New learning platform supports career growth of 5,500+ global employees in Construction and Engineering 

SAP NEWSBYTE — 2 October, 2024 — SAP SE today announces a new initiative in partnership with Laing O’Rourke, a $6 billion international construction and engineering operation, which has transformed the learning and development of 5,500 staff across the globe.   

Named LOR Learn, the new platform is a central portal for Laing O’Rourke employees to access personalised, role-based learning modules that are critical to their career growth. The implementation of LOR Learn has delivered learning programmes to more than 700 people per month, using just 10 per cent of the organisation’s Learning and Development budget. LOR Learn delivers a significant democratisation of learning for the business, and ensures everyone has equal opportunities to grow. 

Powered by SAP Build Work Zone technology, the resources reflect a shift in how employees wish to consume educational materials.  

Speaking at SAP SuccessFactors HR CONNECT 2024 in Sydney, Helen Fraser, Director – People, Laing O’Rourke, Australia, said: “We are dedicated to fostering a self-directed learning culture, underpinned by scalable, cost-effective, and high-quality learning interventions enabled through SAP SuccessFactors. Our new solution revolutionalised our approach to learning in a comprehensive and easy to navigate program. SAP SuccessFactors is critical to our commitment to providing a culture designed to empower our employees to embrace learning, because we know employees in an environment which encourages their career growth are much more likely to stay.” 

“We also knew our people sought bite-sized, bespoke learning opportunities similar to the content they consume on Instagram and TikTok. Our employee engagement surveys told us people want control over their learning. They want opportunities for blended learning, which means classroom-based interactions supported by online learning materials, peer coaching, and social learning networks. Our new SAP Build WorkZone platform helps us deliver that to our people,” added Fraser. 

“We have seen excellent employee uptake of the platform, with solid average usage per month. We have already seen LinkedIn Learning activated seats increasing from 35% to 95%, and we hope it drives further staff engagement and retention, as well as helping to grow our internal promotion rates,” said Fraser.  

In Australia, LOR Learn hosts 155 bespoke learning pathways that drive employees to lead their own learning journey. The resources cover topics as diverse as Engineered Safety, AI, Indigenous Affairs, Team Management and Commercial Services. The team has collaborated with subject matter experts to create 350 custom learning assets and launched 17 learning spaces, with more in various stages of delivery – including the recent addition of a Low Carbon Materials Learning Space. Plus, more than 50 learning ambassadors are using AI content tools to create new learning content across the country.  

Over the next 12 months, Laing O’Rourke plans to digitise the Career Toolkits, utilising WorkZone, the talent intelligence hub and LOR Learn to have all career pathways linked to the learning and development opportunities all in one, easy to navigate, place. Additionally, Laing O’Rourke plans to host a National ‘Drive your Development’ Learning Day, where the organisation will showcase all the diverse ways in which its employees can access and engage in learning. 

Angela Colantuono, President and Managing Director, SAP Australia, said: “We are thrilled to build on our long-term partnership with Laing O’Rourke in Australia to power its new employee learning hub. In an age of high attrition rates, it’s vital for businesses to keep employees motivated through engaging personal development resources that ultimately bring out their best. Our SAP Build WorkZone technology allows Laing O’Rourke staff to access all of their learning materials in one place – the ease and speed of the user experience has driven exceptional staff uptake and engagement.”   

Laing O’Rourke in Australia has been a customer of SAP since 2016, using SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central for managing its total workforce and improving people experiences. LOR Learn was rolled out by Laing O’Rourke in Australia earlier this year.  

For more information, the recorded session completed by Helen Fraser, Director – People, Laing O’Rourke, at SAP SuccessFactors HR CONNECT 2024, on the business’s use of SAP technology, is available here.