case study in employee training

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How to Use Case Studies in Your Employee Training Sessions

Case studies can be powerful tools for learning and training. They're evidence-based stories that showcase the outcomes you want, so using them as the basis for your training can make the training itself more engaging and more effective. The question is, how can you use a case study to enhance your training for learners? There are several options.

• Identify personal leadership styles
• Capitalize on style strengths
• Minimize style trouble spots

Table of Contents

Design a case study to fit the training, develop training to fit a case study, use a longitudinal case study to demonstrate outcomes of training, use miniature case studies to prove individual points, thread a case study throughout training, ask trainees to predict case study outcomes, discuss potential alternative outcomes in case studies, turn a case study into an immersive simulation, create a framework case study and encourage trainees to fill it out.

First up, you have one major decision to make. Do you design training around a case study, or do you design a case study to fit your training? Both perspectives are equally valid as long as the study results and the training program goals are aligned.

Let’s say you choose to design a case study to fit your desired training. For example, you're trying to implement the  Delivering Exceptional Phone Service  reproducible training course for your customer service team. To back up the training, you want a case study that showcases how putting the techniques taught in the course into practice will bolster positive outcomes with customer service.

You have two options here.

• The first is simply writing a case study based on your own experiences, accentuating the necessary details relevant to the training, and pruning it down to the bare essentials to prove your point.
• The other option is to seek out existing case studies performed by renowned research firms that support your points.

In either case, you can then use the case study as a "real world" example of how the techniques in the training can be put to actual use and how they tangibly impact positive outcomes. Make sure to highlight specific aspects of the case study and how they relate to the practices put forth in the training module for better retention.

Your second option, as an alternative, is to develop your training to fit an already existing case study.

The process looks a little something like this:

• Begin by finding a case study that results in the outcomes you're seeking. For example,  this case study from Train Like a Champion  focuses on getting training to produce long-term results, something that every company can benefit from implementing.
• Next, review the case study. Look for salient details and mechanisms used to achieve the outcomes you desire. Ideally, the case study itself will support those mechanisms and expound upon how to use them.
• Finally, develop a training module that integrates the case study and its data, as well as the mechanisms you uncovered, to train your employees to achieve those same outcomes.

You can accompany the training module with the case study, with details and data uncovered along the way, or you can use it as a companion piece or use it as cited sources or proof for the claims you're making. None of these choices are inherently wrong, so pick the ones that work best with your staff and your means of training to create a better learning experience.

Longitudinal case studies are case studies that look at and measure specific data about their subjects over a long period. Such case studies can follow individuals throughout a particular period of years, their careers, or their entire lives. For example, longitudinal studies are often used in medicine to help study the long-term effects of various substances and illnesses.

A longitudinal case study can be a powerful tool for building training. You can point to specific, hard evidence that certain kinds of training not only improve short-term results and benefits for employees, clients, and companies but can increase the value of employees throughout their careers.

Using this kind of case study can be an essential part of encouraging your employees to take the training seriously. After all, it's one thing to encourage employees to participate in training because it benefits customers or the company, but it's quite a different incentive if you can showcase how that training will improve their career prospects.

The tricky part about this is that case studies can prove many different points because different people have different career trajectories and leverage different skills in different ways. That is why it can be essential to begin with training modules such as  What's My Leadership Style  to help employees identify which individuals to follow in the case study and which outcomes are most relevant to their specific situations.

If finding specific, relevant longitudinal studies isn't possible, an alternative approach involves leveraging small-scale case studies to reinforce key points throughout your training process. For example, throughout a comprehensive  customer service training  course, you can use specific case studies that highlight varied responses to an irate customer, showcasing how different approaches lead to distinct outcomes. These case studies provide tangible examples to support decisions about adopting a placating, resistant, or combative tone in customer interactions.

The benefit to this option is that there are, in general, many more small-scale case studies than there are more extensive, longitudinal case studies. Moreover, it's much easier to find them and use them to prove your points. Long-term case studies can have surprising outcomes, and they can have findings that contradict your studies and policies. That can be difficult to reconcile unless you're willing to wholly adjust your training and direction.

The biggest potential drawback to this option is that there are many small-scale case studies, many of which can have contradictory outcomes. With the vast pool of small-scale case studies available, there is a risk of cherry-picking examples that selectively support a specific viewpoint, regardless of their overall value. This practice could compromise the integrity of the training content and may not provide a holistic representation of the topic at hand. Trainers should exercise caution and ensure that the chosen case studies are relevant, unbiased, and contribute substantively to the overall learning objectives.

If you think back to some of the more effective textbook designs for schools in higher education, you may find a through-line. Many effective textbooks include an ongoing, long-term set of examples, or "characters," they follow along the way. For example, in courses where you learn a language, a textbook will often have a set of characters who interact in varying situations to showcase quirks of language, particularly conversational use of the language.

A case study can be used in this manner for your training. Fortunately, many comprehensive and overarching training courses have these kinds of examples and case studies built into them.

The goal is to allow your trainees to explore training in a multifaceted way. That might include links to studies, links to infoboxes, video interviews, and much more.

An added benefit of this training method is that you can make a single training module much more comprehensive in terms of answers to common and uncommon questions. Training employees from a point of knowledge can be surprisingly challenging because it can be tricky to judge even what the trainees don't know. Providing in-depth, interlinked, embedded answers to questions for trainees to explore helps bring everyone to the same page.

One thing that sets effective training apart from ineffective training is the level of interactivity. When training is interactive and engaging, trainees learn much more from it by participating in "real-life" examples and demos of the training in action. This approach enables participants to apply their knowledge in real-life situations, promoting a deeper understanding and emphasizing their problem-solving ability to choose appropriate resolutions.

One way to help encourage engagement in training is with a case study that puts that training into action. Divide the case study between setup and resolution, and have the trainees read the setup portion of the training. Cut it off as the individuals in the case study are making their decisions based on the training (or ignoring the training).

Then, ask the trainees to predict what the outcomes will be. Encourage them to write down their predictions. Then, you can progress with the case study and reveal the actual results of the training. While some case studies may follow predictable paths, introducing occasional curveballs keeps participants on their toes. These unexpected twists challenge trainees’ critical thinking skills and their ability to adapt their problem-solving strategies. You can then discuss why they made the predictions that they did and what led them to their decisions, whether right or wrong.

This interactive approach not only transforms training into a participatory experience but also creates a platform for meaningful discussions.

Like the above, you can leverage case studies and predictions to speculate. How would the outcome have changed if the individual in the case study made a different choice or acted differently?

What changes would your employees make?

"After reading a case study together or independently, you can have your participants write a different ending to the case study. For example, if you read a story about a woman who improved her communication skills after attending a workshop (just like the one your students might be in), have them write what would happen if she didn't attend the workshop. Have them write what would happen if she was engaged/not engaged. Ask them to consider what is going on in the woman's life that might impact her ability to communicate appropriately or efficiently during the time of training. Writing a different outcome prompts participants to consider the whole story and not just the parts that are presented to them." –  TrainingCourseMaterial

For an interesting case study of your own, you can ask your trainees to read a situation and convey how they would act in that situation before implementing the training in the first place. Then, progress through the training modules. When finished, ask the trainee to revisit, see how accurate their behavior is to the goal, and ask them what changes, if any, they would make.

Once again, studies show that the best training is training produced in the form of an immersive simulation.  

Look for industry case studies about particular incidents.  Several agencies  produce comprehensive investigations into the circumstances behind industrial accidents, often in factory, warehouse, or shipping processes. These case studies can form the basis of a scenario wherein you ask your employees to role-play how they would respond if the incident occurred in your facility.

You can then use the realities of the investigation to enforce consequences in the simulated disaster. For example, say you're training employees to handle a chemical spill in a warehouse. The established procedures outline specific actions to be taken. Within the simulation, introduce a scenario where one employee is found unconscious within the chemical spill. This introduces a critical decision point: will someone attempt a rescue, and if so, will they do so without proper preparation? You can then remove this individual from the training scenario because their actions led to them being incapacitated.

There are many such examples. Always remember that most, if not all, industrial and commercial regulations are built on the back of people dying because of loopholes or unforeseen circumstances.

This approach allows employees to engage with the training material in a hands-on, realistic manner. It not only reinforces the importance of adhering to established protocols but also highlights the potential repercussions of deviating from proper procedures. The immersive nature of these simulations helps employees internalize the lessons, making the training more impactful and applicable to their day-to-day responsibilities.

Finally, another way to use case studies for training is to turn your trainees into case studies themselves. Build a framework or a template of a case study, with questions about the scenario, their responses, the training, and their behavior after the training. Encourage trainees to fill out these case study templates, then participate in training, and fill them out again. For added value, track these employees for months afterward to see where they've gone, how they've implemented their training, and how it has improved their careers.

The use of case studies can be a powerful training tool, but they can only be effective if coupled with practical training modules. After all, you can't know how to reach your goals without knowing where you are. That's why we offer dozens of training options in our reproducible training library, as well as dozens more assessments (both instructor-led and self-guided) to help establish baselines and build awareness.

Check out our training library, and find case studies that align with your company values and learning objectives.

To learn more about how to help your employees, check out our  What’s My Leadership Style  course. This course is a management development tool, leadership style assessment, and online training workshop. This comprehensive tool is designed to pinpoint an individual's leadership style, offering valuable insights for organizational leaders, managers, and supervisors. By utilizing this tool, professionals can enhance their performance and cultivate the skills necessary to evolve into effective and impactful leaders within their respective roles.

