Who led Digital Transformation within your Organisation?

A: COVID-19

B: Chief Technology Officer (CTO) or

C: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Introducing Dot Fernandez, Change Management Specialist at Omni HR Consulting

I have been a Change Manager since 2005 and joined the Omni team in 2015.  My portfolio is a blend of project and change management which is different to most portfolios in other organisations. At Omni, because we are slightly different, I have a foot in both spaces. 

From a Change Management point of view, we are finding that the rate of change that we have been experiencing has been quite progressive, but I think that within the last two years the pace at which change has happened has increased significantly. We have reached a place of unprecedented change where we don’t have a blueprint that we can look at as in the case of the pandemic, that guides us on what to do. What we are mindful of, is that this change does impact our business, not only for us as employees of Omni, but also our clients and our learners.

Q:  A lot of companies had to adapt because COVID-19 came at a time when they were not necessarily ready to implement Digital Transformation. What should people (organisations) generally consider when trying to implement any kind of change process? Are there general rules that apply?

DF: The first thing to be aware of is that, the minute when changes are announced (in any organisation), it is our instinct to have a bit of resistance and that this resistance is normal. It is there because it is our human nature to be comfortable with our status quo so we like things to remain the way that they are. In these unprecedented times, we cannot afford to be doing the same things we did before Covid-19 because it will produce the same results which can’t afford to do this going forward into the “new” normal that we will return to our places of work based on the magnitude of change that has taken place.   

Any change that you implement in any organisation, considers your processes, your people and your product or service that generates your revenue, but for change to be successful, you need the buy-in from your people. You need to ensure your people are ready to receive the change. People naturally resist change because they are unsure of what the future looks like.  What does make a significant difference is making sure that the people who lead us are there to support us  - this is critical. Ensuring that your management and your leadership buy into the change so that they can be role models for and involved the change, is equally vital to move the people in the direction that they need to be going.

Communication (not necessarily only on e-mail) but formal and informal communication modes are essential so that you can get feedback from your people in terms of how they are feeling. When people feel that they are being included in a process because they are involved,  they are a lot more committed to making change happen. This will only happen though, once people understand what the change is,  how it impacts them and more importantly what the future will look like for them. These are all aspects that need to be put in place to make sure that people are prepared to move with you on this change journey.

Q: In an Omni context, how has Change Management been woven into the implementation of Digital Transformation?

DF: If I look back to when we started our Digital Transformation journey, it may have been something that at a strategic level was a focus amongst our senior leadership team, but it wasn’t something that was a secret to everyone else in the organisation.

What was key to us from the onset, was to spend a significant amount of time with our people, especially those that were impacted by the change, making sure that they were able to adapt and that they were ready to receive the changes that were coming.

Changes that were implemented were not only digital - it was a fundamental shift in the way that we worked at Omni, which meant that it impacted our work situation, from the work that we did to changes in reporting lines to the people that we worked with. We made sure that our teams were involved from the get-go in building the new.  We ensured they had the necessary skills that were needed to adapt to the change in work processes and they also gave input into what those work processes would be and that was one of the biggest success factors we had. As leaders, we had an understanding of what needed to change but involving the people who actually do the work meant that we had a much clearer view in terms of the level of detail of how the changes needed to be adopted.  

If I cast my mind back, we had our Managing Director introducing the Digital Transformation journey to all our staff, particularly those in our Operations space because we were most impacted by it.  Our MD was readily involved in the process but so too our other executives.  We had regular communication sessions with our national teams hosted by our Operations Executive who was the sponsor. One of the big things that I do feel was a big success factor was the level of involvement of our people across all levels.  Because of team involvement, we got real-time feedback which provided an indication of what was working well, areas where we needed to improve and what we needed to adapt so that our processes remained compliant and that they were efficient and effective.  We provided a protective environment for learning so when mistakes were made, we used the opportunity to learn by correcting it and putting contingency measures in place to mitigate risks in these areas.

Three years later and our teams are so comfortable with the change that they are now providing suggestions on how we can improve processes even further.  The digital platforms that were introduced are now being integrated more and more by the people who are working with them by identifying opportunities for us to improve the way we do things, so we are continuously transforming.

Because we had onboarded our teams so early in the process, they were willing to adopt it then and now we can see that they are willing to make it work even further.

Q: Many companies have not had the luxury of time to implement a Digital Transformation journey; they simply had to adapt in order to survive when faced with COVID-19. In that context, what advice would you provide organisations from a Change Management perspective?

DF: If we look at the impact of COVID-19 on us as a society in general, I think that even the most well-prepared firms with contingency plans and disaster recovery plans, could not have foreseen something as radical as this impacting us for such a long duration.

