For the first time since the creation of the Training Top 10 Hall of Fame in 2008, Training magazine required all Hall of Famers to submit an Outstanding Training Initiative that would be shared with our readers throughout the year. Here are the details of Microsoft Corporation’s submission.

Math was never my best (or favorite) subject in school. You’d think with parents in the aerospace and computer industries that I’d have a math gene advantage, but apparently I take after my grandfather, who started out as a copyboy for wire service UPI and worked his way up the editorial ladder. Two decades in the workplace later, I still have not developed an affinity for numbers - which is why I have an accountant do my taxes and a researcher tabulate our surveys.

IN ITS "PUTTING THE SUCCESS IN SUCCESSION" REPORT, PwC U.S. examines how workforce challenges are having a ripple effect on corporate succession planning. These include declining retention rates, an inability to consistently identify and develop pivotal talent, disconnected processes throughout organizations, and a lack of reliable talent data. "While most organizations conduct succession planning, too often it doesn’t get the full attention of the leadership team until a crisis forces it on the agenda," notes Sayed Sadjady, partner in PwC’s People & Change practice.

If you have a goal to get more things done today, step back and reflect on the environment you work in and ask yourself, "Is this workspace designed to help me focus on the work I have to do?"

NEARLY 71% OF 200 WORKERS between the ages of 18 and 60 believe their employers consider training to be important, but only 38% said they received 20 or more hours of training in the last year, according to an online survey by Mindflash. On the other hand, almost 58% of participants said that training was helping them to do their jobs a lot better, while approximately 38% said training helped their job performance "a little." Along the same lines, a large majority (nearly 67%) said that more training would deliver further on-the-job benefits, and most workers (almost 62%) would be willing to take training courses during non-work hours.

One question business leaders are still asking: "How are we going to get a return on our training investment in people who don’t stay for the long haul?" The question you should be asking: "How are we going to change our approach to training so our investment is not so vulnerable?"

The latest training industry mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, and more.

The latest products and services launching in the training industry.

While not yet back to the levels seen in a buoyant economy, a substantial majority (72%) of respondents to a BlessingWhite survey believe they personally have the biggest control over their next career move (as opposed to their manager or the company they work for).

Find out about the latest advances in training technology.