As we bid adieu to 2022, a recap of the year feels customary. Keeping the tradition alive, here’s looking at all the key achievements, events, and wins Upside Learning witnessed in 2022. We had an eventful year with multiple crucial wins and milestones that will help us further in our growth trajectory. Let’s begin the joyride!
Digitalization and Modernization Campaign
The year started with delving deep into the need for digitalization and modernization in the modern workplace. With automation in action, many new roles are emerging resulting into pressing need to retrain and redeploy talent for the new world of work. Modernization of learning is not just only about technology or speedy skilling, but also entails a lot more. We put our modernization focus and understanding into action and published a comprehensive eBook on the topic – Digitalize and Modernize Learning – Equip yourself to conquer the change constant.
Authored by Amit Garg, Founder and CEO and Aleysia Khan, Senior Manager – Instructional Design of Upside Learning, the eBook talks about Covid-triggered implications leading organizations to shift to digital business models and how it accelerated these trends, putting an increased premium on L&D as a means of equipping companies to handle both long-term challenges and short-term crises. It presents some viable options for organizations to digitalize and modernize their learning and strengthens reader understanding through supporting case studies and engaging stories.
You can download the eBook here.
Turning 18, in Style
In April 2022, we celebrated our 18th anniversary. Earmarking this special milestone, the Upside Learning team decided to get into the Bollywood mode to rejoice. We celebrated the special day at an upscale club in Pune, joined by our teammates and their families. The venue was recreated in Bollywood style, with extravagant décor, props, and life size cut-outs. The event had the perfect amalgamation of everything – delicious food, a rocking band performance, energetic dance moves, fun games, and a multitude of engaging activities that kept everyone involved.
Our curiosity and learning manifesto was also at an all-time high during the event. We have always emphasized on the importance of learning – not just to our clients but our own team as well. And our 18th anniversary was the right time to recognize our own learning champions and practitioners. We launched our ‘Annual Curiosity and Learning Awards’ a few weeks before our anniversary and on the D-day, gave away various awards in various categories. The event also celebrated long-service and other employee milestones.
We definitely are aging like fine wine! Aren’t we!
Wrapping up L&D Go Beyond Podcast – Season 1
We had launched the L&D Go Beyond Podcast in August of 2021 and explored a diverse range of topics that matter to the L&D community in more ways than one. The podcast received immense love and encouragement from the community and we have to acknowledge that every single conversation was a huge learning experience for us as well. We wrapped up season 1 of the podcast with 24 insightful episodes, featuring noteworthy guest speakers from around the world. As we come back with another season early next year, you may check out a summary of season 1 here.
Learning Excellence Awards 2022
This year’s award streak for client projects started with Upside Learning bagging 2 awards in the prestigious Learning Excellence Awards in April 2022. The fact that this win came in at the heels of Upside Learning’s 18th anniversary made it even more special. We won awards in Design, Content Creation, & Video and Health, Safety, & Risk sub-categories.
The details of our winning entries are as follows:
- Design, Content Creation, and Video – The Zee WAY – A Gamified Induction Programme
- Health, Safety, and Risk- ISS Health, Safety, and Environment Compliance Training
More on the Learning Excellence Award wins, here.
Featuring in the 2022 Fosway 9-Grid™ for Digital Learning
Following a period of sustained market performance and continued customer advocacy, Upside Learning progressed to the position of Solid Performer in 2022, from Potential Performer in 2021. This was a big achievement for us considering that the digital learning market continues to see new entrants every year and the landscape gets harder to track and trickier to navigate. Featuring on this grid is a testament to us carving our own niche through the impactful work we have been doing and the value we are providing to our clients.
More on this listing, here.
Brandon Hall Group Excellence Awards 2022
Breaking its own record of 4 Gold wins from last year, Upside Learning Solutions won a total of 12 Brandon Hall Group Excellence Awards this year, including 7 Gold and 5 Bronze awards. This massive win only testifies to the hard work of the teams and the passion for the work we do that motivates us to keep striving to serve our clients better.
