Intergenerational Learning in SMEs · -Knowledge about: (1) methods and strategies to promote the...

Key Action 2 – STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS “Work Based Intergenerational Learning in SME - a Key Factor for Success” Agreement No. 2014-1-DE02-KA202-001391 www.wings4success.eu

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Intergenerational Learning in SMEs

Training profile “Facilitator

Intergenerational Learning”

IO3

www.ihk-projekt.de

www.bfi-tirol.at

www.cambraterrassa.es

www.mentortec.eu

www.forth.gr

http://www.wings4success.eu/

http://www.ihk-projekt.de/

http://www.bfi-tirol.at/

http://www.cambraterrassa.es/

http://www.mentortec.eu/

http://www.forth.gr/


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CONTENTS

Summary ........................................................................................................................................ 3

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 4

Qualification Profile for IGL Facilitator of SMEs ............................................................................... 5

Annexes ........................................................................................................................................ 12



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Summary

The main objective of O3 – Training profile “Facilitator Intergenerational Learning” is to design and

develop a qualification profile for intergenerational learning (IGL) facilitator to support SMEs, its

Managers and Human Resources (HR) Managers, in the promotion of the IGL in their SMEs. This

qualification profile will contain different requirements of a facilitator for IGL in SMEs and its design

is based on the needs of SMEs identified during the activities of the O2 – Case study SME. Once

designed and validated this qualification profile for IGL facilitator will be incorporated in O5 –

Training Curricula for WINGS4success Facilitator.

The purpose of the present document is to introduce the strategy, methodology used for the design

and development of the Qualification Profile for IGL Facilitator of SMEs, as well as the qualification

itself. In detail, the Qualification Profile for IGL Facilitator of SMEs includes:

Functional qualification;

General description;

Tasks and responsibilities;

Qualification and experience;

Competences, in terms of:

o Managerial and organisational skills;

o Social and communication skills;

o Personal skills.

The process of designing and developing the qualification profile for IGL facilitator of SMEs started

based on the feedback collected from the needs analysis performed in the beginning of the project

(during the implementation of O2), and combines results from a set of analytical instruments and

tools, such as surveys and interviews.

This document will present in detail the several technical steps that have been implemented by the

consortium for the accomplishment of the Qualification Profile for IGL Facilitator of SMEs.



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Introduction

The WINGS4success project supported by the European Commission under the Erasmus+

Programme, aims at encouraging and supporting SMEs (including, its entrepreneurs and HR

managers) to promote the IGL at the workplace.

In detail, the WINGS4success project aims at designing and developing a training profile,

curriculum and toolbox to be available to SMEs’ entrepreneurs and HR managers:

1. Allowing them to develop skills to design, monitor and assess the implementation of IGL

strategies and practices in their SMEs;

2. Enable them to engage the SMEs’ workers in the promotion of the IGL at the workplace

To accomplish these aims, the project will generate the following results:

Designing a qualification profile for the Facilitator in IGL at the workplace;

Developing the Facilitator’s toolbox to support the promotion of the IGL in SMEs, which

includes:

o Online-modules for IGL at the workplace;

o Creative consulting tool for IGL;

o Practical recommendations for SMEs for the promotion of the IGL at the workplace;

o Intergenerational competences assessment.

Training curricula and materials for the Facilitator of IGL at the workplace.

By developing these products, the consortium expects to:

Raise awareness and inform the community about the impact of demographic changes in

SMEs;

Promote the philosophy of “Learning Organization” in SMEs, as an essential step for the

promotion of IGL;

Endow SMEs and its workers of competences and tools for the promotion of IGL at the

workplace;

Involve SMEs and its workers in the identification, design and implementation of tools to

support the promotion of IGL.



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Functional Profile for IGL Facilitator of SMEs

Based on the main findings resulting from the implementation of the activities of O2 – Case Study

SME, which combined the collection of surveys with the development of interviews, partners were

able to question SMEs’ managers and/or HR managers in order to:

get a general idea of the IGL situation in SMEs;

examine if there is a certain sensibility, attitude and practice/handling of the entrepreneur or

HR managers regarding IGL;

filter if there are and to get good practice examples from SMEs regarding their

handling/practice with IGL;

get an idea on how relevant and important a specific IGL qualification/training for

companies might be;

screen how companies would envision the role and specific tasks of a trained IGL

facilitator/delegate in SMEs.