If you take a step back (and it can be overwhelming for many in our personal and business space), there are a lot more factors to consider because this change impacts every facet of our lives. I think as leaders particularly in this time, apart from focusing on strategies on how to move your business forward during this time, it is critical to remain close to your people because under any circumstance, be it this pandemic or be it under normal circumstances, it is our people that generate our revenue. And our people are fearful and anxious about how this virus is threatening their health, safety and their livelihood.

Business as usual and what brought in your revenue stream may not be the same going forward because of the changes that the pandemic has introduced.  Things like social distancing impact our ability to engage our customers going forward as something as simple as opening up a meeting with a handshake is no longer allowed.  Businesses need to adapt to a new normal and organisations need to ensure that our people’s mental stability and sense of security is in place.  This means pulling multiple levers in one go – one of which is looking at the strengths in your organisation and identifying people who are natural influencers that can influence positively and help people to remain connected.

There is an opportunity for leaders to be seen as human in the eyes of their teams; leaders are also going through the same pain from an impact point of view, based on what the pandemic brings. Even though our circumstances may be different, everybody is feeling some sort of pain. Acknowledging to your teams that you too are feeling pain makes you look more human in the eyes of your staff.  They will look to you for guidance, they will look to you for answers, and they will also look to you for a sense of security and comfort.

What is also important is that where you can have your operations normalising from a remote working point of view, (where you are able to adapt and depending on the technologies you have available within your organisation), you can still have a core group of people that run your business in the absence of being physically present in your office. That also goes a long way to ensuring your sustainability and keeping things moving.  Being digitally transformed allows you to respond sooner, be a bit more flexible with what you are doing and making sure that you can deploy quickly and effectively while ensuring that you are mitigating risks as you move forward.

Q: As mentioned, there is no singular blueprint that can be applied. Any closing remarks or encouragement from a change perspective? 

DF: As individuals, we wear many hats but what is important is finding that balance;  it’s about being real about the situation we find ourselves in, but also about being hopeful.  We understand the regulations that we need to comply with, but there is a very blurry picture of what the future holds. When you realise that you are not in it alone and that there are a significant amount of people who feel the same pain that you are, you start to realise that your response to this pandemic is natural, you are in a better position to absorb it and find better ways to make it work.

To leaders who manage teams, the sooner you acknowledge your emotions, confront them and deal with them, the sooner you will be able to be that advocate for change. Your teams are going to be looking to you to be the one that gives them comfort, a sense of security and points them in the right direction.

As a leader also make sure that you don’t generalise in terms of the impact that people face because this pandemic impacts people differently. For some, it is a huge frustration because they can’t go out and walk their dog or go for their morning run but for others, this impact is significant because their livelihoods are affected. Many people have lost their work as a result of it, so your approach should be with a certain amount of empathy, you must look at someone else’s circumstances because you can do more damage than good if you don’t.

Contributor: Dorothy Fernandez, Change Management Specialist, Omni HR Consulting

Who led Digital Transformation within your Organisation?

A: COVID-19

B: Chief Technology Officer (CTO) or

C: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Introducing Cindy Londt, Operations Executive at Omni HR Consulting

Operations, I would say is the heart of the organisation in terms of engaging with learners and clients. As a Private FET College, our focus being in education and business to business consulting, really what I do is look after the part of the organisation that implements the activities that are aligned to client and learner engagement and consists of multiple different departments.

Q: Can you give us a bit of an overview/makeup of Operations, specifically those who would be affected by Digital Transformation?

CL: I think that the two areas most affected that support the overall Operations in terms of Digital Transformation would be our client engagement which was very much around business to business consulting as well as project implementation for organisations around skills development initiatives.

Aligned to the business component is, obviously, the learners that sit within those learning components. Our Learning and Development Practitioners that would typically do classroom face-to-face training would be most impacted by the need for them to shift; how they do learning, how they do coaching and learner support and how we make sure from a risk and compliance perspective we still maintain the quality assurance aligned to assessments and moderation practices within our space.

Q: If I could backtrack you to pre COVID-19, it would be safe to say that Omni was not impacted by remote operations. From your perspective what is the type of processes, systems and procedures that has been put in place that has prepared the entire team to operate and continue post-COVID?

CL: From a Digital Transformation Strategy perspective, for us, it was around how we manage and lead a national team for implementing projects. If we go back to the organisation [Omni] in terms of what we stand for, it really was around saying: how do we ensure customer centricity through everything we do.  In order to achieve that we need to have a team that is quite agile in terms of being able to shift and move.

