Premier Guarantee are taking part in Learning at Work Week (17-23 May). The Campaign for Learning has set the theme for this year as ‘Made for Learning’. Our Learning and Development Team have devised and coordinated the week-long event that focuses on our human capacity to learn, how we can be great lifelong learners and the importance of connection and community.

Adapting to a new way of learning

As with so many businesses across the UK, our staff are working from home due to the pandemic so Learning at Work Week will be a virtual experience. With a mix of online learning, live webinars and videos, topics will focus on health and wellbeing, and personal effectiveness. 'How-to' demonstrations will run alongside Q&A sessions to help share knowledge and increase awareness across teams.

But what are some of the challenges in delivering a learning programme online? We chat with Louise Edwards, Learning and Development Manager, to find out more about the event and our approach to workplace learning.

Why are we taking part in Learning at Work Week?

It creates positive associations with learning, provides employees with constructive, hands-on experiences and most of all, allows them to socialise and collaborate while learning.

The event will kick-start an enriched learning ethos which lasts long after the week has finished and well into the year ahead, providing opportunity to reflect on practices and see learning as part of our normal day-to-day activity.

How has our learning programme been adapted for remote working?

We’ve had to be more creative this year to ensure our sessions provide the same level of engagement and interaction as previous years, where we’ve delivered face-to-face workshops.

Using technologies provided by MS Teams, along with our new Learning Management System, MD Academy, our ‘live’ webinars will use tools such as drawing pens, chat box and online post-it notes. To ensure we can get staff engaging and sharing best practice, we will incorporate break-out rooms, so groups can work together.

What will the learning focus on?

2020/21 has brought about challenges for all of us. It has brought about rapid change, impacting pretty much every aspect of our lives, whether it was home schooling, how we connect with family and friends or adjusting to virtual ways of working and new technology.

During Learning at Work Week, we will focus on subjects that will help us stay connected and share experiences to combat some of the challenges faced by blending home and work life. Our team are designing and developing an exciting, inspiring and action-packed week of events to continue supporting our learners’ journeys.

With this in mind, the sessions have been born out of staff suggestions and have been created in a way which will enable authentic discussions. Our aim is to ensure that all learners not only have the opportunity to collaborate and connect, but are equipped with tools to help them embrace change.

We will be hosting a series of live webinars covering topics such as: how to begin overcoming imposter syndrome, building relationships through the understanding of emotional intelligence, and the psychology of mind-sets, along with some key learning areas such as best in class customer service, coping with change and management essentials. Staff will also be able to access over 300 online courses via our new digital learning platform, MD Academy, to help them excel in an FCA-compliant and fast-changing environment.

Not all sessions will be work-based. Health and wellbeing will also be a key focus. We’ll be looking at the benefits of sleep, advice for maintaining wellbeing and we’ll be providing a range of yoga sessions.

Premier Guarantee places an emphasis on learning and personal development, how does this benefit both the employee and the business?

When we invest in an employee’s learning and development at work they feel valued. When they feel valued, employees are more committed to their role and the organisation. Employees who improve their skills and work towards a goal will feel more motivated and achieve their targets.

By continually developing our employees’ skill sets, we create a culture of continuous improvement, allowing Premier Guarantee to operate in a more efficient manner. Offering our employees the opportunity to learn at work allows us to recognise and develop internal talent. This helps us manage our talent and career development and ultimately, saves money on recruitment costs.

Outside of Learning for Work Week, what learning resources are available for employees?

As mentioned, the MD Academy is our learning platform with over 300 online courses. We also have the GoodHabitz platform featuring how-tos, case studies, videos and online articles. The Employee Excellence Programme is a series of ‘pick and mix’ courses based upon personal effectiveness. We also have the Management Essentials Programme, Chartered Institute of Insurance (CII) qualifications, apprenticeship programmes and technical training courses.

A focus on learning and professional development is just one of the benefits of working at Premier Guarantee. If you’d like to find out what else is on offer and our latest vacancies, please see our Careers page.

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