This document discusses improving business productivity through more effective employee training. It notes that while training is important, budgets are tight and current training methods are often ineffective. It promotes the idea that training needs to be more engaging, interactive, and flexible to fit employees' schedules in order to better connect with trainees and improve knowledge retention. The document introduces Productive Training technology solutions that can deliver high-quality instructor-led training remotely or in-person, making training more accessible and reducing costs.

1. Productive
trAiNiNG
Bring a richer learning experience to your employees,
wherever they are – and get a Better return on your people
This is Business ProducTiviTy

2. this is
Product
trAiNiNG
Everyone knows that training is critical for the We’ve tried virtual self service learning, But with budgets squeezed it’s really hard
future success of the business, but it’s always but ultimately people need help to discuss to make this the norm. Our staff are based
the first thing to be cut. One thing’s for sure, ideas and issues around course content. across Europe, and guess what, we’ve got
our training budget is not going up anytime It is also all too easy to speed read and skip a travel ban. Added to that, there’s a real
soon. I need to get much more out of our through and a day later you have forgotten shortage of high quality trainers – especially
training budget. the content already. We also have to deliver in some of our more specialist areas (which
training around our own products, services also tend to be the high value ones).
The problem is that our training isn’t really and initiatives.
working. Staff leave training sessions and If only I could make training more engaging
complain that it was poorly delivered and I know that instructor-led training is and memorable, interactive and easier to fit
too ‘one way’. I need our training to connect absolutely the best approach – it should into employees’ schedules so it could make
with them – to get content across in a more be the mainstay of our drive to improve the difference it should – to staff and the
engaging way, and get them truly involved our employees’ skill base for the business. business. But I know that it’s the time, the
with the experience. They can ask questions and solve problems way, the place that’s all wrong. We need
interactively. And I want to go beyond this – to change the way we work.
I want to use rich, interactive media – bring
in relevant experts to share their knowledge,
not just presentations and spreadsheets.

3. £88bn 93%
Non-productive time costs the UK 93% of organisations say
£88 billion a year. improving business productivity
Source: Proudfoot Productivity Report is a key business objective.
Source: Steljes Productivity Report
tive
G.
WE’VE PROBABLY ALL FACED SIMILAR
ISSUES ON A REGULAR BASIS. BUT
STELJES BELIEVES THERE IS A WAY
FORWARD. TRAINING WILL BE CRITICAL
FOR BUSINESSES TO SUCCEED, AND
THE TIME, THE WAY AND THE PLACE
THAT WE MAKE TRAINING HAPPEN
CAN CHANGE. TODAY.
read on, and Take The firsT sTeP
Towards a very differenT scenario.
1 THIS IS BUSINESS PRODUCTIVITY Productive trAiNiNG

4. 46%
C-level executives are conscious about
the benefits that communications and
collaboration tools can bring and 46%
plan to increase budget for these tools
in the next 12 months.
Source: Frost & Sullivan
hArNess
the Power
of your
PeoPle.
2 THIS IS BUSINESS PRODUCTIVITY Productive trAiNiNG

