In this episode of Totara Talks Talent, we explore how Arriva has built a compliance training programme that not only meets strict regulatory requirements but also drives engagement, accountability, and high completion rates across multiple countries and languages. 

I’m joined by: 

• Marta Rakszewska, Group Compliance Business Partner at Arriva Group 
• Samy Menad, Compliance Training Specialist

Together, we discuss: 

• The role of compliance champions in reinforcing training across the organisation 
• How to combine human accountability with automation and technology to drive compliance 
• The strategies that helped Arriva achieve a 99% completion rate across their workforce 
• The impact of multi-language learning and personalised training for a diverse employee base 
• The balance between global compliance requirements and local business needs 

Arriva’s compliance learning programme is powered by Totara and supported by Hubken Group, a trusted Totara Partner. Hubken’s work with Arriva was recently recognised with a Silver award at the 2024 Brandon Hall Excellence in Awards, celebrating their best-in-class compliance training technology. 

If you're looking to build a high-impact, scalable, and effective compliance training programme, this episode is packed with insights to help you get there. 

In this episode of Totara Talks Talent, we dive into the world of extended enterprise learning—how organisations can train not just their own employees, but also partners, retailers, and other external stakeholders to drive business success. 

The guests for this epsiode are Nicola Griffin, Group Training Manager - Retail at BSH, and Mark Parrish, Managing Director at Cortexa, who share their expertise on designing and delivering effective sales training at scale. 

We explore: 

• What an extended enterprise is and why it’s crucial for modern businesses 
• The key ingredients of a successful sales training programme 
• How to keep external teams up to date with product knowledge 
• The biggest challenges of training a large and diverse audience 
• Strategies to engage learners and drive adoption 
• The impact of technology and data on scaling learning programmes 
• Advice for companies looking to build or improve their extended enterprise L&D strategy 

If you're in L&D, sales training, or responsible for educating external partners, this episode is packed with insights to help you scale learning beyond your organisation. 

In this episode of Totara Talks Talent, we dive into the critical yet often overlooked topic of change management in learning and development (L&D). As organisations continue to evolve, the role of L&D has shifted beyond simply delivering training. It’s now about fostering behavioural change, solving performance challenges, and aligning development with organisational goals.

Our guest, Paul Ferguson, Organisational Development Business Partner at West College Scotland, shares his insights on how to effectively navigate change. With years of experience leading transformational projects, Paul provides practical strategies and frameworks for overcoming resistance, fostering buy-in, and empowering employees to become champions of change.

Key takeaways from this episode include:

• Why people—not just systems—are the most important element of change.
• The importance of engaging early adopters and using their momentum to inspire others.
• Practical tips for ensuring long-term success through reinforcement and ongoing support.
• A deep dive into the Prosci ADKAR model and how it can guide organisations through the change journey.
• The role of managers in facilitating change through the CLARC framework.

Paul also explains how to handle scepticism, bring people along for the ride, and avoid common pitfalls like underestimating the time change requires.

Whether you’re implementing a new system, teaching new skills, or driving cultural change, this episode is packed with actionable insights for L&D and HR professionals.

• Prosci ADKAR Model: A practical framework for managing change, focusing on Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement. Learn more about how this model can help your organisation drive successful change initiatives.
• CLARC Framework: A framework highlighting the roles of managers in change. CLARC stands for Communicator, Liaison, Advocate, Resistance Manager, and Coach. This model emphasises how managers can guide their teams and bridge the gap between leadership and employees.

West College Scotland use Totara and their Partner is Think Learning.

Host: Matt Linaker

Guests:

• David Dent, Learning & Development Business Partner, Blind Veterans UK
• Maia Miller, Managing Director, Aleph Accessibility
• Steve Barnett, Front-End Developer, Intopia
• Paul Clark, Head of Experience Design, Totara

Episode Overview:

In this insightful episode, we dive into the topic of digital accessibility in learning and development. Our guests—David Dent from Blind Veterans UK, Maia Miller of Aleph Accessibility, and Steve Barnett, a front-end developer specialising in accessibility—explore how to create more inclusive digital learning experiences. From practical steps to improve accessibility to larger philosophical discussions on inclusion, this episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about making digital learning accessible to all.

We also get a behind-the-scenes update from Paul Clark, Head of Experience Design at Totara, who discusses exciting accessibility initiatives Totara is implementing to enhance user experiences.

Key Topics:

• What accessibility in digital learning really means
• Common barriers learners face and how to address them
• The importance of "baking in" accessibility from the start rather than as an afterthought
• Practical advice for making content more inclusive, even under time pressure
• The future of accessibility and dynamic content adaptation, including AI and user feedback
• How accessibility applies to compliance training and assessment methods
• Encouraging continuous feedback on accessibility from learners

Key Quotes:

• "Is it really engaging content if people can't engage with it?" — Maia Miller
• "If you display it, say it." — David Dent
• "Accessibility is a people problem, not a technology problem." — Steve Barnett
• "Progress, not perfection. Focus on small improvements and keep moving forward." — Maia Miller

Resources Mentioned:

• Aleph Accessibility
• Microsoft Inclusive Design
• Accessibility Insights by Microsoft
• WebAIM
• TPGI Resources
• Deque

About Totara:

Totara develops talent development software to create lasting employee success. Learn more at Totara.com or join our community of learning professionals at totara.community to share ideas and collaborate.

