What is the Bersin & Associates Learning Leaders Program?
How many organizations will be selected for recognition as Learning Leaders?
What are the Learning Leaders Program categories?
What organizations should apply?
How is this program different from other award programs?
What is the deadline for applications?
How do I submit finished application forms and materials?
May I apply in more than one category?
When will winners be notified?
Is the program open to organizations outside of US?
How much detail should the application include?
How do vendors, suppliers and consultants participate?
Who can I contact for more information?
Q. What is the Bersin & Associates Learning Leaders Program?
A. Learning Leaders Program is a research-driven program designed to identify and
recognize organizations that have developed and executed learning and talent management
efficiently and with significant business improvements. The program also recognizes providers
of learning and talent management products and services for excellence in platforms, content,
tools as well as innovative processes or approaches that make learning and talent development
more efficient and effective.
Q. How many organizations will be selected for recognition
as Learning Leaders?
A. Bersin & Associates will select up to three Learning Leaders in each of the following
categories: Leadership Development Strategy Excellence; Learning, Leadership, and Talent
Initiative Excellence (Informal Learning, Leadership Development Programs, Learning and Talent
Technology, and Operational Training and Development); and Learning Organization and Governance
Excellence. In the category for Vendor Innovation in Learning and Talent Management, up to ten
Learning Leaders will be named.
Q. What are the Learning Leaders Program categories?
A. The categories reflect seven areas identified by Bersin & Associates as critical to success:
Leadership Development Strategy Excellence – In this category we focus on an organization's overall approach to leadership development. The best leadership development strategies have processes in place for maintaining strong executive engagement, defining efforts against leadership competencies tailored to the organization, aligning efforts to business strategy, targeting efforts to leaders at all levels, and integrating leadership development efforts with other talent management processes such as performance management, succession management and career development.
Learning and Talent Initiative Excellence – In these categories, we look at learning initiatives that go beyond operational training programs. These include change management, learning measurement, competency management, career development, performance management, coaching and other non-traditional learning solutions.
- Informal Learning – Informal learning recognizes organizations that make the best use of many informal channels and tools now available to organizations to best support the natural flow of organizational knowledge. These include on-demand e-Learning, search, videos, podcasts, books; social channels that include wikis, blogs, social networks as well as coaching and mentoring; and embedded learning vehicles including electronic performance support, rotational assignments, quality circles and development planning.
- Leadership Development Programs – Leadership training for executives, managers and/or supervisors. Leadership development programs that systematically provide learning and growth opportunities to build the leadership capabilities that are necessary to achieve current and future business objectives.
- Learning and Talent Technology Excellence – This category encompasses the many ways in which technology is being used to make learning more efficient, relevant and accessible and where technology is instrumental in delivering high-value business solutions. For example, we're looking for cases where technology empowers employees to manage their own training or collaborate with each other for rapid problem solving, or where organizations have created learning portals that integrate the variety of functions needed to support the modern training organization.
- Operational Training and Development Excellence – This category focuses on learning programs for the development of workforce skills in a specific area such as sales, customer service, IT or operations. We're looking for programs with a well-defined business driver, such as increased compliance, reduced attrition, or improved customer satisfaction. Programs may be instructor-led, e-learning based, or any combination of media and delivery ranging from coaching, simulation, collaboration, podcasting, or other techniques.
Learning Organization and Governance Excellence – This category focuses on adopting the most effective and efficient structures, roles, processes, and technologies to deliver high-impact learning services and programs that enhance or improve performance. We're looking for learning organizations that effectively allocate resources, deliver learning to meet the most urgent business needs, partner with lines of business, measure and report on training, and share best practices across the enterprise.
Vendor Innovation in Learning and Talent Management – This category is for solution providers offering new and different ways to improve learning and talent management. It encompasses learning platforms, content, tools, and business solutions. It also includes informal learning solutions that encompass social networking systems, content repositories, portals, collaborative games and learning on demand content. We are also looking for learning-integrated talent initiatives such as employee onboarding and succession management programs. These must be products and services already on the market that have delivered business impact for customers. Note: this is the only category in which we will name vendors as Learning Leaders winners. (Vendors may still apply in other categories on behalf of customers.)
Q. What organizations should apply?
A. Corporate, government, and non-profit organizations of all sizes and across industries
with exemplary employee learning and talent development programs and initiatives who wish
to share best practices. You should apply regardless of the size of your organization –
the program is specifically designed with different segments to give all size organizations
a chance to win. Training vendors and consultants may also participate. There are two ways:
- Nominate customers. Be sure that the application is developed in the customer organization's name and from the customer perspective. Vendors, their products, and services will be identified as appropriate in the Bersin & Associates report and case studies.