5. I BELIEVE THAT MY TRAINEES ARE MORE LIKELY TO REMEMBER
THE CONTENT FROM THE LESSON IF THEY HAVE WRITTEN IT
THEMSELVES RATHER THAN JUST BEEN TOLD IT. SINCE I
STARTED USING THE INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARD, I HAVE
DEVELOPED MORE INTERACTIVE TRAINING TECHNIqUES
AND THE DIFFERENCE IN ATMOSPHERE IS DRAMATIC.
Corporal Thorpe, Trainer
RAF Halton
People are the most valuable asset in any Budgets are tighter Time and disTance
business, and good quality training is than ever geT in The way
essential if you want to harness their full There is an increasing need for legislative and Schedules for staff are very busy. Taking
potential. You need to up-skill existing staff risk-management training and the challenge people out of the business to do training,
and attract new talent. You need to build the is to prevent this requirement from devouring often at different locations, means that many
right skills for the future, and make your best your entire budget. You want better pass feel they can’t spare the time for training.
people feel they’re learning and developing rates and reduced skill fade. But, training It is often easier to decline the training rather
so they’ll want to stay right where they are. budgets typically get hit hard and early in than change your schedule. If you could
the round of corporate austerity measures. join training remotely and still get a great
The challenge for Training The solution is not to reduce training, but to experience you are more likely to be able
So training is a priority. But it’s a challenge think differently about how it is delivered. to build it into your day-to-day schedule.
to deliver it efficiently with limited resources
– particularly if your budgets seem to shrink identify and target the The Training opporTuniTy
as your need for training grows. It’s not Business need quickly What if you could invest every penny
always easy to deliver training that works Aligning your learning with the business is of your training budget more wisely
for your staff either. an often used phrase and with good reason than ever before? If you could deliver
– learning exists to support the organisation convenient, cost-effective training
They may find it next to impossible to attend and yet it’s often unclear precisely how to that’s still instructor-led? If you could
training sessions away from their desks, yet do this. The challenge is to proceed towards improve your training environment and
find self-service online training inflexible at a culture of performance, productivity and resources to dramatically improve
best – and forgettable at worst. profit. To do this, training needs to adopt a engagement and retention?
more socially networked and collaborative
Increasingly, people work in collaborative working culture. You can do all this, and you can even
teams and project groups across reduce costs in the process. It’s not what
organisational, geographical and business under-skilled staff, you do, it’s the time, the way, the place
unit boundaries. Success hinges on your under-performing Business that you do it – with Productive Training
ability to create flexible environments – both Most employers believe skills gaps within technology solutions from Steljes.
actual and virtual – for people to work and to their businesses are holding them back.
learn. You need practical solutions to adapt Training heralds the solution, but still it
the workplace to produce more exciting, so often fails to deliver. The challenge
engaging learning. requires a fundamental rethink of how how do you
training is delivered.
make This all
work beTTer?
3 THIS IS BUSINESS PRODUCTIVITY Productive trAiNiNG

6. BriNG A richer
leArNiNG
exPerieNce
to your
emPloyees,
wherever
they Are
and get a Better return on your people.
4 THIS IS BUSINESS PRODUCTIVITY Productive trAiNiNG

7. 76% 88%
76% of learning managers predict 88% of businesses say they now have
a shift to using technologies, such the option to work away from the
as e-learning or virtual delivery. traditional office set-up. It’s making it
Source: Good Practice Report more difficult to bring together staff
in one location for traditional
office-based training sessions.
Source: Orange
Learning must be engaging to be effective. ROI – PROductIve
Keeping abreast of the technology is one tRaInIng technOlOgy
challenge. Making training fun, appealing that Pays dIvIdends
and interactive is quite another. Even though
everyone now knows that people learn by Cut costs: deliver more with
doing, many trainer-led courses still rely too constrained resources
heavily on learning by telling. A far richer Investing in Productive Training technology
experience is enabled by training that uses cuts cost by allowing you to capture training
team building and collaboration to maximise sessions and turn them into re-usable assets
uptake and retention of knowledge. across your organisation – distributed
anywhere, in real-time or on demand.
With Productive Training technology from
Cut travel time
Steljes, you can deliver more instructor-led
Nothing blunts productivity more than
courses and reduce your reliance on self-
excessive travel time. With Productive
service online training. Instructors can train
Training technology from Steljes geographical
delegates in person – but without needing to
distance ceases to be a barrier: employees
be in the same room, or even on the same
can join training sessions and have as
continent. And they can deliver learning that
enriching and memorable an experience
is engaging and interactive, so your trainees
as if they were physically there.
retain far more, working collaboratively and
sharing ideas and questions as they go. Improve knowledge retention
Richer, more interactive learning vastly
We can help you create richer in-room improves knowledge retention – so you
training environments too, where trainers can could transform the skill base within your
share source materials with ease, make notes business – increasing revenues and making
in electronic ink using a touch-enabled you more competitive.
interactive whiteboard and then distribute
Improve staff retention –
the materials in real-time. Delegates can
reduce recruitment fees
collaborate, interact, and give instant
It is well known that staff leave when
electronic feedback. And sessions can be
they feel their progress is stifled. Highly
recorded automatically so they can be shared
effective training makes their personal
and re-used over and over again.
and career development objectives come
to fruition – keeping their valuable input
within the business, rather than in the
hands of competitors.
5 THIS IS BUSINESS PRODUCTIVITY Productive trAiNiNG