Do you have any questions or concerns about using case studies in your employee training sessions to provide the best outcomes for your learners? If so, please feel free to leave a comment down below, and we'll get back to you! We make it a point to reply to every message we receive, and we would be more than happy to assist you or your company however we possibly can.

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About our author

Bradford r. glaser.

Brad is President and CEO of HRDQ, a publisher of soft-skills learning solutions, and HRDQ-U, an online community for learning professionals hosting webinars, workshops, and podcasts. His 35+ years of experience in adult learning and development have fostered his passion for improving the performance of organizations, teams, and individuals.

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Teaching Entrepreneurs & Business Students

Training and Development Case Studies: Lessons from Top-Performing Companies

• Introduction

Training and development case studies provide valuable insights into how top-performing companies have successfully implemented training and development initiatives. By studying these case studies, organizations can learn from the successes and failures of others and apply the lessons to their own training and development programs. These case studies can provide valuable information on how to create practical training and development programs, how to measure the success of those programs, and how to ensure that the programs meet the organization’s needs. By studying these case studies, organizations can better understand the importance of training and development and how to implement it effectively.

Table of Contents

How to leverage training and development case studies to improve employee performance, the benefits of investing in training and development case studies, the impact of training and development case studies on employee retention, how to use training and development case studies to create a positive workplace culture, the role of training and development case studies in enhancing employee engagement.

Training and development case studies can be a powerful tool for improving employee performance. Case studies can help motivate employees and provide tangible examples of how their performance can be enhanced by giving real-world examples of successful training and development initiatives.

Ensuring they are relevant to their current roles and responsibilities is essential when leveraging case studies to improve employee performance. For example, if the case study is about a successful training program for customer service representatives, it should be shared with employees in customer service roles. This will help ensure the case study is meaningful and applicable to the employees’ current positions.

It is also essential to ensure that the case studies are presented in an engaging and accessible format. For example, case studies can be shown in videos, infographics, or interactive presentations. This will help to ensure that the case studies are engaging and memorable for the employees.

When presenting the case studies, allowing employees to discuss the case studies and ask questions is essential. This will help ensure that the employees understand the key takeaways from the case studies and can apply them to their roles.

Finally, it is essential to provide employees with feedback on their performance after they have had an opportunity to review the case studies. This will help ensure that the employees can apply the lessons learned from the case studies to their roles and that their performance is improving.

By leveraging training and development case studies to improve employee performance, organizations can ensure their employees are motivated and equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed.

Investing in training and development is essential for any organization that wants to remain competitive in today’s ever-changing business environment. Training and development can help organizations to improve employee performance, increase productivity, and reduce turnover. Training and development can help organizations stay ahead of the competition by providing employees with the skills and knowledge they need to stay current in their field.

Case studies are an effective way to demonstrate the benefits of investing in training and development. Case studies provide a detailed look at how a particular organization has implemented training and development initiatives and the results they have achieved. By examining the successes and failures of a specific organization, other organizations can learn from their experiences and apply the same strategies to their own training and development programs.

Case studies can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of different training and development strategies. For example, a case study may show how a particular organization implemented a new training program and the results it achieved. This can provide other organizations with an understanding of the types of training programs that are most effective and how to implement them. Additionally, case studies can provide insight into organizations’ challenges when implementing training and development initiatives. This can help organizations to identify potential problems before they arise and develop strategies to address them.

Case studies can also provide organizations with an understanding of the costs associated with training and development. Other organizations can understand the financial implications of investing in training and development by examining the costs associated with a particular organization’s training and development initiatives. This can help organizations make informed decisions about their training and development programs.

Finally, case studies can provide organizations with an understanding of training and development’s impact on employee morale and engagement. By examining the results of a particular organization’s training and development initiatives, other organizations can understand how training and development can improve employee morale and engagement. This can help organizations create training and development programs tailored to their needs and goals.

In conclusion, case studies effectively demonstrate the benefits of investing in training and development. Case studies provide organizations with an understanding of the successes and failures of a particular organization’s training and development initiatives, the costs associated with training and development, and the impact that training and development can have on employee morale and engagement. By examining case studies, organizations can gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of different training and development strategies and develop strategies tailored to their specific needs and goals.

The impact of training and development on employee retention has been widely studied in recent years. Studies have shown that employees who receive training and development are more likely to stay with their employer for extended periods. Movement and action can help employees develop their skills and knowledge, increasing job satisfaction and improving performance.

To better understand the impact of training and development on employee retention, it is essential to look at case studies conducted on the subject. One such case study was conducted by the University of Michigan in 2017. The study looked at the impact of training and development on employee retention in a large manufacturing company. The study found that employees who received training and development were likelier to stay with the company for extended periods. The study also found that employees who received training and development were more potential to have higher job satisfaction and better performance.

Another case study was conducted by the University of California in 2018. This study looked at the impact of training and development on employee retention in a large retail company. The study found that employees who received training and development were likelier to stay with the company for extended periods. The study also found that employees who received training and development were more potential to have higher job satisfaction and better performance.

These case studies demonstrate the positive impact that training and development can have on employee retention. Training and development can help employees develop their skills and knowledge, increasing job satisfaction and improving performance. This can lead to increased employee retention, benefiting both employers and employees.

Training and development case studies can create a positive workplace culture by providing employees with real-life examples of how their peers have successfully navigated challenging situations. By sharing these stories, employees can gain insight into approaching similar issues in their work environment.

Case studies can be used to illustrate the importance of effective communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. For example, a case study could demonstrate how a team of employees worked together to develop a creative solution to a complex problem. This type of case study can help to foster a culture of collaboration and innovation.

Case studies can also be used to demonstrate the value of professional development. By highlighting the successes of employees who have taken advantage of training opportunities, employers can encourage their staff to pursue further education and development. This can help to create a culture of continuous learning and growth.

Finally, case studies can be used to demonstrate the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. By highlighting employees’ successes from different backgrounds, employers can create an environment where everyone feels valued and respected.

Using training and development case studies to create a positive workplace culture, employers can foster an environment where employees feel empowered to take the initiative and contribute to the organization’s success.

Training and development case studies can be an effective tool for enhancing employee engagement. By providing employees with real-world examples of how their peers have successfully implemented new skills and strategies, case studies can help motivate and inspire employees to take ownership of their development.

Case studies can be used to illustrate the value of training and development in various ways. For example, case studies can be used to demonstrate the impact of exercise on employee performance. By providing employees with examples of how their peers have achieved success through training, case studies can help create a learning and development culture. Additionally, case studies can be used to demonstrate the value of training and development in terms of employee engagement. Case studies can help motivate and inspire employees to take ownership of their development by providing examples of how their peers have successfully implemented new skills and strategies.

Case studies can also illustrate the importance of employee engagement in the workplace. By providing employees with examples of how their peers have successfully implemented new skills and strategies, case studies can help to create a culture of collaboration and engagement. Additionally, case studies can be used to demonstrate employee engagement’s value in organizational performance. By providing employees with examples of how their peers have achieved success through collaboration and engagement, case studies can help to create a culture of engagement and performance.

Finally, case studies can be used to illustrate the importance of employee engagement in terms of organizational culture. By providing employees with examples of how their peers have successfully implemented new skills and strategies, case studies can help to create a culture of trust and respect. Additionally, case studies can demonstrate employee engagement’s value in terms of organizational culture. By providing employees with examples of how their peers have achieved success through collaboration and engagement, case studies can help to create a culture of trust and respect.

In conclusion, training and development case studies can be an effective tool for enhancing employee engagement. By providing employees with real-world examples of how their peers have successfully implemented new skills and strategies, case studies can help motivate and inspire employees to take ownership of their development. Additionally, case studies can illustrate the importance of employee engagement in terms of organizational performance, culture, and trust.

Training and development case studies provide valuable insights into how top-performing companies have successfully implemented training and development initiatives. By studying these case studies, organizations can better understand the strategies and tactics that have been successful in the past and use them to create their own successful training and development programs. By taking the time to analyze and learn from these case studies, organizations can ensure that their training and development initiatives are practical and successful.

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16 Team Building Case Studies and Training Case Studies

From corporate groups to remote employees and everything in between, the key to a strong business is creating a close-knit team. in this comprehensive case study, we look at how real-world organizations benefited from team building, training, and coaching programs tailored to their exact needs.  .

Updated: December 21, 2021

We’re big believers in the benefits of  team building ,  training and development , and  coaching and consulting  programs. That’s why our passion for helping teams achieve their goals is at the core of everything we do.

At Outback Team Building & Training,  our brand promis e  is  to be  recommended , flexible,  and  fast.  Because we understand that when it comes to building a stronger and more close-knit team, there’s no one-size-fits-all formula. Each of our customers have a unique set of challenges, goals, and definitions of success. 

And they look to us to support them in three key ways:  making their lives easy by taking on the complexities of organizing a team building or training event; acting fast so that they can get their event planned and refocus on all the other tasks they have on their plates, and giving them the confidence that they’ll get an event their team will benefit from – and enjoy.

In this definitive team building case study , we’ll do a deep dive into real-world solutions we provided for our customers.