From a workforce perspective, our team needed to be able to do their jobs, because at the end of the day they are the face of our brand. As part of our DTS in operations, we had started with our first phase of the process about 18-months ago when we looked at streamlining our overall processes and procedures. As we operate nationally, it required resources to make sure that everything we do is consistent in terms of how we engage with both learners and clients. Ultimately, it was around the customer experience and making sure that everything we were doing aligns ourselves to the quality and compliance within the Private FET College space.

DTS thus took on two-folds: looking at the tools that supported the activities of our staff and how do we make sure that they are able to implement projects effectively. This aligned itself very much to project management tools that allowed for large-scale implementation of projects and our workforce management tools, not for micromanaging individuals but it really was about being able to have a platform to engage with our staff.

The second component was around client engagement and the tools we were using for ease of engaging with clients and that resulted in a Client Relationship Management system to be able to track and better be able to support and engage with individuals through Sales and Marketing platforms and then the other one was the launch of our e-learning platform.

In a nutshell, it really was about streamlining processes and ensuring that we would be able to support both our learners and our clients.

Q: 18-months on,  what would your comments be regarding the team’s willingness (or not) and ability to embrace the Digital Transformation change?

CL: Change is always broken into two different spectrums:  you have those individuals that are very comfortable with change and are quite excited with new tools, new technology, and new ways of doing things; so, they naturally embrace it. Then there are those who take a step back because there is a technology component “I don’t like technology and I don’t know how to use it” and there is just that adversity to change in general.  

I think as a team we needed to go through that process. There were early adopters and were comfortable and then those who dug their heels in a little bit more.  At the end of the day, we were quite lucky as a team as we had a good mixture and we were able to move the team forward. I think the impact right now has been less; because we are in constant change and flux all the time as we move and shift and change to the needs of our clients and learners.

Q: Since COVID-19 and the extended lockdown,  is there a shift in the attitude from the people [towards Digital Transformation]?

CL: We have always had a saying “anything is possible” and it really is around “what are we doing next?” There was a natural feel of, this is another big change. The team has been working slowly and steadily towards a more drastic shift in terms of online learning and what that looks like.

The actual willingness and desire of the team to move very quickly in terms of evolving into the new space has been good. Again, there are those who have shifted quickly and those that have gone a bit slower but overall, in general, we have been successful in shifting the team.

Q: People are still going to work remotely for some time.  What would you say are some of the significant changes that you can attest to that has allowed Omni to add value to customers in the area of learning and skills development strategies?

CL: What we have found in moving Omni to more virtual online platforms, is that a lot of the times we have been ready but organisations (businesses) are not necessarily assured that their organisations are ready. A success factor for us is that we have been able to have a lot of engaging conversations with clients because DTS and COVID-19 have forced them to shift into a more digital way of learning. It has allowed us to start shifting our clients thought processes around online learning and virtual classrooms.

The ETDP landscape as its is didn’t necessarily support virtual and online learning and so again, conversations with our SETA’s have been a lot more fruitful in them being willing to and wanting to collaborate with skills development providers who have the e-Learning platforms. 

Q: Any closing remarks you would like to share pertaining to your people (within Operations) and Digital Transformation still currently happening?

CL: We have used this time as a unique opportunity to expedite a lot of the strategies that Operations did have from a Digital Transformation perspective. It has been an exciting time for us, it’s challenging, and we are uncertain of when we are going to see the inside of a classroom again, but it has been phenomenal to see how the people and the organisation have really just jumped onto it. 

We can recognise the challenges and we can recognise the concerns, but it goes back to “anything is possible.”

Contributor: Cindy Londt, Operations Executive, Omni HR Consulting

Who led Digital Transformation within your Organisation?

A: COVID-19

B: Chief Technology Officer (CTO) or

C: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Introducing David Londt, National IT Manager at Omni HR Consulting

As the IT Manager at Omni, it is my responsibility to ensure that everything that has to do with ICT is readily available to everyone in our organisation. I need to ensure that our systems are always up and functioning at 100%.

If we require or need anything innovative from a technology perspective that will help us achieve our goals, I do the research and find a tool that is able to help us achieve that. IT Managers these days have a little bit of everything in their roles  - we are not just about information technology! We are responsible to ensure functionality and stay abreast of all things digital out there.

Q: In terms of our topic which addresses, Digital Transformation – from your perspective, how much does Digital Transformation have to do with technology?

DL: If you look at Digital Transformation Strategies (DTS),  there is no single technology that will deliver speed or innovation as such. The best combination of tools for a given organisation will vary from one  (company) vision to another.  

Digital Transformation can involve many different technologies and there are so many out there right now. The biggest ones are; Cloud Computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data. DTS It is not only about technology; change in business processes and corporate culture are just as vital or important to the success of these initiatives. Technologies like Big Data, Cloud, IoT and AI are helping companies develop new business models and disrupt the established way of running any operation.

