Induction programme that nurtures talent wins gold award

An innovative online induction programme that not only provides essential training for new employees but helps identify the brightest potential talent has won gold at The Learning Awards.

Farmfoods and bespoke elearning provider Sponge won Onboarding Programme of the Year at the prestigious awards scheme run by the Learning and Performance Institute (LPI).

Farmfoods, the frozen food specialists, employ over 4,000 people and trade from more than 330 stores nationwide. Sponge and Farmfoods worked closely together to develop an induction programme to give new employees an engaging introduction to Farmfoods and improve performance.

The programme consists of high quality, custom-made elearning modules incorporating relevant work scenarios and helpful guidance, supported by on-the-job training and printed workbooks, as part of a blended induction approach.

In a survey of learners, 60% said they chose to complete additional elearning above what was required for their role, allowing Farmfoods to spot employees who had the motivation and potential to progress. 80% of employees surveyed said they planned to remain at Farmfoods for at least the next year after completing the elearning.

The elearning was created using the Adapt multi-device responsive framework so employees can access the training on a smartphone or tablet, which was particularly important for the ‘millennial generation’ workforce. The modules are hosted on Sponge’s Launch&Learn LMS, which allows managers to see progress and access talent identification data quickly and easily.

Louise Pasterfield, Managing Director, Sponge, said:

“This project proves that when learning technologies are used imaginatively and strategically they can deliver far-reaching business benefits. There is a lot that other organisations could learn from Farmfoods’ innovative approach to induction, where training and talent management are cleverly combined in one effective programme.”

Ronnie Morgan, Head of Training and Development at Farmfoods, said:

“We set out to create something engaging, modern and useful and we are delighted that the result has achieved recognition by winning gold at these awards. Sponge was great to work with. The combination of their design and tech expertise with our content and audience expertise was key in bringing the programme to life successfully.”

The official citation from the Learning Awards, said: 

"The judges were especially impressed at the way in which the materials could be adapted to the different roles and job functions of the learners; in addition, the deployment of the content across multiple channels - especially smart-phones - was both innovative and effective. Finally, the metrics that were produced were truly impressive and make this programme a well deserved category winner."  

Farmfoods launched the induction training in January 2015. The winners of The Learning Awards 2016 were announced at a ceremony hosted by television presenter, Claudia Winkleman at The Dorchester hotel in London on Thursday, February 4, 2016.