rolling out e-learning
technology needing to be compatible with the tills, the system could have been comprised or slowed down by the addition of e-learning.” As with most retail environments, access to laptops and PCs was limited, however, every shop had its own tablet and Jo spotted an opportunity. She said: “Mothercare was among the first retailers to introduce iPads for the teams in store to support sales and service. E-learning on the iPad was an obvious partnership, complementing the teams’ need for knowledge to increase sales and enhance service.” Even though staff had been working with the tablets for some time Jo and her team recognised that some employees would need support during the e-learning roll out. “There’s a really wide demographic of people working for Mothercare, from 17 year-olds in their first ever job to employees with 40 years of service,” said Jo. “When it comes to digital skills, they vary enormously in ability, with some people completely confident and others struggling with the basics. Coming up with a strategy to make the e-learning work for everyone was a really important part of the project.” One or two digital experts, drawn from the most enthusiastic and technology savvy shop staff, have been appointed for each geographic region. This peer-to-peer support is playing an important role in raising awareness about the e-learning and providing practical help in store if problems arise.
E-learning design In terms of the e-learning design, Jo wanted the module to be innovative and embrace new ideas. “This is the first e-learning course some staff will have done and I want it to be a positive experience, an opportunity to set the standard for exciting and engaging online training,” she said. E-learning provider Sponge UK created a 20 minute-long custom module called, Staying Safe at Work, which
Seven tips for introducing e-learning to retail staff
1. Keep it short – focus on the key points in the main module and provide links to further reading
2. Make it flexible – offer multi-device options so employees can choose how and where they want to learn
3. Make logging on simple – try wristbands to help people remember usernames and passwords
4. Get buy-in – show stakeholders early prototypes and ask for their opinion so they feel a sense of ownership
5. Provide digital support – train expert peers to help their colleagues 6. Plan for measuring – decide what metrics you want to measure and how, don’t just rely on LMS data
7. Inspire and engage – make it different and exciting so staff feel positive about the training
… the shop floor is such a busy place, it’s just not practical to expect staff to leave customers for long periods to complete training, face-to-face or online
includes gamified challenges and bespoke illustrations. “The gamification is helping to get people interested and it’s the first thing I show them if I think they need convincing. The course is pacey and fits well into the busy retail environment – it’s definitely brought Mothercare’s health and safety training right up to date.” Jo’s team has also come up with a low-tech solution to the problem of lost
passwords. She explained: “Most of our staff don’t have a desk or regular access to a work email and we were worried about people losing usernames and passwords for the LMS. Each retail employee has been issued with a training wristband which has the website address on the outside and their login details on the inside so it’s always readily available.” Mothercare’s first e-learning module was launched in July 2015 and Jo is hoping to use the evaluation data from the project to drive further training innovation in the business. As well as analysis of learner metrics from the LMS, profit protection teams, who regularly visit stores as part of their work to drive profitability, will be carrying out knowledge checks to see if the e-learning is hitting the mark. “Now we have launched e-learning, we’ve got the passion to get bigger
and better. The aim is for Mothercare to become a digitally-led retailer, and the company has already won awards for its use of technology in customer engagement,” said Jo. “It’s a highly competitive sector and change is happening at such a fast pace that staying ahead is the real challenge for L&D teams. I think the key is to test out new approaches and trial technology to gain experience of what works best before implementing it on the shop floor. We’re currently looking at the possibilities around Google Cardboard, who would have thought that 12 months ago?” “Retail already has a workforce full of millennials and the next generation is coming up fast. We have to find new, engaging and intelligent ways not only to train staff, but also to connect with customers who will demand much more of us in the future.”
e.learning age september 2015
23
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46