Q: In order to demystify the term: Digital Transformation Strategies; how would you define it from your perspective?

DL: DTS is the integration of digital technology into almost all aspects of a business; fundamentally changing how you operate and deliver value to customers or service them. It is also a cultural change that requires organisations’ to continue to change their existing way of doing things; it is also about experimenting and getting comfortable with failure as well.

DTS has its ups and downs and the only thing you can do is to learn from your mistakes and get stronger from there.  DTS will look different for every business, it can be hard to pinpoint one definition that applies to all organisations. The idea is to use technology not just to replicate an existing service in a digital format but to use technology to transform service into something exponentially better.

Q: Identifying that DTS is centred around adding value to your customer – is this both from an internal and external customer perspective?

DL: You absolutely must look at both!  You can’t just look at implementing DTS for external clients, you have to consider internal stakeholders as well. Your employees/staff are customers, so any platforms you consider using or developing needs to create value. Take e-Learning for example; it is an external product, however, employees (internally) will utilize for self/skills development.

Q: Based on the COVID-19 pandemic, has your I.T Agenda shifted in terms of priorities or goals from a Digital Transformation perspective?

DL: As I always say to everyone;  when I initially set up the I.T. infrastructure at Omni, I set it up in such a way, that you could be anywhere in the world and still do your job, fully functional. I always joke that you could sit on the moon and if you get a signal you would be able to carry on working, delivering on everything that you need to.

There wasn’t much that I needed to change as the infrastructure we have in place allowed us as an organisation to continue operating. I think the biggest fear that a lot of I.T Managers have these days is Cyber-Security. You have a larger percentage of your workforce working remotely now so, ensuring that, any remote services you are giving your employees access to is locked down and secure and that encryption levels on data are set. You need a whole new mindset of looking at things.

With the lockdown, it has opened doors for more cyber-attacks. Cyber-hackers are looking for weak spots and with employees working from home, one cannot be sure of their security setup, the kind of routers they have or if their passwords on their routers are equivalent to what we as I.T Managers try and force in the business.

COVID-19 and the lockdown make us IT people worry a bit – however, I am confident that all our systems are secure and locked down. We can continue functioning remotely for some time to come.

Q: As you have said, many I.T Managers may be concerned during this time. Is there any advice that you would give IT Managers to make the mind-shift especially for those still battling with the concept to feel comfortable with implementing remote work?

DL: Well as I said before, with remote work, you just need to make sure that you are giving employees access to the servers that you have whether it be on-premises or in the cloud.  Make sure that your security levels are up to scratch and plug any holes in your security layers that might open you up to an attack.  We all know that systems are never 100% secure. There is always someone out there that will try and find a way in. 

From an Omni point of view, we are all able to carry on working remotely. From our R&D team, Marketing, Web Developers, I.T and even Facilitators; we just had to change the way we did things. One of our core functions is training and with no more face-to-face training, all engagements are going onto a digital platform together with our e-Learning.  The same goes for meetings or conferences;  we are all attending them digitally, whether it’s using Skype, Zoom or Microsoft Teams. 

Microsoft Teams is having a big impact on the way people are working these days. There is a lot of technology out there and when you are implementing something, just make sure it is secure.

Contributor: David Londt, IT Manager, Omni HR Consulting

Additional recommended reading:

1. 6 Steps Framework to implement Digital Transformation in Business: New Generation Apps

2. Unlocking success in Digital Transformations: McKinsey and Company

I would like to take a moment to discuss Chaos Theory – it nearly feels like a conversation that should be had with Sheldon Lee Cooper Ph.D., Sc.D., the fictional character in the CBS television series “The Big Bang Theory” – but NO, it is one we should have. Allow me to explain.

As referenced from Wikipedia; Chaos theory is a branch of mathematics focusing on the study of chaos. Chaos theory is an interdisciplinary theory stating that, within the apparent randomness of chaotic complex systems, there are underlying patterns, interconnectedness, constant feedback loops, repetition, self-similarity, fractals, and self-organisation. Does this not feel a bit like what we are experiencing, with the global complex chaos of COVID-19 and the subsequent patterns of the chaos?

Today, we find ourselves at Level 4 of lockdown – honestly I think most of us had hopeful optimism that after lockdown (Level 5) we would return to some form of normality, however, the chaos that was created through the global pandemic has resulted in a “new normal”. We will not return to the way things were – change will be our constant companion in the days and months to come. If this is true, how do we harness the chaos of the day with the constant variable change?