8. where will you
see the PoteNtiAl?
Whether it’s an HR Director looking to remoTe learning ThaT Brings
better upskill employees, or a Head of everyone TogeTher
Training looking to transform the way Training remote workers can feel like
training is delivered, Steljes’ Productive hard work. When the trainer can’t see the
Training solutions, part of the Business delegates, it’s hard to judge how much they’re
Productivity Suite can help. taking in or whether they understand what’s
being said. Interactive whiteboards, voice and
High-impact training is engaging, interactive data conferencing software and interactive
and instructor-led. Productive Training desktop displays can bring people into the
solutions can help you deliver this every room, no matter where they’re located.
time, no matter where your delegates The trainer can interact with them naturally,
or your trainers are located. making the session more effective. And
because the technology makes the experience
richer Training ThaT more involving and engaging, delegates retain
engages minds far more of what they’ve learned.
With Productivie Training technology you can
use interactive whiteboards with visualisers call on exPerTise
and interactive desktop displays to deliver from anywhere
engaging, interactive, instructor-led courses Subject matter experts can be difficult to pin
in a standard training room environment. down when everyone wants a piece of their
time. With Productive Training solutions you
collaBoraTe across oTher can call in a specialist remotely from any
offices and conTinenTs location, cutting travel costs, increasing the
Training needs to be able to happen anywhere. number of delegates who can attend and
You can bring together cross-functional teams making it far easier to schedule your session.
from different floors, different buildings or
even different countries. Use conferencing see Trainee Progress
technology to connect your training rooms Use training room management software
across your enterprise – allowing employees to allow trainers and instructors to view
to feedback from interactive pen displays employees’ screens to monitor how they are
positioned on the desktop or using interactive progressing during the training sessions.
whiteboards within each training room.
6 THIS IS BUSINESS PRODUCTIVITY Productive trAiNiNG

9. 65% 50%
65% of executives see ‘a natural 50% of learning managers
way of working’ as the key feature are set to increase their use
of any collaborative technology. of web 2.0 technologies such
Source: Steljes Productivity Report as social networking tools.
Source: Good Practice Report
scenario The results
Bola comments, “The successful delivery of
BT Innovate and Design (BTID) has embarked
a customer solution relies upon the effective
on a Global Development Centre Programme
collaboration between people across BT. Our
that embeds collaborative solutions from
new SMART business solution enables people
SMART Technologies.
to meet, irrespective of where they are in
“Our developers tend to work in groups the world and interact as if they were in the
around a whiteboard and research revealed same room. This has had a massive impact on
that they want to interact with and see what travel costs and reduced our carbon footprint
their colleagues are writing on the boards, significantly. Last week I trained 34 people
and see their faces. At that point we knew in India from Adastral Park and yesterday
our solution must support this way of I trained a further eight – that’s a saving
working whilst connecting teams that of a flight to India, plus my time, in just
are spread across multiple locations,” two weeks.”
explained Bola Oshisanwo, Director,
Alan Bateman, Director for Next Generation
Agile Development Centre.
Engineering adds, “Ultimately we’re using
BT’s research culminated in the complete this technology to change and transform the
redesign of the agile development teams’ culture of the company. What started as a
working environment and included the project at Adastral Park has led to plans for a
adoption of a SMART business solution. It network of five global development centres.”
started with a proof of concept at Adastral
Park, BT’s centre for development in Ipswich.
“People were wowed by the SMART BoardTM
interactive whiteboards initially but quickly
snapped back into old habits,” says Bola. “It
became clear that this was because they
didn’t understand the capability of the
technology, so we designed a training
package which was delivered to a critical
mass of people over a short period of time.
The training was based on observing what
people did day-to-day. The training focused
on helping them to incorporate the
SMART Board interactive whiteboards
and collaborative working into their day-to-
day work.”
7 THIS IS BUSINESS PRODUCTIVITY Productive trAiNiNG