In this episode, we're joined by Brendan Kilshaw, Performance Consultant at the Met Office, and Malcolm Taylor, Head of Capability at the UK Health Security Agency.

We delve into the significance of skills frameworks, sharing insights into the process of skills mapping and its importance in measuring competencies. Brendan and Malcolm guide us through the initial steps of setting up a skills framework, including identifying key competencies for various roles, and the importance of customising these frameworks to meet specific industry needs.

We explore the challenges they faced, strategies for successful stakeholder involvement, and how they integrated skills frameworks into their training programs. They also highlight the metrics used to measure skill improvements, the role of technology in tracking progress, and the real-world impact on organisational performance.

You can learn more about the Met Office's case study here and their Totara Partner Catalyst IT here.

In this episode of Totara Talks Talent, we speaks with Dr. Doug Belshaw, a global advocate for Open Badges.

We delve into the history, evolution, and future of Open Badges, discussing their significant role in professional development and lifelong learning. Doug shares practical advice on implementing Open Badges, whether starting from scratch or enhancing an existing strategy, and highlights how they can effectively engage teams and recognise skills and achievements.

Tune in to discover how Open Badges are transforming the way we value and acknowledge professional growth.

If you'd like to take a free course on how to use Open Badges in your Totara platform you can access a course in the Totara Community.

Storytelling can transform the learning experience, making it more engaging and memorable. This episode covers how to effectively integrate stories into learning design and the impact they have on learner engagement and retention.

Today's Guests:

• Cathy Gillespie: Director and Learning Consultant at Like-Minded Learning Limited
• Miranda Verswijvelen: Senior Learning Designer at Learningworld Design and PhD Researcher
• Sami Chan: Learning Designer at Learning Nexus

Join us as we chat with Cathy, Miranda, and Sami about the importance of storytelling in learning and development. We'll explore when and where storytelling is most effective, how to craft compelling stories for educational purposes, and ways to measure their impact.

In the episode, Cathy mentions a resource from Chris Banks on storytelling which you can access here.

Totara creates talent development software to create lasting employee success. Learn more at Totara.com or join our community of L&D and HR professionals.

Stay up to date with the latest Totara news, product updates, resources and events by signing up to our newsletter.

In this episode we're reflecting on how to build out an engaging onboarding experience for all your new starters.

First we hear from Harpal Sandhu, a Consultant at Deloitte UK as we learn all about how they collaborated with Totara Platinum Partner Deloitte Belgium to create their Major Programmes onboarding journey.

You can learn more about the project in the Totara Community here.

Then we hear from Sam Taylor and Anna Bishop about how Catalyst It have designed an engaging onboarding program for all their new starters. Catalyst is a founding Totara Partner, specialising in developing, designing and supporting enterprise-grade open source solutions.

You can learn more about Totara at Totara.com

Join us as we explore the exciting yet often challenging experience of starting a new job. We'll delve into the crucial role of onboarding in ensuring that every new employee feels welcomed and empowered to excel in their new role.

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the way we work has undergone a seismic shift. With many organisations grappling with the transition to remote, hybrid, or flexible work models, the landscape of onboarding has evolved significantly. Now more than ever, it's essential for organisations to revisit and refine their onboarding practices to meet the needs of a changing workforce.

In these episodes, we'll take you behind the scenes with industry experts to uncover the strategies and best practices that drive successful onboarding programs. From innovative approaches to traditional methods, we'll explore a range of perspectives to help you optimise your onboarding process.

In this episode we sit down with Jill Scott, the People & Organisational Development Director at Atlas Workplace Services, a leading facilities management organisation based in the UK. Jill will share her insights into creating a welcoming and supportive onboarding experience that sets new hires up for success.

In part 2 of this episode we hear from Simon Perry and Vanessa Higby, who are at the forefront of onboarding at NEFLT, a National Health Service trust in the UK. They'll provide valuable insights into how their trust has tailored its onboarding program to meet the unique needs of healthcare professionals. We also dive into how they managed onboarding for the nightingale project during the peak of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Atlas workplace services work with Totara Platinum Partner Hubken Group and NEFLT work with Platinum Partner Chambury Learning Services.

Totara creates talent development software to create lasting employee success. Learn more at Totara.com or join our community of L&D and HR professionals.

Stay up to date with the latest Totara news, product updates, resources and events by signing up to our newsletter

Join us in this compelling episode of Totara Talks Talent as we delve into the world of impactful learning with seasoned expert, Lori Niles-Hofmann. Lori challenges L&D professionals with a thought-provoking question: "How are we helping the business make money, save money, or mitigate risk?"

As a sneak peek, Lori will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Totara User Conference which you can register for now taking place online on the 21st of February 2024.

During our conversation, Lori introduces the website 'There's an AI for that,' providing a valuable resource for our listeners. You can access it through the link shared in the episode.

Totara is dedicated to fostering lasting employee success. Explore more about Totara at Totara.com or join our community of L&D and HR professionals.

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