Value of offering localised, context-appropriate & multilingual learning that suits the diversity of the global workforce: Interview with Pascal Debordes

Pascal Debordes, Director ofGlobal Channels & Alliances at Cegos, overseesall relations with Distribution Partners globally, including selection process,definition and implementation of the go-to-market strategy, performance and contractmanagement.

Prior to taking on thisrole, Pascal headed several business units for Cegos France, notably as theDirector of eLearning Solutions Business Unit.

A celebrated author,Pascal has two published books to his name, along with several studies andsurveys that focus on transformation programs, eLearning practices in globalcompanies, change management and HR strategy definition. In addition, Pascal also features regularly on theannual Corporate eLearningMovers and Shakers’ List.

Inthis brief interview with Plethora, Pascal giveshis expert opinions and sheds more light on the evolution of eLearning,employee skilling and the importance of localised, multilingual andcontext-appropriate learning that suits the diversity of the workforce.

• E-learning has evolved rapidly over the last few decades. As Europe’s largest training organisation, Cegos has been a key part of that evolution. What has changed for the better and what still needs to change?

After reviewing training practices in theWestern European countries for the past 15 years (UK, France, Germany, Spain,Italy, Portugal, The Netherlands, Switzerland), with a special focus one-learning adoption, we’ve noticed two positive changes. Firstly, the level ofadoption has increased year on year across all countries, industries, and businesssize. Secondly, the gap between countries has become narrower. There is now atruly European offering from technology providers and publishers. However, thereis still a long way to go, especially in the use of distance e-learningexperiences mixing asynchronous resources with human interactions. Most of theorganisations have yet to adjust to this fully. 

• How important is it for businesses to provide continuous opportunitiesto upskill and reskill to their workforces, especially in the face of constantdisruption?

Weall know that upskilling and reskilling are critical for the performance of anycompany. I would put the emphasis on the importance of soft skills in the extraordinarycircumstances we’re experiencing with the Covid-19 pandemic. We’re experiencinga huge disruption due to the impact of coronavirus on our lives and on oureconomies. Perhaps we’re switching to a ‘new world’ with deep changes to theway we live and work. Experts are predicting less globalisation, less travelling,and more remote working, but there is no certainty about the impact at thisstage. What we do know is that soft skills, like emotional intelligence or co-operationand teamworking will strengthen our resilience. In the coming months, companieswill have to review if they have the right leadership and soft skills to copewith the changes they face.

• Why is it critical tooffer more localised, context-appropriate and multilingual training to theworkforce?

This is a good question. The terms‘translation’ and ‘localisation’ are sometimes used interchangeably in theindustry. However, there is a big difference. Localisation ensures thatcultural considerations are respected, and the courses are impactful for localpopulations. True localisation is a real challenge for a publisher because it’stime consuming, difficult to find the right SMEs locally, and it’s very expensive.Fortunately, we can rely on our presence in 50 countries through our directoperations and partners.

• How important is it for businesses to provide learning that suitsthe diversity of their workforce, especially in diverse locales like the APACregion?

Theuser experience is paramount for today’s learners. They can put themselves intoa scenario, test their existing knowledge, and build new skills based on thelearning experience. But if that learning experience is in a language that you haven’tmastered or if the examples or the situations don’t make sense with your dailywork, it isn’t going to be attractive, engaging or, ultimately, useful.

Expertsagree on what makes an e-learning course effective. Learners will improve theirskills and become engaged if the information is provided in different ways, throughaudio, video, text, graphic animations, and various interactions. We all learn indifferent ways. That’s why the design of an e-learning course can be sodifficult. How can you lead adults, who are all different, to change their specificperception or habits? This is a real challenge and you can imagine thedifficulty if you don’t overcome the barriers of language or culturaldifferences.

This is exactly what we try to overcome for each localisation.

Forthe full interview, please visit the Plethora Blog.