10. 55% 46%
55% of executives fear their firm 46% of executives doubt their
is failing to deliver the necessary L&D departments ability to
training for recovery. deliver training for recovery.
Source: Coleman Parkes Source: Coleman Parkes
8 THIS IS BUSINESS PRODUCTIVITY Productive trAiNiNG

11. ALL I NEED IS A ROOM, ELECTRICITY AND THE SMART PODIUM
AND I CAN COACH MY TEAM ANYWHERE. I NOW HAVE A SOLUTION
THAT IS TOTALLY MOBILE AND FITS ANY ENVIRONMENT WE FIND
OURSELVES IN. I OFTEN TAKE IT WITH ME TO AWAY MATCHES AND
USE IT IN MY HALF TIME TALKS TO HIGHLIGHT WHERE THEY NEED
TO IMPROVE OR SHOW A PARTICULAR WEAKNESS OF THE
OPPOSITION THAT THEY CAN ExPLOIT.
Brett Taylor, Head Coach
London Scottish Rugby Club
Productive trAiNiNG
techNoloGy
At Steljes we create technology-supported inTeracTive deskToP The ulTimaTe Training
training solutions, as part of our Business disPlays environmenT
Productivity Suite of solutions, tailored to SMART Podium™ interactive pen displays, You can gain real-time feedback and
your business needs that will deliver an ideally positioned on the desktop, are perfect improve content immediately with an
immediate productivity and time saving remote learning tools, offering the features interactive audience response system, and
return. Whether in-room, room-to-room or of an interactive whiteboard to delegates in with a Mainline flexible power distribution
room-to-desktop collaboration solutions, multiple locations. system trainers and delegates can plug
they can help organisational learning be in equipment anywhere in the room.
more effective and cost efficient across visualisers
measures including knowledge retention, Visualisers can be an invaluable training aid, accessories
team building, time, travel and hotel costs. enriching learning and aiding understanding. From remote mice to state-of-the-art sound
They allow trainers to show real-world systems, Steljes offers a full range of tools
We select the cream of Productive Training objects to delegates in remote locations, to make your training environment more
technology from best-of-breed manufacturers, or display images or documents through a productive and engaging than ever before.
so you can be sure you’re investing in the very monitor or projector and transmitted through
best equipment available. the collaboration software to all participants.
inTeracTive whiTeBoards sofTware
SMART Board™ interactive whiteboards offer With SMART Meeting Pro™ software and
delegates a hands-on learning experience SMART Bridgit™ conferencing software,
that dramatically improves knowledge delegates can collaborate intuitively whether
retention. Interactive whiteboards allow they’re in the same room or thousands of miles
multiple users to interact naturally with away. They can work with your own source
documents, applications and the internet. material in programmes including Microsoft®
Trainers and delegates can Word, Excel or PowerPoint, Adobe® Acrobat®
write in digital ink and incorporate their and AutoCAD®.
work into source documents with a few
clicks, and content can be saved easily in SMART Sync™ training room management
digital format for your delegates’ reference software allows trainers to view all the
and for trainers to re-use. delegates’ screens as they work, and lets
delegates collaborate on the same document.
Add SMART Ideas™ concept mapping
software and SMART Notebook™
collaborative learning software, to
make complex ideas easier for delegates
to understand and it’s easy to deliver a
high-impact, interactive training experience.
9 THIS IS BUSINESS PRODUCTIVITY Productive trAiNiNG