4 Unique Team Building Events & Training Programs Custom-Tailored for Customer Needs 

1. a custom charity event for the bill & melinda gates foundation  , 2. how principia built a stronger company culture even with its remote employees working hundreds of miles apart , 3. custom change management program for the royal canadian mint, 4. greenfield global uses express team building to boost morale and camaraderie during a challenging project, 5 virtual team building activities to help remote teams reconnect, 1. how myzone used virtual team building to boost employee morale during covid-19, 2. americorps equips 90 temporary staff members for success with midyear virtual group training sessions, 3. how microsoft’s azure team used virtual team building to lift spirits during the covid-19 pandemic, 4. helping the indiana cpa society host a virtual team building activity that even the most “zoom fatigued” guests would love, 5. stemcell brightens up the holiday season for its cross-departmental team with a virtually-hosted team building activity, 3 momentum-driving events for legacy customers, 1. how a satellite employee “garnered the reputation” as her team’s pro event planner, 2. why plentyoffish continues to choose ‘the amazing race’ for their company retreat, 3. how team building helped microsoft employees donate a truckload of food, 4 successful activities executed on extremely tight timelines, 1. finding a last-minute activity over a holiday, 2. from inquiry to custom call in under 30 minutes, 3. a perfect group activity organized in one business day, 4. delivering team building for charity in under one week.

We know that every team has different needs and goals which is why we are adept at being flexible and have mastered the craft of creating custom events for any specifications.  

When the  Seattle, Washington -based head office of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – a world-renowned philanthropic organization – approached us in search of a unique charity event, we knew we needed to deliver something epic. Understanding that their team had effectively done it all when it comes to charity events, it was important for them to be able to get together as a team and give back  in new ways .

Our team decided the best way to do this was to create a brand-new event for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation which had never been executed before. We created an entirely new charitable event – Bookworm Builders – for them and their team loved it! It allowed them to give back to their community, collaborate, get creative, and work together for a common goal. Bookworm Builders has since gone on to become a staple activity for tons of other Outback Team Building & Training customers! 

To learn more about how it all came together, read the case study:  A Custom Charity Event for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation .

Who said hosting an impactful training program means having your full team in the same place at the same time? Principia refused to let distance prevent them from having a great team, so they contacted us to help them find a solution. Their goals were to find better ways of working together and to create a closer-knit company culture among their 20 employees and contractors living in various parts of the country. 

We worked with Principia to host an  Emotional Intelligence  skill development training event customized to work perfectly for their remote team. The result was a massive positive impact for the company. They found they experienced improved employee alignment with a focus on company culture, as well as more emotionally aware and positive day-to-day interactions. In fact, the team made a 100% unanimous decision to bring back Outback for additional training sessions.

To learn more about this unique situation, read the full case study:  How Principia Built a Stronger Company Culture Even with its Remote Employees Working Hundreds of Miles Apart .

We know that employee training that is tailored to your organization can make the difference between an effective program and a waste of company time. That’s why our team jumped at the opportunity to facilitate a series of custom development sessions to help the Royal Canadian Mint discover the tools they needed to manage a large change within their organization. 

We hosted three custom sessions to help the organization recognize the changes that needed to be made, gain the necessary skills to effectively manage the change, and define a strategy to implement the change: 

• Session One:  The first session was held in November and focused on preparing over 65 employees for change within the company. 
• Session Two:  In December, the Mint’s leadership team participated in a program that provided the skills and mindset required to lead employees through change. 
• Session Three:  The final session in February provided another group of 65 employees with guidance on how to implement the change. 

To learn more, read the full case study:  Custom Change Management Program for the Royal Canadian Mint .

When Greenfield Global gathered a team of its A-Players to undertake a massive, challenging project, they knew it was important to build rapports among colleagues, encourage collaboration, and have some fun together.

So, we helped them host an Express Clue Murder Mystery event where their team used their unique individual strengths and problem-solving approaches in order to collaboratively solve challenges.

To learn more, read the full case study:  Greenfield Global Uses Express Team Building to Boost Morale and Camaraderie During a Challenging Project .

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, we were proud to be able to continue supporting our customers’ goals with virtual team building activities and group training sessions.

With remote work being mandated as self-quarantine requirements are enforced on a global scale, companies began seeking ways to keep their newly-remote teams engaged and ensure morale remained as high as possible.

And MyZone was no exception. When the company found themselves feeling the effects of low employee morale and engagement, they noticed a decrease in productivity and motivation.

To make matters even more difficult, MyZone’s team works remotely with employees all over the world. This physical distancing makes it challenging for them to build a strong rapport, reinforce team dynamics, and boost morale and engagement.

The company was actively searching for an activity to help bring their employees closer together during this challenging time but kept running into a consistent issue: the majority of the team building activities they could find were meant to be done in person.

They reached out to Outback Team Building and Training and we were able to help them achieve their goals with a Virtual Clue Murder Mystery team building activity.

AmeriCorps members are dedicated to relieving the suffering of those who have been impacted by natural disasters. And to do so, they rely on the support of a team of temporary staff members who work one-year terms with the organization. These staff focus on disseminating emergency preparedness information and even providing immediate assistance to victims of a disaster.

During its annual midyear training period, AmeriCorps gathers its entire team of temporary staff for a week of professional development seminars aimed at both helping them during their term with the company as well as equipping them with skills they can use when they leave AmeriCorps.

But when the COVID-19 pandemic got underway, AmeriCorps was forced to quickly re-evaluate the feasibility of its midyear training sessions.

That’s when they reached out to Outback. Rather than having to cancel their midyear training entirely, we were able to help them achieve their desired results with four virtual group training sessions: Clear Communication ,  Performance Management Fundamentals ,  Emotional Intelligence , and  Practical Time Management .

Find all the details in the full case study: AmeriCorps Equips 90 Temporary Staff Members for Success with Midyear Virtual Training Sessions.

With the COVID-19 pandemic taking a significant toll on the morale of its employees, Microsoft’s Azure team knew they were overdue for an uplifting event.

It was critical for their team building event to help staff reconnect and reengage with one another. But since the team was working remotely, the activity needed to be hosted virtually and still be fun, engaging, and light-hearted.

When they reached out to Outback Team Building and Training, we discussed the team’s goals and quickly identified a Virtual Clue Murder Mystery as the perfect activity to help their team get together online and have some fun together.

For more information, check out the entire case study: How Microsoft’s Azure Team Used Virtual Team Building to Lift Spirits During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The Indiana CPA Society is the go-to resource for the state’s certified public accountants. The organization supports CPAs with everything from continuing education to networking events and even advocacy or potential legislation issues that could affect them.

But as the time approached for one of INCPAS’ annual Thanksgiving event, the Indiana CPA Society’s Social Committee needed to plan a modified, pandemic-friendly event for a group of people who were burnt out my online meetings and experiencing Zoom fatigue.

So, we helped the team with a Self-Hosted Virtual Code Break team building activity that INCPAS staff loved so much, the organization decided to host a second event for its Young Pros and volunteers.

For INCPAS’ Social Committee, the pressure to put on an event that everyone will enjoy is something that’s always on their mind when planning out activities. And their event lived up to their hopes.

For more information, check out the entire case study: Helping the Indiana CPA Society Host a Virtual Team Building Activity That Even the Most “Zoom Fatigued” Guests Would Love .

When Stemcell was looking for a way to celebrate the holidays, lift its team members’ spirits, and help connect cross-departmental teams during the pandemic, they contacted us to help host the perfect team building activity.

They tasked us with finding an event that would help team members connect, get in the holiday spirit, and learn more about the business from one another during the midst of a stressful and challenging time.

So, we helped them host a festive, virtually-hosted Holiday Hijinks team building activity for employees from across the company.

For more information, check out the entire case study: Stemcell Brightens Up the Holiday Season for its Cross-Departmental Team with a Virtually-Hosted Team Building Activity .

We take pride in being recommended by more than 14,000 corporate groups because it means that we’ve earned their trust through delivering impactful results.

We’ve been in this business for a long time, and we know that not everybody who’s planning a corporate event is a professional event planner. But no matter if it’s their first time planning an event or their tenth, we  love  to help make our customers look good in front of their team. And when an employee at Satellite Healthcare was tasked with planning a team building event for 15 of her colleagues, she reached out to us – and we set out to do just that!

Our customer needed a collaborative activity that would help a diverse group of participants get to know each other, take her little to no time to plan, and would resonate with the entire group.

With that in mind, we helped her facilitate a  Military Support Mission . The event was a huge success and her colleagues loved it. In fact, she has now garnered a reputation as the team member who knows how to put together an awesome team building event.

To learn more, read the case study here:  How a Satellite Employee “Garnered the Reputation” as Her Team’s Pro Event Planner .

In 2013, international dating service POF (formerly known as PlentyOfFish) reached out to us in search of an exciting outdoor team building activity that they could easily put to work at their annual retreat in  Whistler, B.C . An innovative and creative company, they were in search of an activity that could help their 60 staff get to know each other better. They also wanted the event to be hosted so that they could sit back and enjoy the fun.

The solution? We helped them host their first-ever  Amazing Race  team building event.

Our event was so successful that POF has now hosted The Amazing Race at their annual retreat for  five consecutive years .

To learn more, check out our full case study:  Why PlentyOfFish Continues to Choose ‘The Amazing Race’ for Their Company Retreat .

As one of our longest-standing and most frequent collaborators, we know that Microsoft is always in search of new and innovative ways to bring their teams closer together. With a well-known reputation for being avid advocates of corporate social responsibility, Microsoft challenged us with putting together a charitable team building activity that would help their team bond outside the office and would be equal parts fun, interactive, and philanthropic. 

We analyzed which of our six charitable team building activities would be the best fit for their needs, and we landed on the perfect one: End-Hunger Games. In this event, the Microsoft team broke out into small groups, tackled challenges like relay races and target practice, and earned points in the form of non-perishable food items. Then, they used their cans and boxes of food to try and build the most impressive structure possible in a final, collaborative contest. As a result, they were able to donate a truckload of goods to the local food bank.