In his book, Everyday Chaos by David Weinberger, he writes: “Change is proportional to effect. If you want to lift a hundred-pound bag of potatoes, it’s going to take twice as much effort as lifting a fifty-pound bag. When it comes to simple physics, that’s just the way it is. But a tiny pebble that hits your windshield can shatter it. A snowball can unleash an avalanche.  An amateur video can go viral, bringing millions of people out into the streets. In each of these cases, it still takes a lot of energy to make a big change, but that energy can come from tiny changes distributed throughout the system, if the system is large, complex, and densely connected enough.” Nearly like the butterfly effect, an underlying principle of the chaos theory. A small change can make much bigger changes happen; one small incident can have a big impact on the future.

Therefore, the chaos of the day as the constant variable, change is having a dramatic impact on our future and that of our businesses. Reflecting on this reality as a leader I realized that we all form part of a system – an interconnected, complex, large system. If we drive small changes it can lead to bigger change – bigger impact. I have recognized the co-dependency of our value chain (staff, clients, learners, suppliers, community, government, etc.) and would like to encourage you that even if you think the creative strategies you are considering for short-term survival and long-term sustainability is not making a difference; hang-in there - the butterfly effect is real.

In my previous communication, I referenced the IBM Global CEO Study: ‘Creativity selected as the most crucial factor for future success’ and if we link the study outcomes to the context of chaos and change, it reaffirms the need for us to be creative in this time of flux. Small changes that you consider over this time can have a great future impact, even if it feels like you are navigating in total darkness.

At Omni we have developed disciplines that help us engage in this chaos and change – we know that small changes eventually lead to big rewards and that creative and out-of-the-box thinking is needed so that we remain current and value-adding partners in the co-dependent value-chain.

The IBM Global CEO Study refers to 7 parameters for “instilling” creativity. At Omni, we have worked with these parameters and they are integrated into our strategic intent and purpose:

1. Business Model changes – months ago we realized that the global impact of the 4^th Industrial Revolution will dramatically change our industry. We worked tirelessly with various stakeholders to ensure our business model allows for the adaptation of this disruption. This is even more necessary now than before. We find ourselves needing to adapt our business models to the “new normal” and make policy changes. Be prepared to change – and know, that which worked yesterday will not work tomorrow.
2. Disruptive Innovation – I can remember the first time we spoke about being disruptive in education locally with a global reach. The word disruptive felt disrespectful, but the intent was to provide our stakeholders with current, dynamic skills development solutions that would aid and support their unique needs while being globally comparable and competitive, especially where our virtual and e-learning solutions were concerned.
3. Change the Enterprise – Not for one moment can we feel like we are done or that we have arrived. If the organization is not evolving, we will be left behind. Omni has a culture of being a groundbreaker. We are comfortable to test and pilot new and innovative ways of doing things but will never compromise one of the key fundamental pillars of our business – creating standards other are drawn to.
4. Comfortable with Ambiguity – Now more than ever this is a reality. Policies, economics and frameworks are ambiguous and change daily. If we are not able to adapt and navigate ambiguity it will result in us waiting for clarity – why not be part of the clarity creators?Test theories, try models – doesn’t the best business lessons come from failure? At Omni, we pride ourselves on wanting to be part of scenario planning for ambiguous parameters.
5. Innovation – drive innovation to the benefit of the recipient, in our space our “recipients” are our learners and clients We tend to start with the needs of the end-user and consider what innovation will support them and help them succeed. After all, we are in the business of solution-provision and helping solve complex problems to the benefit of all our stakeholders.
6. Alter the Status Quo – I think there is nothing more damaging than being close-minded. Allow your teams and staff to challenge how things are done. Encourage your leaders to try new ways of doing things. I believe you will be very surprised by the level of innovation and creative solutions that could lead to great wins in both productivity and cost-effectiveness.
7. Invent New Business Models – Once you engage your teams across the 6 parameters (listed above) you will be astounded by the new innovative business models that will emerge. Harnessing collective creativity across a diverse organization leads to great strides in business model adaptation.

I am a firm believer that cultivating creativity in an organization will help navigate the future, especially the future we will be facing … one that is chaotic and filled with change.

May I encourage you to continue to make small changes in this time of ambiguity and chaos; and may the changes be filled with the creative and innovative flair that will support your short-term survival and long-term sustainability.

Until next time,

With Regards,
Lize Moldenhauer

Heeding the pleas for Post-Schooling and Workplace-Based Learning to continue, Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA’s) have collaborated positively with Skills Development Providers and Skills Development Levy paying organisations.

Considering the current lockdown, there is understandably an impact on planned Skills Development initiatives, which will have both short and long-term effects on organisations, their B-BBEE strategies and the development of scarce and critical skills. Not forgetting the learners committed and motivated to complete their studies and who wish to continue doing so.

Providers who meet the following checklist requirements are encouraged to engage the SETA for provisional approval to offer online learning and exit current learners through external moderation.

