems are not necessarily conducive to this. But a learning experience platform can be, according to Bersin.

Learning experience platforms recommend, integrate, and curate information like training materials and documents to create a personalized, online, social learning experience for employees. Using the information, these platforms arrange learning paths for users. These learning paths can make learning in the flow of work second nature for employees and boost their job satisfaction.

Read more about how learning experience platforms promote learning in the flow of work.⁶ 

Increase Employee Engagement with Workflow Learning

If you want your employees to be happier and reduce the associated costs of turnover , ensure consistent learning is part of their daily work experience. Enable this type of learning with our AI-powered knowledge cloud that delivers learning in the flow of work with Microsoft Office 356, Salesforce, Slack, ServiceNow, and more. If you want to see it in action, click here.

References:

1. Forbes. 10 shocking workplace stats you need to know. https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidsturt/2018/03/08/10-shocking-workplace-stats-you-need-to-know/#39f12e87f3af.
2. Axero. 20 problems linked to employee disengagement. https://axerosolutions.com/blogs/timeisenhauer/pulse/365/20-fundamental-problems-linked-to-employee-disengagement.  
3. BIV. Benefits of creating an organizational learning culture. https://biv.com/article/2014/09/benefits-creating-organizational-learning-culture.
4. Bersin, Josh. New research shows “heavy learners” more confident, successful, and happy at work. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/want-happy-work-spend-time-learning-josh-bersin/. 
5. Bersin, Josh. A new paradigm for corporate training: Learning in the flow of work. https://joshbersin.com/2018/06/a-new-paradigm-for-corporate-training-learning-in-the-flow-of-work/.
6. Bersin, Josh. Learning in the flow of work: Arriving now. https://joshbersin.com/2018/11/learning-in-the-flow-of-work-arriving-now/

EdCast’s CEO, Karl Mehta, Ranks as Best CEO for 2018

For the second consecutive year, the Founder & CEO of EdCast, Karl Mehta, was recognized with a Best CEOs award for small and mid-sized companies from Comparably. Karl joins other notable CEOs from large organizations that include Satya Nadella of Microsoft, Jeff Bezos, of Amazon, Elon Musk of Space X/Tesla, and Marc Benioff of Salesforce, to name a few. The full list is posted on USA Today.

The Comparably Awards honor businesses that are helping to drive positive culture change across companies large and small. Rankings are derived from sentiment ratings provided by employees who anonymously rate their employers on Comparably.com throughout the year. There are no fees or costs associated with participating, nor is nomination required.

To identify which company leaders are the best in the U.S., Comparably compiled data from nearly 10M ratings across 50,000 U.S. companies.

Karl Mehta is a serial entrepreneur, author, investor, engineer, and civil servant with over 20 years of experience in founding, building, and funding technology companies in the U.S. and international markets. He is currently Founder & CEO of EdCast Inc., an AI-powered knowledge-cloud platform company backed by Stanford University and former venture partner at Menlo Ventures, a leading VC firm of Silicon Valley with over $4B under management.

Previously, he was the Founder & CEO of PlaySpan Inc., acquired by Visa Inc. (NYSE:V), the world’s largest payment network. Karl also served as a White House Presidential Innovation Fellow, selected by the Obama Administration during the inaugural 2012-13 term. In 2014 he was appointed by Governor Brown to the Workforce Investment Board of the State of California. In 2010, Karl won the “Entrepreneur of the Year” award from Ernst & Young for Northern California. Karl is on the boards of Simpa Networks and on the advisory board of Intel Capital and Chapman University’s Center of Entrepreneurship.

Karl is founder of several non-profit’s including Code For India and Grassroots Innovation. He is author of “Financial Inclusion at the Bottom of the Pyramid”.

EdCast Honored with Two Industry Awards as the Knowledge Cloud Solution for HPE’s Accelerating U Initiative

EdCast is excited to be recognized for the 2nd time by the Brandon Hall Group with addition of the bronze award for Excellence in Learning in the Best Advance in Unique Learning Technology category for the entry titled “HPE launches unique continuous learning portal, Accelerating U, powered by EdCast.”

The previous award for the entry was Brandon Hall Group’s 2018 Excellence in Technology for “Best Unique or Innovative Learning and Development Program.”

HPE launched a comprehensive learning portal for all employees in every business segment. The new design, called Accelerating U, is the one source for all internal, external, paid, traditional and informal content. This monumental task focused on putting the learner in the center of the learning and knowledge-sharing process with a simple UI and modern content. To make this innovation a reality, HPE partnered with the leading Learning Experience Platform (LXP) and Knowledge Cloud, EdCast.

Some of the key benefits of using EdCast for Accelerating U can be summarized by the points below:

• Eliminating time spent searching for valuable information
• Reduction of any delay for job activities while searching for answers to job-specific issues
• Eliminating the need to use multiple programs for learning and knowledge-sharing since EdCast combines all of the information into on point of delivery
• Increasing engagement with learning related activities
• Increasing peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and direct feedback

“We’re proud to honor the innovators. As human capital management continues to evolve, the creativity of the award winners is breathtaking. Organizations of all size showed that creativity and technology can create new and better work experiences for businesses and their employees,” said Rachel Cooke, Chief Operating Officer of Brandon Hall Group and head of the awards program.

A panel of veteran, independent senior industry experts, and Brandon Hall Group senior analysts and executives evaluated the entries based upon the following criteria:

• Product: What was the product’s breakthrough innovation?
• Unique differentiators: What makes the product unique and how 
does it differ from any competing products?
• Value proposition: What problem does the product solve and/or what 
need does this product address?
• Measurable results: What are the benefits customers can expect to 
experience as a result of using this product?

