Equaterra, Learning, Everett, Morton

HR Learning Outsourcing: What We’ve Learned – and You’ll Want to Know

HR Learning Outsourcing:

What We’ve Learned – and You’ll Want to Know – About Comprehensive Learning Outsourcing

By Brad Everett and Fran Morton, EquaTerra, Inc.

Learning business process outsourcing (LBPO) has been a recognized outsourcing candidate since the 1990s, but it has not developed in the ways initially predicted. Why? This article charts the evolution of LBPO and analyzes both the potential and realized advantages of the current state of the LBPO model based on research recently conducted by the EquaTerra learning team.

In the Beginning We Thought Learning Would be First

Nine years ago, when Human Resource Outsourcing (HRO) started, most of us felt learning was an obvious candidate for early adoption. It had it all:

• Generally agreed end-to-end process definition courtesy of learning’s academic roots;
• Years of out-tasking experience particularly in development, delivery and vendor-supplied courseware;
• Onerous and only partially automated administration around course catalogs, registrations, reporting, certification tracking and recordkeeping; and
• Developing e-learning and learning management system (LMS) technology.

In short, we thought outsourcers would quickly line up to take on learning. And they did – for the administration, the supporting technology and service center/help desk. Counter to our predictions, however, that is the way it has remained. In fact, almost 50 percent of revenues for learning outsourcing firms still come from administration and e-learning delivery (technology).

Click here to visit the EquaTerra site and see the full article.