Thus, one of the main contributions of this previous study was the collection of relevant information

for the definition of the Qualification Profile for IGL Facilitator of SMEs, namely for the identification

of its tasks and responsibilities, knowledge and experience, competences required1 and any other

relevant requirements identified by partners. All partners had the opportunity to contribute for the

development of this qualification profile by filling in the template (see Annex I) and make it

available at the projects’ platform.

Therefore, having as basis the objectives and expected impact of the project and the main findings

collected during the research and need analysis phase, a final Qualification Profile for IGL

Facilitator of SMEs was designed. This qualification profile is strategic for the development of the

further intellectual outputs and provides a clear and detailed idea of the role, responsibilities,

expertise and competences that a facilitator of IGL in SMEs should have to actively and

successfully promote the intergenerational learning at the workplace. In spite of providing specific

and detailed information, this profile was structured in order to guarantee its implementation in

different SMEs of different countries and for this purpose, specific information at national level (O2

- Case Study SME) was used in its designing.

1 Including (1) managerial and organisational skills, (2) social and communication skills and (3) personal skills.



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Functional qualification Functional Profile for Intergenerational Learning Facilitator of SMEs

Brief description Ensure the structuring, implementation, monitoring and assessment of the strategies of IGL to be implemented in the SME.

Activities

1. Identify the needs of the SMEs and its

workers related to the promotion of IGL at the workplace

1.1. Know the SME’s profile (e.g. sector, size, functional organogram (job/function profile), strategic

plan, HR policy and structure, etc.);

1.2. Know the reality of the IGL in the SME (e.g. understand the specific skills and competences of

younger and older employees, be familiar with the different methods and instruments used in SME for the promotion of the IGL (explicit and implicit));

1.3. Promote initiatives/activities to raise awareness about the relevance of the IGL to the SME and

to support the identification of the specific needs of the enterprise at this level (e.g. focus-group with managers and heads departments, informational sessions engaging workers, implement a self-assessment to managers and heads departments, etc.);

1.4 Promote the communication and interaction between managers (including executives, HR

managers, and head of departments) and workers since the first moment of the process for the promotion of IGL in the SME.

2. Planning, implementation and monitoring of

initiatives/activities for the promotion of the IGL in the SME

2.1. Choose/select suitable methods and instruments according to the SME’s profile and needs at

IGL promotion level;

2.2. Design/adapt supporting documents/tools to the promotion of the IGL in SME, engaging

managers, HR managers and/or heads of departments in this process;

2.3. Promote initiatives/activities to introduce the strategy for the promotion of the IGL in the SME

(e.g. workshops of discussion, panels of bright ideas, suggestions box, etc.);

2.4. Support the establishment and/or organisation of the process of knowledge management and

transference, engaging strategic groups on it.

3. Assessment of the impact of the

initiatives/activities for the promotion of the IGL in the SME

3.1. Design a process and supporting tools for the assessment of the impact of the strategies for the

promotion of IGL in the SME, involving all the staff in this process;

3.2. Assess the impact of the strategies for the promotion of IGL in the SME, involving all the staff in

this process (e.g. final self-assessment about IGL promotion, focus-group with strategic groups, individual or group meetings, etc.);

3.3. Promote initiatives/activities to promote the knowledge among all enterprise about the impact of

the strategies for the promotion of IGL in the SME (e.g. general meeting, internal document, video promotion, etc.);

3.4. Update/adapt the strategy for the IGL promotion according to the main findings about this

impact.

Qualification, knowledge and experience

- Qualification and/or experience (of at least 2 years) in managing people; - Qualification and/or training on: communication in SMEs, team-mediation, coaching, moderation, negotiation; - Knowledge about: (1) methods and strategies to promote the learning between different generations, (2) how to organise an age-based workplace; (3) the concept of learning at the workplace;

- Know-how to use platforms for e-learning and self-study.



