UK comedians help small firms laugh and learn
IT reads like something from the gossip columns, but some of the UK’s top comedians including The Office star Ricky Gervais are to star in a series of management training videos.
The videos, commissioned by learndirectBusiness, are part of a series of eCourses aimed at boosting key business and management skills within small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Previously the courses were only available to larger firms.
Viewers will be able to hone their skills by watching soon to be classics such as “The Unorganised Manager” featuring John Cleese, Nigel Lindsay, Beatie Edney and Ann Bryson.
Other leading comedians including Hugh Laurie, Dawn French and James Nesbitt also star in sketches covering key business skills such as interviewing, customer service, people management, communication skills and selling skills.
Kirstie Donnelly, products and marketing director, learndirect Business, said that the courses offered an “engaging” online learning opportunity, which has been proven effective and inexpensive – two concerns small business managers have when it comes to training.
“They offer an efficient way for staff to develop their skills that is enjoyable and therefore more likely to be put into practice and drive positive behavioural change to benefit the business,” she said.
“They are designed to address skills that are key to business performance and to integrate into the working day without causing disruption or drop in productivity. Not having to send staff offsite to train can be a real advantage to businesses.”
According to research by learndirectBusiness, an increasing number of smaller firms, especially those with fewer than 10 employees, are now more likely to have a written training policy than ever before.
But Ms Donnelly added that despite a 56% rise in training spend, tough market conditions meant that cost was even more of a key issue.
“This has fuelled the rise in e-learning, which offers the benefits of external training in a more cost-effective manner,” she said.
“Companies are also more aware of e-learning and comfortable with the concept.”
Further information on the new e-learning library can be obtained at www.learndirect-business.co.uk/management.
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