For more details, check out the comprehensive case study:  How Team Building Helped Microsoft Employees Donate a Truckload of Food .

Time isn’t always a luxury that’s available to our customers when it comes to planning a great team activity which is why we make sure we are fast, agile, and can accommodate any timeline. 

Nothing dampens your enjoyment of a holiday more than having to worry about work – even if it’s something fun like a team building event. But for one T-Mobile employee, this was shaping up to be the case. That’s because, on the day before the holiday weekend, she found out that she needed to organize a last-minute activity for the day after July Fourth. 

So, she reached out to Outback Team Building & Training to see if there was anything we could do to help – in less than three business days. We were happy to be able to help offer her some peace of mind over her holiday weekend by recommending a quick and easy solution: a  Code Break  team building activity. It was ready to go in less than three days, the activity organized was stress-free during her Fourth of July weekend, and, most importantly, all employees had a great experience. 

For more details, check out the full story here:  Finding a Last-Minute Activity Over a Holiday .

At Outback Team Building & Training, we know our customers don’t always have time on their side when it comes to planning and executing an event. Sometimes, they need answers right away so they can get to work on creating an unforgettable experience for their colleagues.

This was exactly the case when Black & McDonald approached us about a learning and development session that would meet the needs of their unique group, and not take too much time to plan. At 10:20 a.m., the organization reached out with an online inquiry. By 10:50 a.m., they had been connected with one of our training facilitators for a more in-depth conversation regarding their objectives.

Three weeks later, a group of 14  Toronto, Ontario -based Black & McDonald employees took part in a half-day tailor-made training program that was built around the objectives of the group, including topics such as emotional intelligence and influence, communication styles, and the value of vulnerability in a leader.

To learn more about how this event was able to come together so quickly, check out the full story:  From Inquiry to Custom Call in Under 30 Minutes .

When Conexus Credit Union contacted us on a Friday afternoon asking if we could facilitate a team building event for six employees the following Monday morning, we said, “Absolutely!” 

The team at Conexus Credit Union were looking for an activity that would get the group’s mind going and promote collaboration between colleagues. And we knew just what to recommend:  Code Break Express  – an activity filled with brainteasers, puzzles, and riddles designed to test the group’s mental strength. 

The Express version of Code Break was ideal for Conexus Credit Union’s shorter time frame because our Express activities have fewer challenges and can be completed in an hour or less. They’re self-hosted, so the company’s group organizer was able to easily and efficiently run the activity on their own.

To learn more about how we were able to come together and make this awesome event happen, take a look at our case study:  A Perfect Group Activity Organized in One Business Day .

We’ve been lucky enough to work with Accenture – a company which has appeared on FORTUNE’s list of “World’s Most Admired Companies” for 14 years in a row – on a number of team building activities in the past. 

The organization approached us with a request to facilitate a philanthropic team building activity for 15 employees. The hitch? They needed the event to be planned, organized, and executed within one week. 

Staying true to our brand promise of being fast to act on behalf of our customers, our team got to work planning Accenture’s event. We immediately put to work the experience of our Employee Engagement Consultants, the flexibility of our solutions, and the organization of our event coordinators. And six days later, Accenture’s group was hard at work on a  Charity Bike Buildathon , building bikes for kids in need.

To learn more about how we helped Accenture do some good in a short amount of time, read the full case study:  Delivering Team Building for Charity in Under One Week .

Learn More About Team Building, Training and Development, and Coaching and Consulting Solutions 

For more information about how Outback Team Building & Training can help you host unforgettable team activities to meet your specific goals and needs on virtually any time frame and budget, just reach out to our Employee Engagement Consultants.  

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 From corporate groups to remote employees and everything in between, the key to a strong business is creating a close-knit team. That’s why you need to do team-building sessions as much as you can.

Training Industry

Case study: how mcdonald’s integrates learning into the employee experience.

Striving to be the “best first job,” McDonald’s knows many of its employees are at the beginning of their career path. Some, still in high school, may not have the resources to attend college and are beginning to wonder, “What happens next?” Some may be working to finish high school or college to gain the skills and education requirements needed to take the next step in their careers. Still others may be looking to sharpen their English skills to communicate better with customers and open more doors in the future.

With an estimated 1.9 million employees dispersed across the globe, supporting employees’ unique personal and professional goals would call for an innovative, comprehensive, solution — which is why McDonald’s launched Archways to Opportunity ® in 2015.

The Archways to Opportunity program helps McDonald’s employees across the globe improve their English skills, earn a high school diploma, work toward a college degree, and create an education and career plan with the help of career advisors. With the recently launched Archways to Careers app, McDonald’s employees can now access many of these professional development opportunities — and new ones — at their fingertips. Rob Lauber, chief learning officer at McDonald’s, says the app helps employees “find and unlock” their passions, identify related career opportunities, and make a plan to achieve them.

Let’s examine how McDonald’s has integrated professional development into the employee experience to set its workforce up for success not only at the Golden Arches but in life.

Archways to Opportunity: A Brief Overview

Since its launch in 2015, Archways to Opportunity has :

• Awarded high school and college tuition assistance to over 35,000 employees, totaling over $90 million.
• Had over 750 employees graduate from its career online high school program and over 7,250 employees graduate from English Under the Arches (launched in 2007).
• Increased access to education for over 50,000 people through its various programs.

While these initiatives undoubtedly benefit employees, they’re also good for business. For example, McDonald’s believes English Under the Arches has helped retain employees. Through a blended learning approach, the initiative seeks to teach employees the “English skills that restaurant employees need most,” such as common words and phrases they will encounter on the job.

McDonald’s education benefits are another way it attracts and retain employees in an industry currently facing a major labor shortage . Its employees are eligible for tuition assistance after working at least 15 hours per week for 90 days. Crew workers are eligible to receive $2,500 per year, and managers are eligible to receive $3,000 per year.

As John Colborn, director of the Aspen Institute’s Skills for America’s Future initiative, explains , “When companies like McDonald’s provide these kinds of programs, they not only enhance life opportunities for their workers, they also gain a more engaged and talented workforce.”

With the benefits the Archways to Opportunity program has brought to both employees and the company, Lauber says it “made perfect sense” to take the next step in supporting employees’ professional growth: launching a career development app.

Archways to Careers: Vision, Strategy and Measurement

McDonald’s launched its career development app, Archways to Careers, to supplement the Archways to Opportunity program with “personalized, one-on-one” professional guidance, Lauber says. By providing learning on demand, the app also aims to help reduce common barriers (e.g. transportation, costs and scheduling conflicts) for employees looking to advance their careers.

Unlike an in-person course or workshop, Lauber says, an app proved the best way to “touch as many people as possible.” For busy restaurant workers, it’s critical that they can access everything from career coaching to English courses on the bus ride to work, between the breakfast and lunch rush, or in the comfort of their own home.

With help from an existing partner and a coaching company, the app took roughly 10 months to build. A key part of the process was seeking and implementing feedback on the app’s progress to ensure the finished product would meet employees’ needs and deliver the value it was expected to, Lauber says. As the app is largely targeted toward learners who are just entering the workforce, McDonald’s decided to “support employees more directly” through one-on-one career coaching sessions with objective, third-party career advisers, Lauber says. According to the press release , the credentialed advisors will help restaurant employees “chart a path to achieve the future job or career they desire.”

Employees can also view education requirements and salaries for roles and industries that, based on conversations with employees, McDonald’s found to be of high interest, such as health care, technology and finance.

Measurement

McDonald’s will measure the app’s success in several ways, including monitoring downloads and tracking user engagement with career advisers on the platform. Of course, Lauber says, “Like any app, it’s only as good as its current version … we’ll be looking for ways to improve the app going forward with future releases.”

A Learning Experience

The Archways to Careers app expands the reach of McDonald’s career development opportunities. However, employees also gain numerous opportunities for personal and professional development on the job, whether it’s learning to communicate with co-workers of different backgrounds or using soft skills like empathy to understand customers’ points of view and provide stellar customer service. Lauber says, “The experiences people in our restaurants get, just from working there, set [them] up with excellent life skills.”

McDonald’s goal is to engrain professional development into the employee experience. As a result, even if employees don’t take advantage of the career development opportunities they’re offered, they still benefit from a “host of development opportunities while working in the restaurant,” Lauber says. They are constantly learning new skills, and refining old ones, on the job.

Although McDonald’s employees are each unique in their career aspirations, backgrounds and personal interests, they have one thing in common: an employee experience shaped by learning and development.

• #Archyways to Opportunity
• #employee experience
• #learning application
• #mobile learning
• #professional development
• #training application
• #Workforce Development

Sarah Gallo

Sarah Gallo is the associate editor at Training Industry, Inc. and the co-host of The Business of Learning, the Training Industry podcast .

This topic is proudly sponsored by

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A Case Study Approach for Evaluation of Employee Training Effectiveness and Development Program

Related Papers

IOSR Journal of Business and Management

Dr. Harshit Topno

Advances in Developing Human Resources

Diane Wilcox

ISSN2230-987X

Varsha Srivastava , Prism World

A profound training programme is a bridge that helps organisation employees to enhance and develop their skill sets and perform better in their task. It actually help in meeting the gap between skills possess and required to perform the job. Training is an important investment in terms of time, energy and money by organisation for the upliftment of the employee's so that they can meet the challenges of global competition. Therefore it become very essential for an organisation to know whether their investment is being spent effectively or not, this requires continuous evaluation of training interventions. Evaluation of training intervention means valuation of the impact of training on participants. This is descriptive paper comes under the category of general review of various evaluation models. Finally in conclusive remark paper suggests the most widely use training evaluation model in present scenario.