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Competences

Managerial and

organisational skills

- Ability to design structured and explicit initiatives/activities for promotion of IGL (if and whenever necessary), based on already existing implicit IGL activities among staff;

- Ability to have a strategic vision of the SME and of the role/impact of the promotion of the IGL on its success and competitiveness;

- Ability to identify “critical positions” in the SME and incorporate them as possibilities of improvement of it;

- Ability to match the enterprise needs with the competences, motivations and interests of its workers (How to engage workers in the enterprise and promote their individual happiness?);

- Ability to design and structure strategies for the promotion of IGL to be implemented in the SME;

- Ability to use technical tools/solutions for knowledge management and transference;

- Ability to manage and guide teams of workers;

- Ability to plan, lead and manage meetings, discussions and other activities involving different teams;

- Ability to anticipate constrains and difficulties and define strategies to overcome them;

- Ability to manage time and resources;

- Ability to review process and adapt the strategies according to the SMEs’ needs and expectations.

- Ability to observe and analyse processes, interactions/relationships and needs.

Social and communication

skills

- Ability to interact with different colleagues guaranteeing the equality of treatment and a clear communication;

- Ability to promote and facilitate the communication between managers (including executives, HR managers, and head of departments) and workers;

- Ability to be assertive in different contexts and with different teams and colleagues;

- Ability to moderate meetings/groups and mediate them, whenever necessary;

- Ability to establish and maintain interpersonal relationships;

- Ability to actively listen the motivations and interests of the workers;

- Ability of adaptability and to adopt different perspectives;

- Ability to know the different generations of the SME, in terms of characteristics, skills and competences;

- Ability to have teaching and training skills;

- Ability to motivate and engage people and teams;

- Ability to valorise and recognise people and their capacity of work;

- Ability to bring together the people on a personal level, promoting a high level of engagement in the different phases of the process.

Personal skills

- Be emphatic;

- Be able to deal with hierarchies;

- Be able to take and incorporate criticism;

- Be patient and open-minded;

- Be able to persuade people;

- Be resilient and persistent;

- Be creative and innovative;

- Be proactive and flexible;

- Be able to adapt to different situations and circumstances;

- Be autonomous and have initiative;

Table 1 - Qualification Profile for Intergenerational Learning Facilitator of SMEs, based on main findings collected during the O2 – Case Study SME.



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The main aim of this qualification profile is to support SMEs to identify the IGL Facilitator of the

enterprise. The company can decide to have more than one IGL facilitator, according to their

structure and needs. Nevertheless, is important to promote the working team between these

different facilitators, guaranteeing the existence of a common vision about the promotion of the IGL

on the SME.

Besides the criteria mentioned in table 1., is important that the IGL facilitator of the SME is:

a staff member of the company2;

a person who is accepted and is in a respected and recognized position by all the staff of

the company3;

a person with wide knowledge about the company at different levels4;

a person with a good relationship with managers and workers.

Depending on the type of SMEs and its needs, it is recommended that the IGL facilitator is the

head(s) of department(s) or the HR manager of the SME.

2 In some SMEs, especially for smaller companies, it can be useful to have experts outside of the company to give a first

impulse and support for the integration and/or promotion of the IGL on the SME. 3 Including managers, HR managers, head departments and all workers.

4 Namely, business strategy, services/products, resources, clients, added value, channels of communication,

among other issues.



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Contributions for the O5 – Training Curricula for WINGS4success

Facilitator

The Functional Profile for Intergenerational Learning Facilitator of SMEs introduced above is the

profile that will be useful to support managers/HR managers in the identification of a IGL facilitator

or facilitators in their enterprises. This functional profile was structured based on the main findings

collected during the study cases on SMEs held by the consortium and thus, is in line with the

needs and expectations of the enterprises.

Nevertheless, another goal of the O3 – Training profile “Facilitator Intergenerational Learning” is to

provide some inputs for the design and development of the O5 – Training Curricula for

WINGS4success Facilitator, specifically the O5 – A1 – Design of Basic Modules of Training

Curricula for WINGS4success Facilitator. For this purpose and based on the Functional Profile for

Intergenerational Learning Facilitator of SMEs it was structured as well, a qualification profile

based on learning outcomes and in accordance to the European Qualification Framework (EQF)

principles and structure (Table 2.).