Online platforms that can facilitate the following:

• Learners can complete assessments online and submit Portfolios of Evidence (PoE) electronically.
• Providers can assess and moderate electronic submissions of portfolios online.
• Providers can schedule External Moderation by providing login details to the SETA for access to electronic portfolios.
• SETA verifiers can conduct external moderation electronically.

The checklist for compliance also evaluates if the Provider has the following in place:

• Suitably qualified Facilitators, Assessors and Moderators to offer the online solution
• A robust Quality Management System (QMS) to implement online learning and quality assessment and moderation practices with related review mechanisms
• A detailed Programme Strategy including: Alignment matrix, Notional Hour Matrix, Facilitator, Assessor and Moderation Guide
• A Learner Management System allowing for storing of learner data and the pulling of detailed reports

OMNI’s vision to have a significant and positive impact on Outcomes-Based Education in South Africa led to Digital Transformation Strategies that saw the launch of our e-Learning platform.  We ensured that it met the quality and compliance parameters of the South African Qualifications Act (SAQA), Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and the Council ​on Higher Education (CHE).

What does this all mean in the context of learning and where we find ourselves as a country? 

OMNI is now able to continue to offer accredited learning through our online platform and successfully exit learners. 

At a time where classroom training is restricted, but Workplace Skills Planning is still due at the end of May, and B-BBEE strategies and aligned budgets are rigorously being discussed around the (virtual) Board Room table, perhaps the latest SETA Communication is just what we need to address some of the current challenges and concerns.

Embrace the new world of work with certainty as Omni makes accredited online delivery a reality. We are here to support you in crafting a learning and development solution that best meets both your organizational objectives and human capital needs.

Visit our website at www.omnihrc.com or get in touch via email: [email protected] and one of our customer relationship managers will be in touch.

My Recommended Reading List:

Discover your True North by Bill George

Exponential Organization by Salim Ismail

Whilst organisations generally see the benefits and love the advanced way of looking at learning, the barriers to technology and data are continually raised as a concern. If anything, Covid-19 has taught us that online learning is a real possibility and potentially part of our ‘new normal’. More and more of our clients have engaged us over the past four weeks to support them in shifting their culture to one that is accepting of online learning. We have begun to co-create innovative and creative ways in which to expedite the culture shift to digital and the associated strategic implementation that will be required for our online solutions to support their skills development needs and strategies for sustainability.

Q3: What do you foresee the long- and short-term effects of the lockdown will be on organisations’ BBBEE strategies?

CL: Skills development as an element on the BBBEE scorecard requires that on the onset of the financial year, organisations had to strategise and evaluate their skills-development strategies, associated spend and the number of student/learners/interns that would need to be enrolled on Categories A to G to meet their targets. With the fluctuation in their revenue, depending on the realised impact of Covid-19 on business, and potential retrenchments in the months to come, it will force organisations to re-evaluate their various skills-development strategies.

Having said this, BBBEE should not be a stand-alone strategy. It should be an integrated strategy linked to strategic drivers. Understanding the skills requirement for short-term turnaround and long-term sustainability is our collective ethical responsibility. Covid-19 will have far researching implications beyond lockdown. We need to build our future skills to enable people to be relevant, skilled and employable and that is bigger than linear short-term considerations.

Q4: How will the lockdown affect the development of scarce and critical skills? Do you think the type of skills in demand might change?

CL: The impact is likely to be quite positive but will create lots of disruption for the SETA landscape in terms of re-framing what is currently considered scarce and critical skills. There are opportunities for entrepreneurs to challenge the status quo and to move with more agility in coming up with creative and innovative solutions to the challenges Covid-19. We will likely see an expediting of South Africa’s growth curve into the 4^th Industrial Revolution and the much-needed digital transformation strategies. The scarce and critical skills were already somewhat outdated and with the technology we are seeing come to the fore now, this means these will seriously need to be revised if we want to remain globally relevant and locally sustainable.

Q5: There is sure to have been a significant increase in demand for e-learning facilities since the outbreak on Covid-19 and the lockdown. What do you think will happen once we finally go back to ‘normal’?

CL: There will be a change and an increase in demand for e-learning facilities. We would need to take the time to frame, within the accredited learning landscape, what is compliant accredited e-learning. But here we will not have the privilege of months and years to formalise this learning framework. We will need to move with speed and agility as the demand increases. We will either be adapting, or we will be left behind. In many cases, organisations in the ETD landscape will be forced to adapt. Education at all levels in South Africa is critical to continue. And we need this for economic sustainability and to unlock future entrepreneurs who will aid economic stimulation.

Q6: How difficult has it been to make the transition to fully-online operational?