The details of our entries are as follows:
- Gold for ‘Best Use of a Blended Learning Program’ won in collaboration with Colgate-Palmolive
- Gold for ‘Best Use of Games or Simulations for Learning’ won in collaboration with Galardi Group Inc.
- Gold for ‘Best Advance in Compliance Training’ won in collaboration with Qatar Airways
- Gold for ‘Best Advance in Custom Content’ won in collaboration with Qatar Airways
- Gold for ‘Best Advance in Compliance Training’ won in collaboration with Qatar Airways
- Gold for ‘Best Advance in Custom Content’ won in collaboration with Qatar Airways
- Gold for ‘Best Advance in Custom Content’ won in collaboration with RHB Banking Group
- Bronze for ‘Best Benefits, Wellness and Well-Being Program’ won in collaboration with Qatar Airways
- Bronze for ‘Best Hybrid Learning Program’ won in collaboration with Colgate-Palmolive
- Bronze for ‘Best Advance in Competencies and Skill Development’ won in collaboration with Galardi Group Inc.
- Bronze for ‘Best Advance in Custom Content’ won in collaboration with Qatar Airways
- Bronze for ‘Best Unique or Innovative Sales Training Program’ won in collaboration with Hewlett Packard Enterprise
More on the Brandon Hall Group Award wins, here.
Great Place to Work Certified, for the Fourth Time
The Great Place to Work® Certification Program is the first step for an organization on its journey of building a High-Trust, High-Performance Culture™, and Upside accomplished this milestone for the fourth year in a row. Among the many accolades that came our way this year, this was the sweetest and most reassuring.
Know more about this certification here.
LearnX Live Awards 2022
Our winning streak continued and in November 2022, we were bestowed with 16 prestigious LearnX Live Awards in collaboration with multiple clients. Another testimony to our cutting-edge learning solutions that help clients achieve real outcomes from their training programs.
The details of the winning entries are as follows-
- 1 Gold for ‘Best Induction/Onboarding’ won in collaboration with AIA Malaysia
- 1 Gold for ‘Best Hybrid Pre-Induction/Onboarding’ won in collaboration with AIA Malaysia
- 1 Gold for ‘Best Online Learning’ won in collaboration with Hewlett Packard Enterprise
- 1 Gold for ‘Best On-Demand eLearning’ won in collaboration with Hewlett Packard Enterprise
- 1 Gold for ‘Best Interactive Scenario’ won in collaboration with Hewlett Packard Enterprise
- 2 Gold for ‘Best Pandemic/Emergency eLearning’ won in collaboration with Qatar Airways
- 2 Gold for ‘Best Interactive Scenario’ won in collaboration with Qatar Airways
- 1 Gold for ‘Best Microlearning’ won in collaboration with Qatar Airways
- 1 Gold for ‘Best Interactive Scenario’ won in collaboration with RHB Banking Group
- 1 Diamond for ‘Best Performance Support’ won in collaboration with Hewlett Packard Enterprise
- 1 Diamond for ‘Best Product Knowledge Training’ won in collaboration with Hewlett Packard Enterprise
- 1 Diamond for ‘Best Sales Training’ won in collaboration with Hewlett Packard Enterprise
- 1 Diamond for ‘Best Health & Safety Training’ won in collaboration with Qatar Airways
- 1 Diamond for ‘Best eLearning Project’ won in collaboration with Qatar Airways
More on the LearnX wins, here.
The Voluntary Transition to Hybrid Work
While our team was working from home since the pandemic struck, our team managers had started realizing that work-from-home often posed a barrier to motivation and rapport-building, especially when new people joined the team. What was missed deeply by most is the office hustle – meeting colleagues in-person, working together, water-cooler chats, lunch and tea breaks, and the like. Though we wanted our teams to enjoy the flexibility of working from home, we didn’t want people to miss out on the perks of working from the office. In light of this, a monthly ‘Work from Office’ (WFO) Day was initiated at Upside Learning in June of 2022, for all employees, on a voluntary basis. The buzz of an office, a workstation shared with teammates, meeting them face to face, and experiencing the collective energy of the workplace were priceless. The sudden burst of energy and positive vibes were so evident that the WFO day became a weekly affair; meeting (and working together) once a month wasn’t enough for a bustling team like ours. Now, we work from the office once every week, voluntarily. We have to admit, we are thoroughly enjoying it! The pictures say it all.
