Professional development for Staff via Remote Learning
The unusual and unique circumstances that have brought us into the remote working world may not be the most ‘ideal.’ Still, it is an opportunity for us to pivot – not pause, especially within the realm of learning and development.
In these times, ISKL continues to invest in our most valuable asset – our people! Even when working remotely, we can continue our exciting journey of building a culture of learning at ISKL to be more inclusive, equitable, and accessible to all members of our community. This is done through the development of a structured knowledge base where continuous learning is facilitated through a collaborative online platform.
Our staff was involved in exchanging knowledge and providing input towards the overall direction of their learning and growth by seeking to nurture their personal growth and professional development.
Working together with our leadership team, we were also able to identify elements to be incorporated into a dedicated knowledge base for the staff – or what we now call our ‘ISKL Essentials.’
This framework puts forth eight-core essentials, namely, ISKL Vision & Mission, Culture, Confidentiality, Effective Communication, Wellness & Safety, Stakeholder Management, Technology & Systems Management, and Technical Skill-sets, alongside 5 Leadership Essentials: Personal Excellence, Coaching, Leading Change, Assignment Management, and being Results-Oriented. All of these essentials align to ISKL’s core values.
Most importantly, the ISKL Essentials framework is crafted by the staff, for the staff, and serves as a guide for structuring our learning and professional development to be even more intentional.
With the shift to working remotely, we have been able to flip the perspective that learning was traditionally conducted while still maintaining a strong sense of collaboration and community among the staff.
Using the technology readily available to us at ISKL, staff are now able to access curated online training programs via a dedicated website and Google Classroom. Through these platforms, we were able to consolidate a wide variety of mini-courses on G-Suite applications, MacProTips tutorials, as well as MOOCs like Coursera and Esol, amongst other resources; all of which are in line with the ISKL Essentials Framework.
Additionally, the platform is an excellent way to encourage the staff to collaborate and share learning resources, as learning is best achieved when we’re learning from each other!
With our whole community working as one in embracing the opportunities that have arisen out of these unpredictable times, one thing remains unchanged for sure. Our dedication towards uplifting our community, supporting the growth of our staff and faculty, and our relentless pursuit of continuing to build a culture of learning that is inclusive, intentional, and accessible to all.
About Ika Awa Muzawal
Ika is the Talent and Culture Development Lead at ISKL. After graduating from ISKL in 2007, she read Law in the United Kingdom and began her 9-year legal career in Malaysia as a financial and securities regulator. Subsequently, Ika was appointed as legal counsel for a public listed company before taking on her role here.
