Lafarge develops employee talent through e‐learning

Purpose – The number of companies using remote learning solutions to develop talent and skills has witnessed an upsurge in recent years. Thanks to Web 2.0 and other types of technology, classroom learning or “traditional distance learning” offers have undergone a major transformation. E‐learning has become an indispensable tool, especially for globally dispersed companies wishing to respond to modern day management and leadership challenges. The aim of this paper is to explore e‐learning within the context of global talent management. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses the experiences of Lafarge, an international industrial company specialising in four major products (cement, concrete, aggregates, and gypsum), as a case study. Findings – Lafarge's initial experience with e‐learning solutions from provider CrossKnowledge has proved to be particularly efficient and effective. After the successful launch of 140 CrossKnowledge modules in four languages (Chinese, Spanish, English and French), which are currently used by 40,000 employees within the framework of a corporate university, Lafarge plans to develop Arabic and is currently working on a pilot of around ten modules with a view to developing more in the near future. Polish modules are available too. Additionally, the company is continuing to develop tailor‐made modules in‐house. For Lafarge, e‐learning is an ongoing project and the company intends to migrate towards its own “knowledge communities” offer, thereby departing from the formal learning offer in order to be able to manage and operate a more “informal learning” programme. Originality/value – This ambitious venture has enabled Lafarge to create an equal skills base for managers in over 80 different countries all across the globe and ensure that the people responsible for running the operation abroad understand corporate strategy and managerial requirements in order to develop staff locally. This is a useful case study for leadership and management training and HR professionals operating within a global organisation.