JS: Omni has a very clearly defined Digital Transformation Strategy (DTS) that has seen us transition to an e-learning platform that meets the SAQA, DHET and CHE guidelines and criteria for online learning, over the past 18 months.

We have been in a privileged position, as our DTS has allowed us to transition overnight. The impact has been marginal, with our biggest hurdle being supporting clients with learning culture adaptation to support online and virtual, and to help learners with access to resources like data.

Q7: In order to obtain approval from SETA to offer online learning and exit current learners, organisations are evaluated through a compliance checklist. What are the most difficult points to check off, and how do you go about becoming compliant?

JS: The biggest barrier on the checklist, is helping the SETA to understand how the e-learning is able to meet the requirements of the notional hours of learning – proving that learners have actually completed all the learning components and are suitably ready for assessment.

Omni has addressed this by ensuring our online content aligns directly to our face-to-face content that has already been accredited by the SETA. This means that the learning already meets the learning outcomes required of the qualification, it is just the learning methodology that has changed.

We have also built comprehensive learner-tracking and reporting mechanisms. This means that we can determine if learners have in fact completed the learning, and we can follow up with those that have not through coaching conversations before it impacts assessment decisions.

Learner-tracking and data integrity are key.

Q8: Omni’s vision to significantly positively impact on outcomes-based education in South Africa, led to digital transformation strategies that saw the launch of an e-learning platform. How did the organisation ensure that it met the quality and compliance parameters of the South African Qualifications Act (SAQA), Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and the Council for Higher Education (CHE)?

JS: Omni has a very skilled and credible Quality Assurance, Risk and Compliance team consisting of individuals with years of knowledge and experience spanning across all three sub-frameworks – Schooling, Post Schooling/Further Education and Training and Higher Education. The combination of academics and operational heads has ensured that we keep up to date with research and current developments within our industry, ensuring that we are able to consistently align to and drive industry standards.

Our aim is to be an active member of the educational and skills development value chain and support our compliance and regulatory bodies with excellence. Furthermore, we are actively involved in research and developing new bodies of knowledge (models, systems, processes) to ensure credibility and quality, thus playing an active role in our sector.

Q9: Omni can offer online learning through their e-learning platform OmniStack and successfully exit learners – How do learners register and get started?

JS: Navigate to our Omni website at www.omnihrc.com which provides insight into our business and people development solutions. Individuals can register online for our public courses; alternatively, contact one of our customer relationship consultants.

Omni’s online course offering can be viewed at www.omnistackconnect.omnihrc.com.

Mobile learning features more prominently in the education sphere than it did a decade ago. There has been unprecedented growth in mobile learning that is tied with increased internet and platform coverage, as well as other technological improvements throughout South Africa. As mobile learning becomes more widespread, its importance grows as a vital factor for education in this country, and as this dynamic take shape, it is critical that it receives recognition from relevant authorities and receives the support that it deserves.

Mobile learning is thought to be limiting and that is why it is not shared in occupational learning and higher education as a priority. As technology evolves, m-Learning can provide learning to anyone in the country in both remote and urban areas because it uses a smartphone to provide the content and lectures, not relying on transportation or movement to an institution of learning.

This is not to say, however, that there is no interest from the authorities. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Numerous governmental and non-governmental programmes have been initiated over the last decade. A few examples are noted:

m-Learning got its first kick-start in 2009 with a project called MELFA which was a programme specifically aimed at teaching people suffering from dyslexia. In South Africa, the programme was used to teach dyslexia-suffering construction employees.

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research later developed a programme called Dr Maths. In conjunction with a local university, high school learners were able to communicate with lecturers about mathematics-related problems.

Another good example is that of bringing books to mobile phones. One such successful initiative seeks to increase literacy in South Africa by making books available in multiple languages for m-reading. This success of this initiative is significant in both South Africa and Kenya and has been active since 2010.

Of course, there are many other examples that are too numerous to mention here. Suffice it to say that they exist, and they cater to specific niches that require educational attention. Progressing from individual contributions to the theme, however, requires a broad view from the top. In this regard, it is useful to look at how South Africa implements and has implemented UNESCO's guidelines on enabling m-Learning in a national context.

UNESCO has developed guidelines to help countries develop their own approaches to m-Learning. Assessing how South Africa has responded is critical for the progress of m-Learning in this country.

Firstly, South Africa has acknowledged the importance of Open Distance Learning in supporting its education system and enacting a policy towards it (Aluko, 2017).

Secondly, several documents have been identified as being important in the field of Information and Communication Technology in terms of m-Learning. The policies were drawn up within a framework of the government's broader economic, social, and development strategy (Isaacs, 2007, in Aluko, 2017). The most important policy here is the Policy for the Provision of Distance Education in South African Universities in the Context of an Integrated Post-school System which has been enacted and has gone through the proper legislative process (Aluko, 2017).

