Social networking and collaboration, integrated learning and talent
management, and training the extended enterprise are among
today’s important trends in workforce technology, according to
delegates at Cornerstone OnDemand’s client and partner
conference, Convergence 2008.
Cornerstone OnDemand has hosted Convergence 2008, Cornerstone’s
annual client and partner conference. The event, which took place from
12th to 15th May at The Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica, California,
brought together industry thought leaders and organisations from around
the globe to discuss best practice and the emerging trends in
successful talent management strategies.
In addition, a primary focus of the conference was ‘client
success’ – how clients can reap even more benefits and
value creation from their Cornerstone deployments.
Highlights from the event include:
- Dr John Boudreau, Research Director at the Center for Effective
Organizations and Professor at the Marshall School of Business at the
University of Southern California, gave a keynote speech -
‘Beyond HR to Talentship: A New Science of Human Capital’ -
in which he discussed the importance of identifying pivotal roles
within organisations as well as his breakthrough work on ‘talent
decision science’ that challenges business leaders to make their
talent a true source of competitive advantage.
- Heidi Spirgi,
President of Knowledge Infusion, a strategic workforce consulting
organisation, who spoke on ‘Emerging Trends in Talent Management:
People, Process and Technology’. Spirgi discussed how talent
management requires a paradigm shift in the way HR defines its mission
and measures its success, and went on to show how leading organisations
are redesigning people structures, rethinking talent processes and
using new technologies to transform the way talent is managed.
- In
a well attended session which attracted interest from representatives
of some of the world's largest companies, Vincent Belliveau,
Cornerstone OnDemand's General Manager EMEA, spoke on how to prepare
for, and deliver, global multi-country, multi-brand learning and talent
management programmes.
- The conference’s Talent Management
Industry Analyst panel brought together some of the most well-respected
industry experts at the forefront of the learning and talent management
industry today. The panel included Josh Bersin, President of Bersin
& Associates; Jason Corsello, Vice President of the Center of
Excellence at Knowledge Infusion; and Claire Schooley, Senior Analyst
at Forrester Research. Each brought a unique perspective on trends and
best practices for effective human capital management. Connecting
people through social networking collaboration emerged as an important
theme - and a key pillar in an integrated talent management strategy.
- Josh
Bersin also led a session on ‘Enduring Organizations’,
discussing how strong companies that we all know and respect put
strategies in place that are responsible for their lasting success.
- Cornerstone
OnDemand previewed their upcoming compensation module and their social
networking and collaboration platform, Cornerstone Connect.
- Conference
sponsors included Astadia, Core Competence, Element K, getAbstract,
Intrepid, Lominger International, MindLeaders, People at Work AG,
rapidLD, and We Comply.
- Cornerstone clients Arthur J.
Gallagher, BECU, Pearson, Pitney Bowes, Trend Micro, United Stationers,
and Websense won awards, honouring them for their innovative uses of,
and success with, Cornerstone OnDemand products and solutions.
Many
of the sessions discussed and underlined the importance of integrating
learning and talent management; the impact of social networking and
collaboration on workforce performance and engagement; and the
opportunity to train the extended enterprise to positively affect an
organisation’s bottom line.
Convergence was an excellent
opportunity to share best practice, knowledge and collaborate with
Cornerstone clients, thought leaders and partners," said Chris
Stewart, Director of Learning Services, Ticketmaster. "We
particularly appreciated the focus on client success - something
Cornerstone seems fully committed to, day to day."
"This
year was a monumental one for the conference," said Adam Miller,
CEO of Cornerstone OnDemand. "It was a true convergence of top
thought leaders, leading analysts, and Cornerstone’s valued
clients and partners. The most rewarding aspect is seeing
people connect to share their innovative and integrated approaches to
how they manage talent with Cornerstone."