Carla Bennett

Landslide Limousine Company is currently within the final part of the coaching setup within which includes the coaching analysis. This part embrace valuable information. As a result, it provides value, coaching effectiveness, worker progress, and performance, and apply feedback to change or enhance the coaching. Training evaluation judge coaching, and document the outcomes of the coaching regarding how trainees behave on their jobs, therefore, provide the relevancy of that behavior to the objectives of the organization (Cascio, 2013). As a result, Landslide has concerns about the about the value of an educational program; analysis is required to justify the come back on investment (ROI) that the corporate receives from the educational program. Once enforced, the results provide coaching that set up most accurately strategic that benefits Landslide and provide specific coaching programs required for the company's staff. Criteria Preparing results or principles allude to measures that the coach and the organization use to assess preparing programs. Tests measure the accustomed skills associated with the employee's information, and expertise supported the established coaching arrange. Measures of results square measure very standard line of coaching success. Specific rating criteria ought to be set for each worker associate degree supervisors so that all parties perceive what's expected and what further coaching and experiences square measure required before an employee is transferred to ensuing level. Landslide Limousine has chosen to utilize the Kirkpatrick four-level training model. The model consists of four different criteria reactions, learning, behavior and results (Cascio, 2015). Results are the employee feedback on how well he or she enjoyed the training. Learning focuses on the competency of his or her skills on the job. Behavior reflects on the improvement of employee skills. Results are the final stage of the evaluation in which involves the organization outcomes completed by the employees.

Journal of European Industrial Training

Pilar Pineda

Open Access Journal of Science

Hasan Tarik

nternational Journal of Educational Theory and Practice

Joseph M Kavulya

Evaluation is a critical requirement of any programme implementation process. It is estimated that over the last fifty years, over sixty models or approaches of evaluation have been developed. The main objective of this paper is to review selected evaluation models with the view to distinguish their underlying assumptions and processes and assess their strengths and weaknesses and implications for application. Specifically, the paper examines first, the various definitions of educational evaluation to clarify understanding of the concept and secondly, it explores the role and benefits of evaluation in the successful implementation of educational programmes. Thirdly it reviews three commonly used approaches to educational evaluation namely:-Context, Input, Process and Product (CIPP) Evaluation Model; The Consumer-Oriented Model, and the Utilization-Focused Evaluation Model. The paper argues that models of evaluation are critical in programme implementation. It concludes that educators need be versatile with various approaches to evaluation and apply them with due consideration to the given circumstances. It recommends the need to carefully select an evaluation model that fits a given situation in programme implementation.

Robert Bjork

Sharada Ghosh

The challenge for all HRD Managers today is to justify the investment done for training of employees. To measure the effectiveness of training conducted and to check the transfer of learning to the job is becoming more and more pertinent to all HRD managers. Globalisation and stiff competition has laid more stress on performance, and therefore continuous training for better productivity. But whether this training is ensuring better performance or not needs to be checked and measured. There are many models and theories prevalent to evaluate training, but there are very few organisations measuring the effectiveness of training. The objective of this paper is to address to all the myths and barriers to evaluation of training. This paper seeks to attempt to increase the understanding of what challenges come in the way of conducting an evaluation of training.

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5 Case Studies That Prove the Impact of Employee Training on Customer Experience

• Customer Experience

Any good retailer will tell you that the customer experience is everything. Good CX has the power to differentiate you from your competition, increase revenue and even boost employee retention. 

We know that five star customer experience is the number one goal, but what’s less clear is exactly how to get there. 

Many retailers are turning to technology to optimize their CX offering - for example, IKEA is leveraging AR to create interactive experiences for their online customers - and focusing on key consumer asks such as greater personalization and smooth omnichannel operations. 

What’s often overlooked, however, is the most basic element of effective customer experience: employee training. By providing your workforce with the skills they need to confidently serve and interact with customers day in, day out, you can ensure a consistently high quality experience for your customers. 

But don’t just take our word for it. Here are the main obstacles to outstanding customer experience, and five case studies from leading frontline businesses which prove that effective training is the solution. 

Quick navigation:

Key challenges in customer experience

• Uber - immersive conflict resolution training
• Tigo - bitesize product knowledge
• Pet Supermarket - social media-style customer service training
• Uber - in-app cultural awareness education
• PedidosYa - automated onboarding for new users

1. Conflict

US employees spend around 2.8 hours each week dealing with conflict, meaning that a full day of productivity is lost to conflict every month. While resolving conflict comes as part of the job, many workers aren’t given the tools they need to manage these difficult situations and are left vulnerable. In fact, 60% of employees say they never received any basic conflict management training in their workplace.

When your workforce doesn’t have the necessary skills to handle tricky situations and resolve problems, it’s not just the customer that loses out. Employees that are consistently left feeling isolated and unsupported at work are at a higher risk of churn, which can impact your customer experience even further.

2. Poor product knowledge

Product knowledge and expertise is becoming a top priority for the evermore demanding customer. In fact, nearly half of shoppers will abandon a brand if employees are not knowledgeable about the product or service they’re offering. 

So what’s the barrier? More often than not, it’s simply that this knowledge isn’t accessible - 28% of retail associates say they can’t find information quickly enough to help shoppers. Another obstacle is the difficulty brands experience in keeping their workforce up to date with changing product features and specifications, leading to inconsistencies across branches and preventing sales associates from being able to meet their customers’ needs.

3. Lack of customer service skills

Customer service skills are the basis of good CX. 93% of employees who receive regular on-the-job training say they deliver a better experience and overall customer care, yet almost 50% of sales associates are trained only once a year or less.

The benefits of training are well known, but in a fast-paced environment such as retail, it can quickly slip down the list of priorities. Especially amid recent talent shortages , the influx of inexperienced new hires met with a lack of time and resources to properly train them has massively impacted the customer experience. A workforce that lacks key customer service skills can’t hope to meet the high standards expected from today’s consumers, nor prevent them from switching to a competitor.

4. No cultural awareness

Recent years have seen important conversations around discrimination brought to the fore, with many businesses committing to improving diversity and inclusion within their workplace. Unfortunately, these commitments don’t always extend to the frontline, despite this being the first point of contact customers will have with a brand. 

Retailers cannot sit back and hope that their workforce doesn’t unintentionally offend their customers. They must take action to ensure that workers are educated on cultural differences, and are confident in making sure that everyone on the shop floor feels welcome. Not just because it’s the right thing to do, but also because customer loyalty depends on it - in the last year, 41% of shoppers have shifted their business away from a retailer that does not reflect how important diversity and inclusion is to them. 

5. Low adoption of new technologies

As technology continues to evolve, both in our personal lives and in the workplace, the frontline still gets left behind. 34% of workers in the industry say they aren't equipped or adapting to digital tools, and nearly half actually list outdated technology and a lack of training as their biggest frustration with the industry, with many leaving as a result of stores being “too rigid”. 

It’s not enough to simply tick a box. Employers need to introduce technology that actually aids their workers and train them on how to use it properly. Not doing so risks causing even more disruption on the frontline as workers spend their time grappling with new tools instead of focusing on what matters: the customer.

How brands are using training to improve their CX

Training a workforce that’s widely dispersed and constantly on-the-go is no mean feat. In order for upskilling initiatives to have real impact, you need to ensure that lessons are bitesize, easily accessible and highly engaging. 

That’s why leading brands rely on eduMe , the training tool that’s purpose-built for the frontline. 

Read on to find out how these five companies used eduMe to improve their own customer experience, and the results that they’ve seen from their investment.

1. Uber - immersive conflict resolution training

Uber’s global network of driver partners completes an average of 14 million trips per day. With so many customer interactions taking place every second, the rideshare giant needed a way to prepare their driver partners on how to manage difficult situations with passengers and ensure customer satisfaction.

Using eduMe’s Scenario Videos feature, Uber were able to enhance their de-escalation training with immersive learning experiences. These interactive quizzes presented real-world scenarios driver partners were likely to encounter in their day-to-day work - such as identifying situations that are high risk, or responding to an emergency - and empowered them to think critically about the impact of their choices. 

Leveraging this highly engaging feature meant that Uber were able to demonstrate safe and appropriate conflict de-escalation that really resonated with their workforce - 97% of learners found the content useful, and they saw 31% higher than average completion rates. 

Working with eduMe on training initiatives such as this has helped Uber to better equip their drivers in providing excellent customer service, leading to a 10% increase in driver partner ratings. 

2. Tigo - bitesize product knowledge

Leading cable services provider Tigo has a large network of on-the-ground sales agents who are responsible not only for selling a wide range of products, but also providing a 5-star customer service. With such a widely scattered, deskless workforce, communication was a challenge. In-person workshops and printed sales materials weren’t enough to keep their agents up-to-date, leading to inconsistencies in service and low performance.

Introducing a microlearning strategy with eduMe has enabled Tigo to deliver key product information in the form of engaging, bitesize lessons. Designed to maximize knowledge retention, sales agents can use these lessons to upgrade their skills and learn about new product features on-the-go, via their personal devices.

As a result of empowering their sales agents with easy access to product knowledge, Tigo saw a 66% increase in sales in just three months. The transition to microlearning modules also meant that agents spent three hours less on training, freeing up their time to serve more customers.

3. Pet Supermarket - social media-style customer service training

Pet Supermarket is a US-based retail chain with over 220 branches, and a strong focus on customer experience. However, the in-person training methods they previously relied on were failing to excite their Gen-Z learners and impossible to standardize, compromising their workforce’s ability to deliver a one-of-a-kind experience.

