HRM and skills development – April 2020

Corona catalyst for business e-learning developments
In a recent study (in Dutch, 321 kB), ABN AMRO (in Dutch) expects the corona virus to give a major boost to the Dutch private training sector. Employers will ask their employees to fill up their working hours with e-learning; learning by means of electronic aids such as a computer, smartphone or tablet connected to the internet.
However, Berenschot (in Dutch) reports from a survey that nearly a third of respondents indicate that internships and trainee programmes have been suspended at their company as a result of the crisis.
In a recent report (535 kB), McKinsey states that businesses around the world are postponing and cancelling in-person meetings in response to the corona virus and that workplace learning is emerging as one of the earliest and hardest-hit business activities. Based on McKinsey observations as of early March, roughly one-half of in-person programs through June 30, 2020, were postponed or cancelled in North America; in parts of Asia and Europe, the figure was closer to 100%.

European Commission makes e-learning resources available online
To help learners, teachers and educators continue education and training activities during the corona crisis, the European Commission has made a wide range of e-learning materials available online.

Vocational education and training 1995-2035 in Europe
A report (2.38 MB) summarising the findings of the Cedefop project Changing nature and role of vocational education and training (VET) in Europe addressing the time period 1995-2035 has just been published.

COVID-19 and the (packaging) workforce summarised
A wealth of studies, insights and reports have been published on the relation between COVID-19 and the (packaging) workforce. Below we have made a summary for you to read and share. A survey by Packaging World on the changes in the foodservice and retail sector and their food suppliers shows a big shift from out-of-home to conventional food retail, where everyone shares workforce safety and labour concerns.
Packaging Europe surveyed their readers and reports that in order to maintain productivity, an impressive 87% of respondents claim they are adapting shifts to maintain social distancing to sustain productivity in their factories, whereas 22% answer they have increased their reliance on automation.
The World Economic Forum (remember: the organisation that meets physically each year in Davos in normal times) has published the four dimensions of employee wellbeing (physical, emotional, financial and social) in their white paper (228 kB) Workforce Principles for the COVID-19 Pandemic: Stakeholder Capitalism in a Time of Crisis. These are at the centre of the employee experience and essential to an engaged and productive workforce, according to WEF.

Education in packaging at Live Online interpack 11 May 2020
The future of education and training in packaging during and after the corona crisis will be addressed 11 May 2020 at 1PM in a Live Online, worldwide accessible and free entry NVC conference.

NVC members receive this information with all the relevant links in the monthly NVC Members-only Update. If you have any questions, please contact us: info@nvc.nl, +31-(0)182-512411.