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QUALIFICATION PROFILE OF THE INTERGENERATIONAL LEARNING FACILITATOR OF SMEs

Learning outcomes Knowledge Skills Competences

LO1 – To understand the reality of the IGL in the context of SME

K1.1 – Deep knowledge about the strategic vision of the SME and of the role/impact of the promotion of IGL K1.2 – Comprehensive knowledge about the reality of the IGL in the enterprise

S1.1 – To research about the profile and main information about the enterprise that could be relevant for the promotion of the IGL S1.2 – To know the different generations of the SME, in terms of characteristics, skills and competences

C1.1. - To identify “critical positions” in the SME and incorporate them as possibilities of improvement of it; C1.2 - To match the enterprise needs with the competences, motivations and interests of its workers

LO2 – To identify the enterprise needs regarding the IGL implementation

K2.1 - Specialised knowledge about planning and implementing procedures to identify enterprise needs regarding IGL K2.2 - Comprehensive knowledge about the process and instruments to be used in the identification of the enterprise’s needs regarding IGL, in partnership with managers/HR managers K2.3 - Deep knowledge about communication, including persuasive and negotiation skills

S2.1 – To promote meetings to raise awareness about the relevance of the IGL to the SME S2.2 - To t plan, lead and manage meetings, discussions and other activities involving different teams, to support the identification of the specific needs of the enterprises at level of the implementation and promotion of the IGL S2.3 - To anticipate constrains and difficulties and define strategies to overcome them S2.4 - To manage time and resources S2.5 - To review processes and adapt the strategies according to the SMEs’ needs and expectations S2.6 - To negotiate mutual agreements on new objectives/goals for the promotion of IGL in the enterprises. S2.7 - To establish contacts with people with different educational and cultural background and hierarchical positions.

C2.1 – Ability to manage and guide teams of workers C2.2 - To observe and analyse processes, interactions/relationships and needs C2.3 - To interact with different colleagues guaranteeing the equality of treatment and a clear communication C2.4 - To promote the communication and interaction between managers and workers since the first moment of the process for the promotion of IGL in the SME.



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QUALIFICATION PROFILE OF THE INTERGENERATIONAL LEARNING FACILITATOR OF SMEs

Learning outcomes Knowledge Skills Competences

LO3 - To know the methods and instruments used for the promotion of IGL in SMEs

K3.1 – Deep knowledge about suitable methods and instruments for the promotion of the IGL in SMEs K3.2 – Deep knowledge about strategies and methods for the promotion of IGL in SMEs K3.3 – Knowledge about systems and instruments to support the knowledge management

S3.1 -To choose/select suitable methods and instruments according to the SME’s profile and needs at IGL promotion level; S3.2 - To design/adapt supporting documents/tools for the promotion of the IGL in SME, based on already existing implicit IGL activities among staff S3.3 - To moderate meetings/groups and mediate them, to introduce the strategy for the promotion of the IGL in the SME S3.4 - To Support the establishment and/or organisation of the process of knowledge management and transference, engaging strategic groups on it

C3.1 - To be assertive in different contexts and with different teams and colleagues C3.2 – To motivate and engage people and teams C3.3 - To establish and maintain interpersonal relationships C3.4 - To valorise and recognise people and their capacity of work

LO4 – To assess the impact of the promotion of IGL in SMEs

K4.1 – Deep knowledge about suitable methods and instruments to assess the impact of the strategies implemented for the promotion of IGL in SMEs K4.2 – Deep knowledge about strategies and methods for the involvement of all enterprises in the analysis of this impact

S4.1 - Design a process and supporting tools for the assessment of the impact of the strategies for the promotion of IGL in the SME S4.2 – To assess the impact of the strategies for the promotion of IGL in the SME S4.3 – To promote initiatives/activities to promote the knowledge among all enterprise about the impact of the strategies for the promotion of IGL in the SME S4.4 – To Update/adapt the strategy for the IGL promotion according to the main findings about this impact

C4.1 – To bring together the people on a personal level, promoting a high level of engagement in the different phases of the process. C4.2 - To actively listen the motivations and interests of the workers C4.3 - To adopt different perspectives and be adaptable

Table 2 – Qualification profile of the Intergenertional learning facilitator of SMEs structured based on Learning Outcomes and according to the EQF principles.



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Annexes

Annex I – Template for the development of Profile of IGL facilitator

Criteria Description Comments

Tasks and responsibilities of the facilitator

Knowledge and experience

Competences required

-managerial and organisational skills

-social and communication skills and competences

- personal skills and competences

Which person in the SME could fill out this role?

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the

views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made

of the information contained therein.


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