With eduMe Guides , Pet Supermarket can deliver engaging and impactful content in a highly consumable, social media-style format. Accessible via in-store QR codes, Guides are perfectly placed to inspire and inform their time-poor workers, empowering them to provide a consistently efficient and personalized service. 

Since rolling out eduMe Guides, Pet Supermarket have seen a 79% average completion rate - 49% higher than the industry average - as well as highly positive feedback from their employees, 89% of whom stated that they enjoyed being upskilled in this way. 

Better yet, the transition to digestible, bitesize video content has reduced the time required for training to just 2 minutes, meaning minimal disruption to employee productivity and more time spent with customers. 

Quick and simple to create, Guides can be made by anyone. Pet Supermarket use this to their advantage by empowering local champions to share their expertise and encouraging social learning from the ground up. 

Confidence comes from being knowledgeable about what they’re talking about, their love of the industry and pets. eduMe is at the center of that.

4. Uber - in-app cultural awareness education

With such a diverse customer base interacting with their platform and driver partners every day, Uber is tasked with ensuring that those representing them on the frontline have the awareness and empathy they need to serve a wide variety of customers. 

Uber has partnered with eduMe on a number of important initiatives aimed at improving cultural awareness. Using our seamless technology , the rideshare company delivered in-app anti-racism education to 23 million customers, drivers and delivery partners across Brazil. Providing one-tap access to education within their own app allowed them to maximize the reach of their initiative, working to lower incident rates and champion equity. 

Through eduMe, Uber also launched a highly successful campaign focused around fostering tolerance and understanding of the LGBTQ+ community . Interactive lessons were delivered seamlessly to 200,000 drivers and delivery partners across Mexico, of whom 58% reported that they had changed their behavior as a result of the training content. 

The ability to deliver education of this nature on such a scale - and in such a frictionless manner - has been essential for Uber in helping them to achieve their goal of ensuring that everyone can move freely and safely. With greater awareness of various cultures and experiences, their driver partners are better equipped to provide every passenger with an exceptional service.

The eduMe platform really helped us in integrating these through our own app…the access to that optional education is completely seamless, so there’s no need to log in.

5. PedidosYa - automated onboarding for new users

As the leading Latin American delivery platform, PedidosYa connects thousands of restaurants and businesses with millions of users. Prior to using eduMe, they onboarded new vendors to their platform through 60-minute webinars, making it difficult to ensure consistency in quality and failing to keep businesses engaged with their platform before they’d even begun fulfilling orders.

Thanks to eduMe’s integration with cross-channel customer engagement platform Braze , PedidosYa were able to create an automated onboarding plan for new vendors which provides seamless access to bite-sized training courses on eduMe. Users were able to complete their training in less time and feel better prepared to start earning on the PedidosYa platform, decreasing reliance on customer support and resulting in a smoother user experience.

Delivering onboarding information in this quick, engaging format led to a reduction in vendor inactivity, with the number of new vendors failing to complete an order within the first month decreasing by 15%. In fact, new vendors who completed onboarding via eduMe showed an increase in activity on their platform, and rejected fewer orders. 

PedidosYa also received 99% positive feedback from their users who described eduMe as ‘clear’, ‘intuitive’, ‘easy’ and ‘dynamic’. Vendors also began asking more specifically about their product offering, showing that they had become more invested in the platform as a whole. Effective training didn’t just improve customer retention, but also affinity with their brand.

Improve your customer experience with eduMe

With one-tap access to product specifications, sales techniques and de-escalation support - within the tools you’ve already invested in - you can give your employees the tools they need to provide exceptional customer experiences, every single time. Want to get started with eduMe? Try out one of our customer service course templates below 👇

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A Case Study in Employee Retention through Better Training and Engagement

Attracting and retaining quality employees is an issue that the entire industry struggles with, especially over the past 18 months. Much of the retention issues stem from the absence of solid career pathing due to archaic business operations.

Our plans at Hearthside Food Solutions, at one time, were the industry standard: great standard work processes, top level one-point lessons, and troubleshooting binders near every machine. Our production training was documented with paper files . This, however, led to unreliable reporting due to human error, occasionally misplaced files, and an inability to get through audits swiftly.

Due to the outdated processes and a need to work in a lean manufacturing world, training resources were stretched thin, which distracted our focus as new employees started.

This had a cascading effect, slowing down development for tenured employees as well. The training process is longer than usual and longer than what our current talent pool needs. Increased training times led to increased working hours for staff, which prompted employee burnout. Our leadership team felt there was a lack of a solid career path for our employees.

When the industry called for lean processes, technology was needed to bridge the gaps we are experiencing. At Hearthside, we leveraged the power of Alchemy Coach to modernize and improve our training development, delivery, and perhaps most importantly – reinforcement and engagement. It does not happen overnight, and we are still in the process. However, we have set a plan to build skillsets and create skills-based training and established salary grade levels.

At Hearthside, we employed extensive learning plans and documented our processes for consistent delivery on our production floors. The learning plans are detailed precisely to promote growth and development. To create these plans, we utilized resources from several thought leaders and subject matter experts within the business. These cross-department and cross-level partnerships encouraged mutual ownership and has promoted the program indirectly.

Our learning plans were created for every machine and process on our production floors, which required us to gather a list of the machines and processes in our plants. We then needed to either enhance or create standard works for those machines/processes as well as one-point lessons. We then established how each process would be employed to develop a career ladder by skillsets.

The processes that were documented allowed us a chance to list the activities needed for each machine/process. By selecting the individual steps, we had a clear plan to be published in our training platform (we use Intertek Alchemy), worked on the floor, and managed and audited through Alchemy Coach. The beauty of the Coach technology is it forces accountability from our staff, our trainers, and our leaders together.

These processes helped uncover skill and training gaps to increase positive employee relations through positive coaching and development. Our secret is in how we celebrate the successes. Celebrating success takes zero effort and there is no cost involved other than the 10 seconds it takes to deliver the praise. It is amazing how many people forget this because of their own ego. To ensure this becomes a pattern, leadership needs to set the standard.

When there is a plan in place that is solid, tangible and rewarded, recruiting efforts become easier, because you become the gold standard. Referrals will increase and costs will go down. In today’s market, we are all evolving. At Hearthside we are continuing to do so. This is a process that can never stop. Once you stop evolving you become complacent. Complacency is a guarantee of failure.

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From chaos to clarity: Mastering documentation for work processes

Discover key insights and techniques for effective, process documentation, with clear guidance from Jo Cook

I saw a Facebook meme recently that went a bit like this:

Me as a youth: Don’t tell me what to do!

Me as an adult: Would someone please tell me, in intricate detail, with timings, exactly what I’m supposed to do.

Good quality work often has a good quality process to guide it, so that there’s consistency, quality and clear outcomes. On a contract piece of work I was recently updating a relatively big process document and want to share with you key points of my approach for you to apply to creating or updating your own.

Firstly it’s knowing who the information is for. The document in this project sat in the folder of a particular business team, so we would assume it’s for that team. However this process relates to an “External Team” that contracts on specific projects, working with the “Business Team”, both of whom can access the folder. I’m part of the External Team, and I didn’t realise that the document was for me, as we have our own “External Team Folder” for our documentation. Confused already? So was I!

The current document, in the Business Team folder, had a lot of content, for both teams. My first job was to decide which team needed to know what for their work. I split that document in two as The Business Team needed a higher level view of the process and their responsibilities within it, but not the detail. Whereas the External Team needed a lot of the detail to do the work.

Top tip: Have different documents (or sections of a Wiki etc) for different audiences, to avoid overwhelm and provide the right level of detail for the role/task

If your documentation is part of a Wiki, Knowledge Management System or similar, the path and title may be explanation enough of what it is and who it’s for. If you are using something like SharePoint, Teams (which is often just a shell on top of SharePoint), Slack etc, then by having access to a particular team folder or channel, this might also indicate who the document is for. But it might not indicate it’s importance.

This document was originally called:

“ Process for xxx work – Version 01 ”.

Yes, it says it’s the process for the work, but sat in a Teams folder with other documents, so it didn’t jump out as the thing to look at.

I made a very simple change and named the new version:

“ Business Team READ ME FIRST – Process for xxx work – Version 02 ”.

This gave direction to people who were staring at a folder and not knowing what to do. I also did similar for the External Team version in their file location too.

Top tip: Follow internal naming conventions with regards dates, version numbers, and authors, but also function and ease of understanding of who needs what

The look of a document isn’t necessarily the most important next step to take, the content is usually more important. I was working on an established document with a team that had some collateral, in other words images and a design look, so it was relatively easy to put on a front cover image, company logo and a nice big title to make it really clear upon opening what the document was about and who it was for.

I also wanted to tidy up the design of the document as I went. Both from a technical perspective ( aligning tables, having the right paragraph breaks, consistent line spacing, font and size etc ) as it removes the noise and clutter of an already big and complicated document and makes for a “Clean layout so information is easy to find”, as said by design expert Connie Malamad .

Top tip: It’s worth learning about templates, styles and so on in your application of choice, as it can make design and layout quicker, easier and more consistent

I did some relatively simple things, but they made for a cumulative impact on that easy layout. At the beginning of the document was a list of roles in the process (Manager, owner etc), with a paragraph description for each:

• I updated the paragraphs into bullet points under each heading
• I simplified the language as most people aren’t going to read the document like a novel
• I ensured the right information so it’s easier to scan, which helps the reader

Jayne Davids said in her content design article , “Images and videos offer a visual representation of the step or process. They give context, reinforce the information, and can enhance the learning experience.” So I added screengrabs from emails and systems to make things quicker and easier to process, recognise and remember.