12. OUR NEW SMART COLLABORATION CAPABILITY ENABLES
PEOPLE TO MEET, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHERE THEY ARE IN
THE WORLD AND INTERACT AS IF THEY WERE IN THE SAME
ROOM. THIS HAS HAD A MASSIVE IMPACT ON TRAVEL COSTS
AND REDUCED OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT SIGNIFICANTLY.
Bola Oshisanwo, Director, Agile Development Centre
BT
A 360 0
service
you need more Than jusT
Technology To change The
way you work. sTeljes offers
a range of services To suPPorT
you Through The whole Process –
from advice and guidance,
Through To educaTion, Training,
ongoing suPPorT and even
financing oPTions.
10 THIS IS BUSINESS PRODUCTIVITY Productive trAiNiNG

13. ConsultanCy Rental Training
Our consultancy service starts with Whether you want to stage an unforgettable When you invest in a suite of technology
us getting to know how your organisation workshop, to use digital signage for a to help make your people more productive,
and your people work today, so we can help product launch, or to support a proof-of- it’s essential that they are confident and
you change the way you work tomorrow. concept, we offer a range of exciting engaged with it. That’s why Steljes sees
This approach means we can help you choose Business Productivity Suite technology for training as a crucial part of changing the
the right technology and get the maximum short-term rental. way you work. We can also offer training
return by focusing on the areas of productivity as part of a proof-of-concept so you’ll get
that are most important to you. Here’s how organisations take advantage: a clear picture of the impact your chosen
technologies could have on your business.
High impact AGMs: an interactive voting
Key consultancy services include: All training is completely tailored to your
system (and digital signage to publish
business and your priorities.
Audit – looking at how you work the results)
today, and then developing the business
Critical workshops – get important Training services include:
case to change
decisions, fast – using an interactive
End-user training – Steljes is the only
Proof of concept – to help assess whiteboard to get your key people
SMART accredited training centre in the
new ways of working and trial to collaborate, interact and ultimately
UK, so using our experts to get your
the technology reach decisions that typically take
people up-to-speed pays dividends
weeks or months to finalise
Technology familiarisation – our
Technical – we’ll ensure the technology
accredited experts will install the Flexible working – a great way of
is integrated seamlessly into your
technology and help business users trialling flexible working, renting
existing estate, and we’ll work closely
become confident in its usage conferencing equipment such as
with your IT team to help them become
mobile interactive displays on stands
familiar with the systems
or interactive pen display podiums for
steljes ChoiCes remote workers, means you can conduct Train the trainer – we can train your own
Paying for new equipment up-front may a cost-effective pilot staff to deliver top-quality, customised
not be the best option for every business. training to their colleagues internally
Through Steljes Choices, we offer a range of
Ongoing support – we’ll help you
tax-efficient leasing options, hire purchase technical suppoRt
manage change and ensure your people
and 0% finance (subject to product and and waRRanties
continue to improve their productivity.
underwriting acceptance). Our own enhanced warranties as well
We’ll run refresher courses and conduct
as standard manufacturer warranties give
Working with Syscap, the UK’s leading a staff survey to assess the impact the
you the support and confidence once the
independent business IT finance technology is really making
technology is in place. Steljes provides on-site
provider, Steljes Choices can give you
support, which can avoid the need to send
cash flow flexibility and keep your
items away for repair. And with a next day
capital free for reinvestment
response time you can be assured there is
Finance options are tax-efficient very little downtime for your organisation.
and could even save you money
in real terms Added to this, it includes:
Your agreement will be individually Supporting proof of concepts: technical
tailored to you with easily managed support is vital at the ‘proof of concept’
monthly payments that suit your budget stage for any project and having
technical support ensures that the
At the end of your agreement you
technology works in your environment
could choose to own the equipment or
refresh the technology and lease more Enhanced warranties: for a one off fee
equipment without increasing your you cover the cost of all labour and parts,
monthly outlay or the cost of a full replacement if repair
is not possible
Steljes is the SMART Authorised Service
Organisation in the UK and Ireland, so you
will be supported by a trained and highly
skilled team of technicians.
11 THIS IS BUSINESS PRODUCTIVITY Productive trAiNiNG

