MindLeaders: Fueling the Learning Revolution

Meeting California sexual harassment regulations

Today is California Sexual Harassment day! California's finalized version of AB1825 sexual harassment training requirements (California Code of Regulations section 7288) goes into effect today. To "celebrate," MindLeaders is releasing two fliers and a mini white paper about the California requirements and our Sexual Harassment in the Workplace series. We've been in a flurry of activity since these regulations were finalized a month ago to review our series with a panel of industry experts to make sure that the courses can meet those sexual harassment compliance needs, and we're very proud of the final products.

Connecticut and Maine also have state-mandated sexual harassment training requirements. Their regulations are less stringent and specific than California, and the MindLeaders Sexual Harassment in the Workplace series meets the requirements of all three states plus the need in any state for encouraging a safe workplace and avoiding litigation.

What are the next big compliance needs that you have in your workplace? We always love to hear any input about training needs that you'd like to see us meet.

How much useful learning video would be available via YouTube?

This is a bit of a continuation on my earlier post about YouTube for the corporate audience. Seth Godin had a very simple and important thought today about video: "People that would never read a 200 page book will happily watch a three minute video." That's certainly true (although I'd quibble with how many pages of a book you get per minute), and he links to some excellent examples of videos that are already available online that present powerful information.

I'm still not convinced, though, that these examples equate to corporate training needs. They certainly meet author and promotional training needs, but is it the same thing as putting an employee orientation video or software instructional clip on the open market? How many of our training needs could be meet by a YouTube that offers snippets of information, probably from the companies that own the software or tool being taught? Would it be a viable training resource?

YouTube for the corporate market?

I've been meaning to comment on this CyberNet article which says that YouTube will have a corporate version soon. CyberNet sees a use for it to allow employees worldwide to access a company's training videos, but I think that will only be a use if content can be protected by passwords, only allowed to be viewed within a company. I can't picture most companies, which are only slowly beginning to embrace Web 2.0 for public information, making their private corporate resources available to all.

There could be some interesting applications, though. Training and promotional videos that are meant for public consumption could be put onto a public clearinghouse. Everyone could view how to use IBM products or the latest products from Dell.

And no one would have to miss Wendy's 1980s training videos. Oh wait, we can see that part on YouTube now.

Do you see your company making use of a corporate YouTube?