Hopefully we all know that there’s empirical evidence behind this recommendation: “Pictures are generally more easily recognized and recalled than words, although memory for pictures and words together is superior to memory for words alone or pictures alone” from Universal Principles of Design (p152).

It’s worth noting that this research can be traced back to 1894 when Kirkpatrick reported the results of an experimental study of memory for spoken words, printed words, and real objects.

Top tip: Make sure that the images you include add something to the meaning to help the work and the recall later, otherwise it’s annoying noise

Colour is another huge area of design: “All you need is a handful of colours, between two and five”, says Andrew DeBell in his visual design article .

There were tables in the document with tasks in the process, and different roles were responsible for different tasks. I used colour, as well as text labels, to denote these differences and make it easier to scan through the process and find the area you are responsible for.

When selecting colours, it’s really important to consider accessibility and inclusivity .

Top tip: See if your organisation already has brand guidelines and either include them in your documentation, or perhaps find some templates already setup for you. The marketing or communications department may be able to help

Content simplification

I wanted to ensure that the documentation was easy to use, otherwise there’s no point to it. James Shields, in his accessibility article , says, “Use visual hierarchies for layout: Implement design features and formatting to draw attention to key parts of your content, to help readers with accessibility issues identify areas they need to concentrate on. This will also help them understand the order they need to read your content for greater context.” I’ve already applied some of this advice in the notes above.

Towards the beginning of the documentation I included a process overview so that people could get the big picture of what happens. In other documentation I found a diagram version of the information and included that too.

I also included tables of other summaries – of timings (eg do X within two business days), emails that are received (from [email protected] contains X information and your action is to X) and so on. These are handy references before the main detail of the document in a relatively complicated, and often changing, process.

Top tip: Think about people who are using your documentation for the first time and need to know new things, as well as for the hundredth time and just need to find information quickly. This will help you decide what to summarise, where and how

I’ve written a feature-length article already and not even gotten to the process itself! Luckily, it’s putting into practice all of the above. I had to check a lot of the technical detail to ensure it was correct. Some of it I knew as I was working in the External Team. Some of it I could find in meeting notes, some I had to contact various subject matter experts to explain or confirm.

This obviously all takes time and it’s worth having an approach for marking out things you are unsure of or that take time for responses. This could be tracking features and comments if they are in your application or even assigning tasks to others. At the time I was the only person working on the document for an initial overhaul, so I chose to use yellow highlighting as it’s bright and simple to use.

Some of the changes I made were to wording. The person who had put the document together before me had done a great job, however English wasn’t their first language, so I was able to enhance the document further for the English speakers using it. Such as changing this:

I felt that the tone was more in alignment with trusting contracted specialists, as well as being laid out more clearly.

Top tip: Write rules and expectations in objective language to ensure a professional response

The rest of the document was more of the same – separating out steps, roles, functions and detailing them clearly in bullet points, numbered lists and linking to appropriate documentation.

Is there an end?

Whilst I had a finite time to rework this process, this kind of documentation very rarely has a conclusion as working practices change, projects update and roles fluctuate. It’s important that someone has overall responsibility for ensuring that any changes are reflected in the documentation and that appropriate people are made aware of those changes, after all, you wouldn’t want to make a rule change overnight and not let people know !

Is it a perfect document? Of course not. Some comments from the team were about repetitiveness and the length of the document, which had doubled. However that’s all part of an update, feedback and then reiterating the work to get to the best possible situation within the time and resources available.

Jo Cook is Editor of Training Journal and a learning specialist at her company Lightbulb Moment

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Embracing Gen AI at Work

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• Paul R. Daugherty

The skills you need to succeed in the era of large language models

Today artificial intelligence can be harnessed by nearly anyone, using commands in everyday language instead of code. Soon it will transform more than 40% of all work activity, according to the authors’ research. In this new era of collaboration between humans and machines, the ability to leverage AI effectively will be critical to your professional success.

This article describes the three kinds of “fusion skills” you need to get the best results from gen AI. Intelligent interrogation involves instructing large language models to perform in ways that generate better outcomes—by, say, breaking processes down into steps or visualizing multiple potential paths to a solution. Judgment integration is about incorporating expert and ethical human discernment to make AI’s output more trustworthy, reliable, and accurate. It entails augmenting a model’s training sources with authoritative knowledge bases when necessary, keeping biases out of prompts, ensuring the privacy of any data used by the models, and scrutinizing suspect output. With reciprocal apprenticing, you tailor gen AI to your company’s specific business context by including rich organizational data and know-how into the commands you give it. As you become better at doing that, you yourself learn how to train the AI to tackle more-sophisticated challenges.

The AI revolution is already here. Learning these three skills will prepare you to thrive in it.

Generative artificial intelligence is expected to radically transform all kinds of jobs over the next few years. No longer the exclusive purview of technologists, AI can now be put to work by nearly anyone, using commands in everyday language instead of code. According to our research, most business functions and more than 40% of all U.S. work activity can be augmented, automated, or reinvented with gen AI. The changes are expected to have the largest impact on the legal, banking, insurance, and capital-market sectors—followed by retail, travel, health, and energy.

• H. James Wilson is the global managing director of technology research and thought leadership at Accenture Research. He is the coauthor, with Paul R. Daugherty, of Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI, New and Expanded Edition (HBR Press, 2024). hjameswilson
• Paul R. Daugherty is Accenture’s chief technology and innovation officer. He is the coauthor, with H. James Wilson, of Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI, New and Expanded Edition (HBR Press, 2024). pauldaugh

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Home » Human Resource Management » Role of Case Studies in Employee Training and Development

Role of Case Studies in Employee Training and Development

One way to help trainees learn analytical and problem solving skills is by presenting a story (called a case) about people in an organization who are facing a problem or decision. Cases may be faced on actual events involving real people in an organization, or they can be fictional. Business case studies are included in college text books and courses in management, public administration, law, sociology, and similar subjects. They are increasingly available using video and other media. While cases vary in complexity and detail, trainees should be given enough information to analyze the situation and recommend their own solutions. In solving the problem, the trainees are generally required to use a rational problem-solving process that includes the following steps:

• Restating important facts.
• Drawing inferences from the facts.
• Stating the problem or problems.
• Developing alternative solutions and then stating consequences of each.
• Determining and supporting a course of action.

A business case study can present a real-life situation, which lets trainees to consider what they would do. It can present a wide variety of skills in which applying knowledge is important. It helps in finding number of alternative solutions suggested by the participants for the problems included in the case. Cases may be difficult to prepare and time-consuming to discuss. The trainer must be creative and very skilled at leading discussions, making points, and keeping trainees on track. All participants should take active part for the success of case study. This method is very helpful for effective training of the participants to develop the practice of taking correct decisions on the basis of analysis of different cases. The merits and demerits of this method should be considered for successful conduct of the training programme with required previous arrangements.

The case study method also has vigorous critics who argue that it can cause group think, focuses too much on the past, limits the teaching role of the trainer, reduces the learner’s ability to draw generalizations, reinforces passively on the part of the learner, and promotes the quantity of interaction among participants at the expense of the quality of interaction. Andrews and Noel claim that cases often lack realistic complexity and a sense of immediacy, and inhabit development of the ability to collect and distill information. In addition, trainees may get caught up in the details of the situation, at the expense of focusing on the larger issues and concepts they are trying to learn.

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More From Forbes

The business case for mental health: investing in employee well-being.

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Stephen Sokoler, founder & CEO of Journey .

Despite mental health emerging as a critical component of overall employee well-being, I see many organizations still viewing investments in it as discretionary.

However, this perspective is rapidly changing as companies recognize the tangible benefits of prioritizing mental health. Investing in employee well-being not only enhances individual productivity and satisfaction but also delivers substantial returns for the organization.

I’ve witnessed firsthand how proactive mental health initiatives can transform workplace culture and productivity.

The Benefits Of Investing In Mental Health

According to the World Health Organization, depression and anxiety cost the global economy an estimated $1 trillion per year in lost productivity. Furthermore, a study by the American Psychiatric Association found that employees with unresolved depression experience a 35% reduction in productivity .

By investing in mental health in your workplace, you can:

1. Increase productivity and performance. The earlier cited World Economic Forum suggests that for every dollar invested in mental health interventions, there is a return of $4 in improved health and productivity.

2. Enhance employee engagement and retention. A study by the Harvard Business Review found that companies with high employee engagement are 22% more profitable .

3. Reduce Healthcare Costs. A clinical study done for my company's "Live Outcomes Report" showed that employers saved $580 per employee engaged with mental well-being tools.

4. Improve corporate reputation. Millennials and Gen-Z are particularly inclined to support companies that demonstrate a commitment to employee well-being.

5. Reduce absenteeism. According to an extensive report conducted by the American Heart Association, when employees receive the support they need, they are less likely to take time off due to mental health issues.

Implementing Effective Mental Health Strategies

As a leader of a company helping others find ways to prioritize mental health in the workplace, here are some key components I've found that can contribute to a successful mental health initiative.

1. Comprehensive Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)

EAPs provide employees with confidential support for personal and work-related issues, including access to mental health professionals, counseling services and resources for managing stress and anxiety.

Customizing EAPs to address the unique mental health needs of a company’s employees is crucial. For instance, different industries face unique stressors; tech companies may struggle with high levels of stress and burnout due to long hours and tight deadlines, while the retail sector might deal with high turnover, the mental toll of customer interactions and working on their feet all day.

