MUFG takes a look at 20+ years with Cornerstone

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG) is a financial giant, ranking among the top three largest banks globally. With a widespread presence across nations and continents, the Japanese-owned MUFG holds a significant and formidable position in the banking industry. Unsurprisingly, the challenges faced by such a colossal institution required innovative and streamlined solutions.

For the last two decades, Cornerstone has been a continual and pivotal partner in MUFG's goal of staying at the cutting edge of HR. The 21-year partnership is a testament to the robustness of Cornerstone's products and the strength of the relationships formed.

For Brad Beacom, the Vice President, Global Learning Technologiesat MUFG, it's not just about the product. It's about the enduring connections and continuous support from the Cornerstone team. The bank wanted to invest in HR tech that would pay dividends — and it looks like this bond is maturing at the greatest possible rate. The unique partnership goes far beyond a mere transaction — it’s a collaboration where challenges are met with solutions and support.

As mentioned, Brad Beacom heads up Global Learning Technology for MUFG. His journey with the bank started in California, expanded to encompass the Americas, and now includes EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa), and the Asia-Pacific region. In his eyes, the enduring partnership between MUFG and Cornerstone has been foundational for the entire global organization.

In his current role, Beacom sees the impact of the tech systems on individuals' career paths and personal lives. But it's not just about technology for Beacom — it's about empowering individuals to secure better jobs, attain promotions, receive higher compensation, and achieve a healthier work-life balance.

"I believe that I make a difference in people’s lives," he affirms, “and a lot of that is due to Cornerstone.”

Before collaborating with Cornerstone, MUFG sought ways to optimize its learning processes. Beacom and his team needed a platform to address these challenges and contribute to the overall growth and success of the individuals within the organization.

Twenty years ago, MUFG grappled with a primitive system – a makeshift prototype of an LMS that relied on faxes and handwritten forms.

"Managers would fax a form and handwrite instructions for their direct reports,” he says. “We'd find ourselves in a maze of scheduling challenges. It was clear we needed a better solution."

This all began to change when MUFG partnered with Saba — an acquisition of Cornerstone. Saba helped focus MUFG’s efforts on classroom training, instructor-led sessions and virtual classes. Soon, they began to expand into better compliance and self paced training.

After Cornerstone acquired Saba, they continued working with MUFG to create an even more robust training and risk-tracking structure.

It wasn’t long, however, before a new challenge emerged: How could MUFG help its people take advantage of optional training and self-directed development?

"Skills development and mobility are two huge things for us now,” Beacom says. “We want to help people find their passion, enhance their current job and expand their career horizons.”

The emphasis on skills data within the system is key for recognizing talent and fostering a culture of finding the best-fit individuals for various positions, moving away from talent hoarding towards a more strategic talent approach.

MUFG currently leverages two Cornerstone solutions: Cornerstone Saba Learning Management (part of the Saba acquisition) and now Cornerstone Content Subscriptions. Both serve as bedrocks, influencing every facet of MUFG's operations. The latter has been a game-changer, providing the bank with award-winning content that aligns seamlessly with their people’s needs.

The search and find courses tool within the subscriptions has been a standout feature. They’ve simplified the process of building curricula and seamlessly integrating them into MUFG's learning landscape.

"It was very easy to make those curricula with those tools,” Beacom says. “We’d plug different courses into different places, build out curriculum, and now it’s all there for our employees. It’s easy to find, too.”

Centralized training coordination has become paramount, with operations spanning the Americas, EMEA and Asia. For Beacom and his team, it was a major imperative to have one central place for training, ensuring everyone in the multinational corporation could speak a universal language regarding upskilling, compliance, and other HR must-haves.

The drive towards globalization extends to training materials. Instead of disparate courses for different regions, MUFG and Cornerstone are moving towards a unified approach. Beacom envisions a future with "one course for many of these," streamlining rules and creating a cohesive learning experience across the organization. This harmonious approach signifies a significant shift, ensuring that the entire organization speaks the same learning language and follows a shared set of guidelines.

The recent divestiture of Union Bank, a significant portion of MUFG's user base, posed a unique challenge. Still, through collaborative efforts, Cornerstone and MUFG successfully split the entire system, creating a clone that went live seamlessly.

Beacom emphasizes, "Now we're all using the same system with the same prescriptive rule engine to push out the training." This standardization ensures that everyone is aligned, pushing in the same direction, with reports from a unified source.

Taking the concept of unified learning even further, MUFG and Cornerstone have seamlessly integrated their content.

"It's very easy to say I want to develop Skill X and see a list of content, a list of courses tied to that skill that you want to develop,” Beacom says, “either for fun, passion, enhancing your current job and skills, or exploring your career path."

MUFG envisions a future where employees can easily identify skill gaps between current and desired roles. The system highlights these gaps and offers targeted training to bridge them. This approach aligns with Beacom's vision of allowing individuals to seize potential opportunities, making skill development a strategic part of career advancement.

Beacom also believes the decision to stick with Cornerstone is mainly due to both companies constantly evolving their current capabilities. Both Cornerstone and the Bank listen to their customers, leveraging feedback to drive continuous development. The collaborative approach is evident — Beacom has direct connections within Cornerstone to address specific needs and contribute to the platform's roadmap.

The impact on employee growth tying into business results is twofold. Firstly, the robustness of Cornerstone in risk compliance ensures the bank's smooth functioning. Secondly, the wealth of courses and topics allows individuals to develop skills independently, aligning with their unique needs. Beacom acknowledges Cornerstone's role in providing a comprehensive learning ecosystem, eliminating the need for constant external dependencies.

The success of all these initiatives lies in the enduring partnership forged between MUFG and Cornerstone. It’s gone far beyond a mere business transaction to become a collaborative journey, a roadmap both parties co-designed. MUFG has the assurance that they’ll always have an HR partner eager to contribute to their success. No one’s left holding the bag — and someone’s always on the line when the bank faces uncertainty about how to tackle a new frontier.

MUFG experiences firsthand the tangible benefits of Cornerstone’s client-focused ethos. It’s evident in the full stack of product offerings seamlessly interacting to create a robust ecosystem for learning and development.

Cornerstone's commitment to understanding and meeting the unique needs of MUFG reinforces the idea that success is indeed a shared journey. As the partnership continues to evolve, it’s become clear that Cornerstone's role extends far beyond being a vendor – it's a strategic ally and collaborator in pursuing mutual success.