About
Thomson Reuters is a major multinational mass media and information firm founded in Toronto, Canada. Impact and Thomson Reuters created a world-class development experience that developed their high-potential future leaders, driving innovation, collaboration and globalisation within their business. Generate was a blended learning programme, combining virtual and face-to-face experiential learning. It won multiple awards for developing future leaders, retaining top talent and building global capability.
Thomson Reuters wanted to create a world-class development experience that would develop their high potential future leaders. The Generate programme was designed to develop future leaders who are capable of providing excellent and emotionally intelligent leadership in a global work environment. Thomson Reuters chose Impact as a partner who could bring their vision to life and secure their talent pipeline.
Generate had three overarching business objectives:
- Develop future leaders
- Retain top talent
- Build global capability.
Generate was an 11-week blended learning experience split over four phases. It centred around delivering a strategic business project to a community client in India. The tight timescale was made more challenging as the participants only met once face-to-face during the process. Thomson Reuters chose a blended learning approach as it accurately reflected their everyday challenge of working in a fast-moving global organisation.
Impact created a unique programme that combined virtual and in-person experiential learning. It included facilitated team webinars, a multi-media learning portal and an in-company collaboration site. The groups were engaged in problem solving projects, disclosure and planning sessions. This enabled them to collaborate virtually to maintain engagement and creativity and to drive results. Formal facilitation decreased through the journey, replaced by peer-led development with online support.
The four phases were:
- Engage: Four-week virtual learning phase that developed self, team and organisational awareness.
- Consult: One-week consultancy in a rapidly developing economy providing business consultancy services for a local community partner.
- Lead: Six weeks of virtual collaboration to deliver against the business project, concluded with a virtual presentation to the client in India and Generate’s Executive Sponsor.
- Excel: Ongoing performance in the business, applied learning, mentoring via alumni networks.
Award winning
Thomson Reuters and Impact were accredited with three awards in the UK and USA. The awards were for developing tomorrow's leaders and best use of technology in learning.
Return on investment
Key business objectives were measured 6-18 months post programme.
- Develop future leaders: 75% of Generate participants had received a promotion, 23% had been promoted twice.
- Retain top talent: 95% of Generate participants still worked with Thomson Reuters.
- Build global capability: 96% felt more effective working in global teams.
Post-programme participant feedback also showed:
93% learned and tried new behaviours/actions that will make them a better leader.
96% were equipped with practical skills they can apply back on the job.
96% are more committed to the organisation.
100% agreed it gave them the opportunity to give back meaningfully to a community.