AmiTea
This year we also launched AmiTea: A 30-minute 1-1 rendezvous between Amit Garg, our Founder and CEO and any Upsider who wishes to speak with him on matters important to them – it could even be a casual catch-up session. Amit has a treasure of knowledge across various subjects, and it is an absolute pleasure to speak with him in sessions like these. Every Upsider is presented with an AmiTea cup after their AmiTea session – a memento that you can treasure or even use to enjoy your ‘tea’. It is also a symbol of a ‘win’ at learning something new. Here are some glimpses from various AmiTea sessions.
Clark Quinn Joins the Upside Family
One of the biggest milestones of the year was world-renowned learning experience design strategist, Clark Quinn, joining Upside Learning as the company’s Chief Learning Strategist in September 2022t.
With our vision for L&D to ‘Go Beyond’, we embarked on a very interesting journey a few years back, which was fuelled by a better and deeper understanding of the learning science and research. We made remarkable progress and are at a key stage in this growth journey right now. This was the perfect time for us to have someone who believes in our vision and can shoulder the responsibility of helping both Upside Learning and our clients move to the next level. And it was our honour that Clark accepted to take up this role. With Clark’s support, we hope to enable L&D teams within our client organizations to be seen as strategic partners for their companies’ growth and not merely as internal solution providers for learning. A few months into this new role, Clark is already guiding and coach our team to create deeper learning experiences for clients through crafting evidence-based learning strategies.
DevLearn 2022
We were back with a bang at DevLearn in October this year, after an unplanned, Covid-induced hiatus of two years. Our team, stationed at booth #109, interacted with visitors and shared insights on how to deliver deeper learning experiences to improve retention and facilitate the transfer of learning at the workplace. We also showcased our award-winning solutions to visitors.
Clark Quinn – our new Chief Learning Strategist, also joined the team at the booth for a book-signing activity, a raffle giveaway of his latest book ‘Make it Meaningful’, and 1:1 consulting sessions for a select few visitors.
We had a number of exciting happenings planned and had a great show interacting and networking with the L&D community. Already looking forward to next year’s show.
Deeper Learning Focus
With Clark coming on-board and our enhanced focus on delivering deeper learning, we initiated our Deeper Learning campaign by publishing a whitepaper titled ‘Learning that Works.’ Authored by Clark, the whitepaper aims to give L&D professionals and learning designers a better understanding of how learning, when correctly designed, aids retention and transfer, making it both valuable and profitable. To quote the whitepaper, “To get learning that really works, that is cognitively effective and emotionally engaging, we need more. While there’s an educational movement for deeper learning, here we’re talking about what’s needed for effective and engaging workplace learning.” The whitepaper was followed by an immensely successful webinar on ‘Designing for Deeper Learning’, delivered by Clark himself. You may access the webinar recording, here.
We continue our efforts on educating and supporting the community on creating and delivering deeper learning experiences through our blogs and other resources.
Celebrations at Work
We celebrated many festivals and achievements in office this year. Each get-together was full of smiles and laughter, fun activities, and good food. Even more delightful was to see colleagues dressed up in sometimes their ethnic best, and other times, dress-coded to perfection. These small and big moments definitely made our year brighter.
All in all, a fabulous year that will be remembered for many good reasons. And as the year comes to a close, we want to say a big thank you to our amazing clients who trusted and supported us in all possible ways. A big shout to our team whose hard work and perseverance keeps us going.
2023, we await you with open arms! Time to #GoBeyond once again!