It is important, however, to keep in mind UNESCO's guidelines with regards its policy for m-Learning. Braun and Clarke (2006, in Aluko 2017) identify ten themes that are encompassed by these guidelines:     

1. Policy updates/creation
2.  Training teachers
3.  Teacher support
4.  Developing educational content
5.  Gender equality
6.  Improving connectivity
7.  Equal access
8.  Safe and responsible use
9.  Improved communication and education management
10.  Awareness through advocacy, leadership and dialogue

What is clear is that these themes are compatible and even espoused by our national constitution. As such, they form a backbone for the consideration towards education that has been envisioned as being the cornerstone of South Africa as a socially progressive nation.

It is our collective responsibility as business and industry to explore opportunities for learning delivery which are progressive and most importantly accessible.   Get in touch with Omni HR Consulting, should you wish to discuss opportunities to help your organisation move to digital learning platforms.  We can support learning delivery, through our online learning platform, OmniStack, which is adaptable and accessible to most devices (including mobile) and operating systems

Contributor: Greg Beyer
Researcher at Omni Academy for Education, Training and Development

References: 

Aluko, R. 2017. "Applying UNESCO Guidelines on Mobile Learning in the South African Context: Creating an Enabling Environment through Policy" in International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, Volume 18, Number 7.

Jantjies, M. and Joy, M. "Lessons learnt from teachers’ perspectives on mobile learning in South Africa with cultural and linguistic constraints" in South African Journal of Education · August 2016

Yoza Project: https://m4lit.wordpress.com/about-the-project/ (Accessed 21/04/2020)

Internet access and challenges to mobile learning in South Africa are not unique. Geographically, South Africa ranks as the 25^th biggest country in the world with population centres scattered throughout the country in cities that are more spread out than their European counterparts. In addition to this, there is a large rural population.

These facts are important when considering the logistics of mobile learning. While the internet mitigates problems caused by distance, there are the logistics of internet coverage to consider, and as South Africa is still considered to be very much a country with a developing economy and infrastructure, there are many who do not benefit from internet coverage. In many areas’ bandwidth is slow or simply nonexistent.

For providers, costs versus profit have to be considered when rolling out services and for customers and potential customers, there are also significant expenditures which need to be considered. The latter is a specific obstacle especially since the consensus is that data prices in South Africa are unusually high.

Establishing internet coverage, however, brings with it a new challenge. How does one use the service? One cannot disregard the fact that there are many South Africans, especially in the rural areas who do not have the means to afford smartphones and data contracts that are capable of bringing the mobile learning experience to them. This is not a challenge that is being ignored. As of October 2019 smartphones are being produced in South Africa with the intent of being affordable for and easily accessible to lower-income groups. In this regard, it can be seen that businesses are showing significant interest in this market. Additionally, as we have seen recently, data prices have been reduced in response to legal requirements.

Of course, many other challenges also need to be taken into consideration. On the part of the provider, there is the need to factor in what kind of software to use for the mobile learning platform, and this needs to consider various things such as user-friendliness, content security and information privacy, desired learning experience, and compatibility with the user's device of choice for receiving instruction. Fortunately, there is software already developed that is free to use and can be easily accessed and downloaded. In this regard, programmers are not needed to create software from scratch. Experts are, however, required to install the software correctly and to adjust it to all the requirements. In addition to software considerations, it is also important to attend to technical support for students as well as teachers.

Many of these challenges should not be seen as problems, but opportunities for business development that serve as important avenues of enriching South African society. As the need for digital transformation grows, these services will become more necessary and more in demand. Envisioning and acting on these opportunities will no doubt be a benefit to the South African entrepreneurial market. Indeed, it can even be viewed that the current national lockdown is forcing people to explore digital options that they were reticent in investigating beforehand. In this way, the lockdown is shaping a dynamic that will end up having positive effects in this regard. Learning should continue, even during a crisis as it provides the opportunity for development during challenging times.

In a previously released opinion piece, titled: e-Learning in a new era we noted that learning in an e-Learning fashion is flexible and bypasses physical and financial barriers; e-Learning provides access – which many, under “normal” circumstances, could not afford.

Irrespective of the chosen device (mobile, desktop, tablet) a user opts for, one thing is evident – providing a learner (end-user) with options to educational avenues best suited to their circumstances and skills development needs places the learner in the centre of driving how, where and when they want to learn. We do not subscribe that learning is one-dimensional, but rather that it is complex and there we have developed OmniStack, our e-Learning platform, with blended learning models that allow for customized application.