Abstract:

As the corona-virus pandemic continues to rage, organisations around the world are faced with navigating one of the most challenging economic situations seen for a generation. The sheer survival of business and education systems, as we have known them, have been threatened as staff have been furloughed, with some countries effectively paying citizens not to work. Unemployment rates continue to soar globally while University applications have been severely impacted. Time will tell if societal adjustments will be permanent; particularly as the scientific debate continues on whether immunity from the virus is possible or not (with or without a vaccine). The previously ‘taken for granted’ ability to work / go to work, has now been infiltrated by the need for constant risk assessment at the personal level with people weighing up contagion and risk to life decisions, on a daily basis, simply to undertake daily routines. The previous preserve of wealthier societies, homeschooling, has fast become one of the new frontlines as societies adjust. Of note, is the reality that the move to homeschooling presupposes that all parents and guardians of children in mainstream education have the means and ability to, not only teach and educate their children, but to do so consistently at the level required to ensure their children are not educationally disadvantaged long-term. It is against such an uncertain and shifting backdrop, that employers are having to rapidly reconsider their approach to how work is organised; how employees are managed and whether coming to work is even necessary in order to conduct business. Now, more than ever, managing scale and the capacity to cope, are becoming central competencies - not just of leaders but for all employees. A leveling of some hierarchical systems seems inevitable. As such, organisations who can continue to function are looking to rethink the working environment. To do so, it is considered that learning, education and development remain central components which require ongoing support and investment. As such, this article examines the extent to which employees' learning needs have adjusted during the pandemic; the coping strategies which people have learnt, adopted and continue to augment; and whether employers have supported employees’ learning and development needs, or not, at this time. The study also considers the challenge for employees with caring responsibilities, including the education of children in their care. Therefore, this paper will examine data collected from professionals in the banking; education; IT; HR, hospitality and SME sectors in determining what impact the pandemic has had on their learning. The extant literature on Human Resource Development, Education as well as the Online learning field will also be examined. In doing so, this study seeks to establish a compendium of factors necessary for ongoing organisational learning to flourish during a pandemic. It also seeks to argue that an organisational learning culture can be both maintained and enhanced during the global covid-19 crisis for the mutual benefit of employers and employees. As such this study proposes that covid-19 has indeed been a powerful educator which has pushed the boundaries of learning, development, teaching and innovation within business and education, at all levels and settings, albeit through its devastating nature.

Keywords:

Education, educator, learning, development, teaching, knowledge, Online learning, organisational learning, pandemic, coronavirus, covid 19, virtual learning, distance learning, human resources, instructional design.