The size of the company also impacts mental health needs, with large organizations requiring scalable and accessible programs and smaller companies benefiting from more personalized approaches. Preemptive strategies, such as predictive analytics, regular mental health check-ins, support during significant life events and responses to localized events, can help identify and address issues before they escalate.

2. Mental Health Training And Awareness

Training programs should focus on recognizing signs of mental health issues, providing support and reducing stigma. Effective avenues for mental health training include workshops, webinars and peer support groups. While workshops and webinars can help recognize and address mental health issues, peer support groups are great for employees to share experiences and strategies.

Creating a genuinely open environment for discussing mental health involves leadership buy-in, consistent communication and visible support from all levels of the organization. For example, companies like SAP and Unilever have implemented comprehensive mental health training programs that include regular workshops, mental health days and open forums for discussion, which have significantly contributed to a more supportive and open workplace culture.

3. Flexible Work Arrangements

Flexibility in work arrangements, such as remote work options and flexible hours, can significantly reduce stress and improve work-life balance . Effective flexible work options include hybrid work models, flextime and compressed workweeks. Hybrid work models allow employees to split their time between working remotely and in the office. Flextime lets employees adjust their working hours to fit personal schedules while compressed workweeks offer longer workdays but fewer workdays per week.

To ensure flexibility does not compromise productivity or team collaboration, leaders should establish clear communication channels, set defined expectations and use collaborative tools. Regular check-ins, virtual team meetings and performance tracking help maintain productivity. Additionally, providing access to virtual counseling and wellness resources supports remote employees' mental health.

4. Wellness Programs

Integrating mental health into broader wellness programs can provide holistic support for employees. Wellness programs that include activities such as mindfulness training, exercise classes and stress management workshops can promote overall mental and physical health.

Customizing these programs to resonate with employees involves tailoring sessions to different stress levels and job roles, offering options like short daily practices or longer weekly sessions and using both in-person and virtual formats.

I also often recommend companies offer exercise classes. Providing access or reimbursement for different kinds of classes, like yoga, cardio and strength training, can help tremendously. You can also look to stress management workshops to help address specific workplace stressors or offer practical tools and techniques. I find that some of the most effective ones include interactive elements like role-playing and group discussions.

5. Regular Feedback And Continuous Improvement

Regularly soliciting feedback from employees about their mental health needs and the effectiveness of existing programs. Effective methods include anonymous surveys, which enable honest feedback without fear of repercussions, and focus groups that provide deeper insights. One-on-one check-ins can also allow you to gather personal insights during regular, confidential meetings, while digital feedback tools streamline the collection and analysis process.

Investing in employee mental health is not only a moral imperative but a strategic business move. Companies that prioritize mental well-being can expect to see improvements in productivity, employee engagement, retention and overall corporate reputation.

By implementing comprehensive mental health strategies, I find that organizations can create a thriving, resilient workforce that drives long-term success. In the end, the benefits of investing in mental health far outweigh the costs, making it a wise and impactful investment for any forward-thinking company.

Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?

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The case for HIIT: Why short, intense workouts are so good for your fitness and longevity

• Short, intense workout could help you get fit faster, and boost your health, research suggests.
• A new study found 1-minute intervals of high-intensity exercise helped people recover better from stroke.
• Increasingly, evidence shows exercise "snacks" of a few minutes can add up to a longer, healthier life.

A few minutes of high-intensity exercise can make a big difference to your health, according to science.

Short bursts of exercise helped people make nearly twice the fitness gains, and recover better after a stroke, than more moderate workouts, according to a study published August 8 in Stroke , a journal of the American Heart Association.

The findings offer encouraging evidence that people can safely exercise at a high intensity after a stroke.

Plus, this study adds to a growing field of evidence that small-but-mighty workouts can pay big dividends for our health.

The new study, explained

Researchers from McGill University and McMaster University in Canada studied 82 stroke survivors, between 40 and 80 years old, who underwent an exercise program. Both groups used a stepper exercise machine, and worked out three days a week for 12 weeks.

Half of the participants were assigned a 19-minute, high-intensity workout — fully exerting themselves for one minute, followed by one minute of gentle exercise, then repeating the cycle.

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The others did a moderate intensity workout — 20-30 minutes exercising at 40-60% heart rate, this kind of effort you might exert jogging.

By the end of the study, the high-intensity group saw their fitness level (measured by VO2 max ) improve by twice as much as the moderate group. They also maintained the benefits at eight weeks of follow-up.

"With the right support and guidance, stroke survivors can safely and effectively engage in high-intensity interval training, significantly improving their overall health and recovery," Kevin Moncion, lead author of the study and physiotherapist at McMaster University, said in a press release.

'Exercise snacks' may help prevent early death

The significance of this study extends beyond stroke survivors.

Increasingly, research shows that small sessions of activity (sometimes called exercise snacks) can also prevent a stroke. There are other benefits, too: bursts of movement like taking the stairs may help you live a longer, healthier life , research suggests.

Multiple studies have found every minute can add up to lower risk of dying early from any cause, helping to stave off cancer and heart disease, and stroke.

An easy way to start fitting exercise into your day is trying " trigger workouts ," quick sets of bodyweight squats, push-ups. Personal trainers recommend tacking on these micro workouts on to activities already in your routine, like making a cup of coffee or taking a bathroom break, to help you get healthier in a few minutes of movement at a time.

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Experience new growth possibilities with Microsoft Advertising today >

The key to unlocking business growth with AI—a dentsu story

Darragh simm.

In many ways our modern day lives resemble a futuristic sci-fi movie. You can just imagine a preview with fast cuts and a deep booming voice over that reads something like this. After surviving the global pandemic, knowledge works adjust to a new way of life. Suits, daily commutes to the office, and elevator pleasantries are a thing of the past. In this digital-first era, business is now done virtually and is supported by AI companions like Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform. People have outsourced mundane tasks to their AI digital assistants to focus their time on high value work. Inspiration and assistance are always just a prompt away for these savvy business folk as they hone their AI skills.

The role of AI in modern business

This may sound over dramatized, but in reality, it’s not far from where we’re today. AI is becoming an increasingly powerful tool that empowers individuals and businesses alike. 75% of global knowledge workers are already using generative AI in their daily lives. Those using it say it helps them focus on the most important work (85%) and makes them more creative (84%). It’s easy to throw out stats about the benefits of AI, but it’s important to remember that behind each data point is a story of how this technology helped an individual. We’re going to highlight some of those stories today.

dentsu's experience with Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform

As a global leader in media and paid search, dentsu had the opportunity to use Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform before it was officially released. Even with all the capabilities of an industry leading agency, they were excited to use the generative AI capabilities of Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform to drive even greater efficiency and results. An easy way to think about Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform, as noted by Kenneth Andrew, VP of Growth at Microsoft Advertising, it’s like having access to a highly skilled and experienced marketing manager at your fingertips that’s always ready and willing to assist.

Shortly after the dentsu team received access to Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform, the benefits of individual use cases became evident. Cynthia Gutierrez, Senior Associate of Paid Search at dentsu, shared how she views Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform as her go-to companion for efficient problem-solving.

Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform seamlessly combines convenience and knowledge, offering swift and insightful responses. Its depth of information and unwavering reliability converge to create an experience that transcends mere utility, making it an invaluable digital companion. Whether unraveling complex queries or providing insights, Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform stands as a testament to efficient problem-solving.

Beyond Cynthia’s experience, the dentsu team found the Copilot chat experience extremely helpful, as it was able to address questions and provide best practice recommendations instantly, directly in the UI. This accelerated the overall campaign management experience, unlocking operational efficiencies and opportunities for performance gains through instantaneous support and in-platform guidance for launch and optimization tasks.

dentsu’s AI partnership with Microsoft

It’s worth noting that dentsu was no stranger to AI prior to using Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform. In fact, they already had a strong partnership with Microsoft, both in the advertising space and in developing generative AI solutions on Microsoft’s Azure GPT model. Last year, dentsu had launched d.SCRIPTOR, an in-house proprietary ad copy optimization model. Even with their robust d.SCRIPTOR model already in place the team found plenty of complimentary value in using Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform once they received access.

One example came from Michelle Ibarra, Associate Director of Paid Search at dentsu, who noted that the 'take me there now' feature in Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform’s response was particularly useful, as it effortlessly navigated users to the exact area within their account that they needed.

While posing support-related questions to Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform is quite simple, the feature that really enhances the experience is the ‘take me there now’ button in Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform’s response. Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform effortlessly navigates you to the exact area within your account you need.

Overall, the dentsu team welcomed Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform and in their words, they view it as another example of Microsoft’s trailblazing approach to incorporating generative AI throughout its ecosystem. They expanded to say Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform is an invaluable generative AI powered solution that is helping their dentsu team innovate, unlock operational efficiencies, and deliver increased value to clients.

Training and future plans

Even with a tool as powerful as Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform, it’s still just a tool and you need to know how to use it to maximize its benefits. That’s why the Microsoft Advertising team partnered with dentsu to train over 500 of their team members around the globe on all the best practices to effectively use Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform. Once trained the agency plans to host a Shark Tank style event where each team will pitch their best AI proof of concept to the judges for future development. This is both a great example of partnership and creativity, plus the outcome of the chosen project will further benefit their roster of clients amidst this industry-wide AI inflection point.

Whether you’re a world class agency like dentsu or a scrappy startup, there are endless ways that you can use Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform to help you grow your business. Discover how Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform can empower your business and your team for greater creativity, efficiency, and growth.

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SR MARKETING MANAGER, MICROSOFT ADVERTISING

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