- Nominate yourselves. We have created a special category just for vendors. See Vendor Innovation in Learning and Talent Management.
Q. How is this program different from other
award programs?
A. The Bersin & Associates Learning Leaders Program is the only research-based program
currently conducted for enterprise learning and talent management. Applicants will be
judged on documented benchmark criteria established by Bersin & Associates over years of
quantitative and qualitative research. In addition, all judges are Bersin & Associates
analysts with extensive experience in corporate learning and talent management. This process
gives us clear and consistent criteria for winners and will help all participants learn
from the benchmark organization winners.
Q. What is the deadline for applications?
A. The deadline is September 30, 2011.
Q. Who are the judges?
A. The judges are Bersin & Associates analysts, each of whom has years of experience in the HR, learning and talent development industry.
Q. How do I apply?
A. Click on Applications (see column at left or top of page for links).
Register and select category(s) you wish to enter. You will receive links to the forms
as well as an email with access to all application forms. Click here to register and download forms.
Q: How do I submit finished application forms and
materials?
A. You may e-mail to learningleaders@bersin.com
or send to Bersin & Associates Learning Leaders Program, 180 Grand Avenue, Suite 320,
Oakland, CA 94612. Be sure to attach any additional documents you reference in your
application and to make payment.
Q. Is there an application fee?
A. The program application fee is $295 for Bersin & Associates research members and
$495 for non-members. Discounts apply for each additional application. See schedules below.
| For members: | |
|---|---|
| Number of applications | Price |
| 1 | $295 |
| 2 | $495 |
| 3 | $695 |
| 4 | $895 |
| 5 | $1,095 |
| 6+ | Contact learningleaders@bersin.com |
| For non members: | |
|---|---|
| Number of applications | Price |
| 1 | $495 |
| 2 | $745 |
| 3 | $995 |
| 4 | $1,245 |
| 5 | $1,495 |
| 6+ | Contact learningleaders@bersin.com |
The fee may be waived for not-for-profit organizations on a per-request, case-by-case basis. Please contact learningleaders@bersin.com.
When you send your forms and application materials, please click here to submit payment by credit card. You may also pay by check or send us a purchase order (detailed instructions are included at the bottom of the general application form).
Q. May I apply in more than one category?
A. Yes, if you want to be recognized in multiple areas, please do apply in each
area. You must submit an application and application fee (see discount schedule
for multiple applications) for each category entered.
Q. How do I apply?
A. Click here to register and download forms. Register
and select category(s) you wish to enter. You will receive links to the forms as
well as an email with access to all application forms.
Q. When will winners be notified?
A. Winners will be announced publicly in spring of 2012 in a special awards
issue of Elearning! magazine.
Q. Is the program open to organizations outside of US?
A. The Learning Leader program is absolutely open to companies outside of the United States. We welcome companies from all countries to apply.
Q. How much detail should the application include?
A. As a general guideline, follow the space allotments on the application. We welcome
samples including screen shots, links to demos, and models.
Q. What do winners receive?
A. Winners will be:
- Profiled in a special awards issue of Elearning! magazine to be published in spring of 2012;
- Announced by Bersin & Associates in spring 2012 in a variety of channels including a news release, on our website and in our newsletters;
- Presented with a Learning Leaders 2012 crystal pyramid award engraved with the winning organization's name;
- Featured in the Bersin & Associates' report, Learning Leaders: Lessons from the Best, the annual, comprehensive report of best practices, findings, and observations collected during the evaluation process;
- Invited to participate in activities with Bersin & Associates including panel discussions, webinars and other industry events throughout 2012; and
- Recognized at Bersin & Associates annual research conference, IMPACT 2012, to be held April 10–12, 2012 at the Renaissance Vinoy & Golf Club, St. Petersburg, Florida.
Q. How do vendors, suppliers, and consultants
participate?
A. Vendors and consultants may submit applications on behalf of their clients. If a vendor
would like to highlight one of its clients, it must make sure that the application
is approved by the client and that the client is willing to share best practices
information. Vendors, their products, and services will be identified as appropriate
in the Bersin & Associates' report and the accompanying case studies. Vendors may
also participate in the category, Vendor Innovation in Learning
and Talent Management.
Q. Who can I contact for more information?
A. For more information and/or to be added to the mailing list for Learning Leaders
Program information and updates, please contact
learningleaders@bersin.com.