Alight Solutions empowers businesses to get the most out of their workforces and gain a benefits advantage by connecting health, wealth, and well-being under one roof. However, with a growing team and an ever-evolving industry, Ted Schmitz, Alight’s Sr. Manager, Talent Development, knew their existing enterprise-level training programs had to evolve to keep pace.
“Back in 2017, we were under a divestiture and had a limited amount of time to source a new LMS vendor,” Schmitz says. “There was also the matter of what kind of professional skills content we might be able to provide to our colleagues. We needed a way to streamline our training process, improve employee engagement, and ultimately empower our Talent Development function to deliver an exceptional experience for our colleagues."
This is where Cornerstone Learning enters the picture. Cornerstone, a leading Learning Management System (LMS) provider, promised a more efficient and engaging way to train and develop Alight Solutions' workforce. But could it live up to the hype?
Scattered programs, disengaged employees
With over 10,000 employees worldwide, Schmitz understands the importance of having a well-trained and engaged workforce.
Before implementing Cornerstone Learning, Alight Solutions faced a significant challenge: their learning and development programs were overly administrative and needed to be consolidated and become more uniform.
Some of the existing non-business functional training content, according to Schmitz, lacked the necessary engagement factor. Employees weren't excited to dive into content related to professional skill development, beyond what they specifically needed for their role.
Streamlining engagement
Alight’s core mission revolves around empowering clients, and their employees and dependents, to make confident decisions around their benefits. They needed a training solution to equip their own employees with the skills and knowledge necessary to deliver exceptional service to their clients. This meant fostering a deeper understanding of Alight’s services through not only the functional training, but also those what are typically referred to as professional or soft skills for personal development.
Disengaged employees are less productive and ultimately less effective in their roles. Schmitz knew their existing content needed a refresh. They were searching for a platform to deliver engaging learning experiences, keeping employees motivated and eager to learn. Cornerstone Learning allowed for not only that, but also a centralized platform to consolidate all training materials and simplify the administrative burden for HR teams.
Schmitz was particularly enthusiastic about Cornerstone's ability to boost engagement and foster a learning culture within individual business units. He envisioned a future where "business functions are sort of creating their own learning cultures," leveraging Cornerstone's capabilities. This resonated with Alight’s commitment to continuous improvement and employee development.
A collaborative approach
Alight understood the importance of maximizing the value of their investment in Cornerstone, particularly when it comes to the Cornerstone content catalogs. They leveraged platform data early on to gain insights into employee engagement with various content offerings. This data-driven approach led them to "right-size" their Cornerstone content licenses, ensuring they purchased only what their employees were actively using. This has resulted in impressive utilization rates over the last several years – as high as 96% – demonstrating the effectiveness of their strategic approach.
Cornerstones versatility also allowed Alight to create a suite of leadership development programs specifically designed for their needs. They leveraged the platform to deliver a range of programs, from a structured curriculum for first-time managers to a "choose your own adventure" style program for senior leaders. This customization ensured that Alight ‘s leaders received targeted training addressing their specific challenges and development goals.
Alight understood that simply making training and learning materials available wasn't enough. They actively promoted learning within the organization. Schmitz highlighted how they used "login messages" within Cornerstone to showcase curated playlists created by leaders, adding a personal touch and encouraging participation. These creative engagement strategies were key in fostering a culture of continuous learning within Alight.
Centralizing the learning experience
This streamlined approach made it easier for HR teams to manage and track training programs, saving them valuable time and resources.
From interactive courses and gamified learning experiences to mobile-friendly accessibility, Cornerstone offered a more dynamic and captivating way for employees to absorb information. This addressed Alight’s need to move away from static, disengaging content.
The platform's features empowered different departments to create their own learning ecosystems tailored to their specific needs. This aligned seamlessly with Alight’s commitment to fostering continuous improvement and a culture of knowledge-sharing.
Fostering a learning culture
The collaborative spirit between Alight and Cornerstone Learning extended beyond content optimization and program development. Hereare a few other examples of how they worked together to promote a culture of continuous learning within the organization actively:
Alight capitalized on Cornerstone's integration with Microsoft Teams to create a dynamic learning series called the "Learning Lounge." Every few months, they pick a relevant topic and build a one-hour virtual session around it, open to all employees.
Following each Learning Lounge session, Alight leverages Cornerstone's playlist functionality to create curated learning experiences. These playlists typically include a recording of the session alongside relevant eLearning modules. This allows employees to delve deeper into specific topics that piqued their interest during the live session, at their own pace.
This two-pronged approach – interactive sessions followed by curated playlists – exemplifies the collaborative spirit at play between Alight and Cornerstone Learning. By combining live engagement with on-demand learning resources, they ensure employees have a variety of ways to access knowledge and continuously develop their skills. In turn, the Talent Development team at Alight can help foster a growth mindset and a culture of continuous learning.
Illuminating a path forward
Cornerstone's platform has also provided Alight with the tools to cultivate a culture of leadership development. The ability to create custom leadership programs catered to different levels within the organization ensured that leaders received targeted training to hone their skills and become more effective in their roles.
Beyond key metrics, the partnership between Alight and Cornerstone Learning has fostered a spirit of innovation in the learning and development space. Schmitz himself expressed his enthusiasm for "the advancements occurring in learning, and Cornerstone is behind a lot of these."
A powerful partnership
Alight’s journey with Cornerstone Learning is a shining example of the transformative power of technology and collaboration. By leveraging Cornerstone's robust Learning Management System, Alight streamlined its training processes, boosted employee engagement, and is empowering its workforce with the skills needed to excel.
Looking ahead, Alight is well-positioned for continued success. Their commitment to employee development and Cornerstone's cutting-edge learning technology ensure they have the tools and resources necessary to thrive in an ever-evolving industry.