The winners are listed at http://www.brandonhall.com/excellenceawards/past-winners.html.

How AI Will Change the Way We Work, and Why We Must Continue to Learn

Fifteen percent of organizations are currently using artificial intelligence, but that statistic will change considerably over the next year — about 31 percent of organizations are planning to invest in AI in the next 12 months, according to CMO by Adobe.¹  Artificial intelligence is changing the way organizations work, thus changing the way employees work, as well.

3 Ways Artificial Intelligence Will Change How We Work

Here are three ways artificial intelligence will change the way we work this year and in years to come:

1. AI will develop our decision-making skills — In today’s workplace, there is a significant soft skills gap that employers are constantly trying to close.² One of the soft skills that many employees lack is the ability to make efficient, productive decisions.AI will change how we work by providing more data-driven insights, which will lead to improved decision-making skills. This is helpful since “these days, decisions are needed faster than ever, resulting in a parallel evolution of broader access to data and wider access to the transformative power of data visualization,” according to BBC.³
2. AI will increase our data literacy — Employees are used to interacting with technologies such as eLearning platforms. Artificial intelligence will require us to get used to consistently interacting with more advanced technologies, such as chatbots, machine learning platforms, and biometrics. As a result, we will become more data literate than ever before, which will help us in all aspects of our corporate roles.
3. AI will help us manage our time — As AI technologies take over some of our tasks on the job, we will have more time to do what only humans can do in the workplace. In fact, “the impact of AI technologies on business is projected to increase labor productivity by up to 40% and enable people to make more efficient use of their time,” stated Accenture.⁴  

Why We Need Continuous Learning

Artificial intelligence is improving workplace productivity by taking tedious tasks off our plate, making us more data literate, and sharpening our soft skills. But as AI technology advances, it’s important that continuous learning remains a priority.

Continuous learning will help us stay current with technological advancements and increase our professional value. The combination of AI and ongoing learning will enable us to effectively develop our career potential.

Learn more about how AI will change how we learn and share knowledge.

References:

1. CMO by Adobe. Study finds investments in customer experience are paying off. https://www.cmo.com/features/articles/2018/2/26/adobe-2018-digital-trends-report-findings.html#gs.9luvlHM.
2. Training Industry. The soft skills gap: the missing basics of critical thinking. https://trainingindustry.com/blog/leadership/the-soft-skills-gap-the-missing-basics-of-critical-thinking/.
3. BBC. How artificial intelligence is changing the workplace. http://www.bbc.com/storyworks/specials/how-artificial-intelligence-is-changing-the-workplace/.
4. Accenture. Artificial intelligence is the future of growth. https://www.accenture.com/sk-en/insight-artificial-intelligence-future-growth.  

EdCast Launches AI-Powered Knowledge Cloud for Microsoft Office 365

EdCast’s leading digital learning and upskilling platform delivers personalized knowledge in the flow of work across Microsoft Office 365, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA Nov. 28, 2018 — EdCast, known as the operating system for the knowledge economy, now provides technology for learning, knowledge management and information discovery to users of Microsoft Office 365. EdCast’s Knowledge Cloud has successfully completed a set of defined tests to approve compatibility and security, and it is now available through the Microsoft AppSource marketplace.

EdCast’s Knowledge Cloud integration enables all Office 365 users to gain one-click access to knowledge on-demand. Organizations can use the Knowledge Cloud to address sales enablement, training and upskilling needs in ways that are integrated into the flow of work with Microsoft’s leading cloud-based business productivity suite, Office 365, now commercially used by 120 million people around  the world.

Additional key features available through the EdCast application for Office 365:

• AI-Powered Knowledge: Personalized content from internal, external and subject matter expert sources
• Engagement (Mobile-first and In-app): Collaboration capabilities available across dynamic groups
• Customization: Branded and tailored to the client and to the unique needs of their employees
• Analytics: Advanced reporting to assess and measure performance, manage certifications, and empower discretionary learning and training
• Learning Digital Wallet: Frictionless access to paid content with cost savings across publishers and products as part of EdCast’s knowledge marketplace
• ContentExchange: Partnership with leading content providers to surface their content, creating the world’s largest repository of learning and knowledge materials
• Security: Enterprise-grade security and privacy controls

“Now that EdCast’s Knowledge Cloud is available to all Office 365 users with just a few clicks, millions of people can access valuable, personalized content directly within their Office applications, making learning available directly in the flow of work,” says Karl Mehta, Founder and CEO of EdCast. “Our strategic focus on delivering the best knowledge-sharing and learning solutions through a multi-channel approach ties in directly with the work we’ve done to make this app available in the AppSource marketplace.”

To access EdCast’s app in the Microsoft AppSource marketplace, users can go to https://appsource.microsoft.com and search for “EdCast” or click here. EdCast also recently announced the certification and availability of its Knowledge Cloud app in the ServiceNow Store.

About EdCast

EdCast is the AI-Powered Knowledge Cloud solution for unified discovery, personalized learning and knowledge management across the enterprise. Its award-winning platform is used internationally by Global 2000 companies and large government organizations, including NASSCOM and World Economic Forum, to solve the discovery and curation problems across all external and internal knowledge sources. EdCast’s offerings include its Learning Experience Platform (LXP) and MyGuide’s in-app guides, intelligence and automation for business software. Follow on Twitter @EdCast.