14. why
stelJes
sTeljes – a hisTory of innovaTion
Steljes started in 1987 and since then, suPPorTing Technology sense checking The righT
has demonstrated a passion for identifying service Providers aPProach – soluTions
the latest in technology to change our way By matching the best technology and evaluaTion
of living, learning and working. Steljes has customer challenges together, Steljes helps We take on a lot of the risk and upfront
constantly looked at the technology manufacturers, resellers and customers investments that our clients and partners
marketplace for innovation that could be successfully address real life situations faced would otherwise have to bear. A big part
successfully harnessed for tangible and by businesses in every industry sector. of this is ensuring we’ve vetted the right
lasting productivity gains. solutions and know with certainty they will
We support the industry through education deliver the benefits that our clients expect.
From launching the first LCD projector into and training, insights and research and of
the market back in 1993, through to being course helping companies take these new Steljes Labs, our own R&D, focuses on this
the first distributor of SMART Technologies, innovative technologies to market with the area – understanding from manufacturers
Turning Point and AVerMedia. Steljes surety of being backed by real expertise across the world, what’s coming down the
continues to promote and distribute and experience. pipeline and how it compares to what’s
solutions and technology with purpose. available now.
a ParTnershiP aPProach
Steljes entered the Sunday Times Fast Steljes delivers its solutions through
Track in 1997 and has continued to grow a network of partners across the UK.
since – selling over 300,000 SMART Board™ Steljes and its partner resellers work with
interactive whiteboards in 2009 and customers to help devise and provide the
achieving recognition by winning the Best right technology solutions to meet the
ICT Innovation Award in that year. highest priority productivity challenges.
We work closely with our partners,
giving them and their customers advice
and guidance to help them deliver
maximum benefits.
12 THIS IS BUSINESS PRODUCTIVITY Productive trAiNiNG

15. SOME SUBJECT MATTER CAN BE VERY
DRY AND UNExCITING WHEN IT’S
PRESENTED IN A TRADITIONAL WAY.
BUT I’D SAY THAT AN INTERACTIVE
WHITEBOARD COULD BE USED TO
IMPROVE ANY KIND OF LESSON
WHERE THERE’S A DANGER OF THIS,
BECAUSE OF ITS VERY NATURE. THE
WHITEBOARD ENGAGES THE AUDIENCE,
AND THAT’S HALF THE BATTLE WHEN
YOU’RE TRYING TO GET YOUR MESSAGE
ACROSS TO YOUR STUDENTS.
Sergeant Ross Allan, Trainer
Scottish Police College

16. where will your BiggesT ProducTiviTy
gain come from?
Productive
Productive video ANd dAtA Productive
meetiNGs
it’s not what you do, it’s the time, the way,
coNfereNciNG
it’s not what you do, it’s the time, the way,
worksPAces
it’s not what you do, it’s the time, the way,
the place that you do it. the place that you do it. the place that you do it.
This is Business ProducTiviTy This is Business ProducTiviTy This is Business ProducTiviTy
Productive
Productive mArketiNG ANd find ouT more
trAiNiNG
it’s not what you do, it’s the time, the way,
commuNicAtioNs
it’s not what you do, it’s the time, the way,
We offer an initial assessment and consultancy service with one of our
the place that you do it. the place that you do it.
Business Solutions Group to help you identify the best opportunities
and partner for your business.
www.steljes.com
info@steljes.co.uk
08450 758 758
This is Business ProducTiviTy This is Business ProducTiviTy
sTeljes
HEADqUARTERS LEEDS EDINBURGH STELJES IRELAND LTD
Bagshot Manor The Old Brewery Lochside House Unit L2
Green Lane High Court 3 Lochside Way Baldonnell Business Park
Bagshot Leeds Edinburgh Park Baldonnell
Surrey LS2 7ES Edinburgh Dublin 22
GU19 5NL EH12 9DT Ireland
This is Business ProducTiviTy
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