Canadian HR Reporter

F E A T U R E S 22 www.hrreporter.com A U T O M AT I O N / A I AI-POWERED TECH BOOSTS TRAINING Looking to improve the learning and development of employees at several large retail chains, OSL Retail Services has seen success in offering a mobile, AI-powered learning platform that makes for a seamless experience, says Rob Ayre of Docebo WHEN it comes to employee training, retail companies have their work cut out for them. High turnover rates, onboarding seasonal employees and expanding in a fast-paced industry are among the challenges that can obstruct a consistent experience across multiple locations. There's also the challenge of preserving and disseminating the most up-to- date product knowledge, maintaining compliance and engaging digitally native workers among generation Z and millennials. To engage those generations, retail Online, microlearning popular Learning and development as a function within retailers has changed sig- nificantly, and today, employees don't need to suffer through a monotonous and boring in-person training session. Learning has gone online and, when done properly, reflects the experiences employees see on popular social media platforms. But the move to digital has its challenges, especially in retail. Store locations don't have the space for desktop-based training. For that reason, in 2019, OSL decided to make the move to Docebo's AI-powered learning platform to enhance its training offerings via mobile devices. "We needed something that was mobile-friendly," says Hassan Farooqi, director of learning and development at OSL. "We are in a lot of stores that have limited space, so we can't put desktops and laptops everywhere." Most e-learning platforms are developed to boost formal, structured learning, but Docebo's platform allows organizations to implement an informal learning approach into their holistic learning plan. So, companies like OSL can create streams of topics that include assets uploaded by subject-matter experts and learners, along with courses and learning plans that provide access to content in channels of different topics. Earlier this year, OSL significantly ramped up its use of channels, "as formal, linear courses are becoming a thing of the past," says Farooqi. "As the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve suggests, most learners experience a decline in companies must be equipped with learning technology that allows them to deploy quick and effective staff training. Space for the learner's attention — and where to offer the training — are as limited as coveted shelf space. OSL Retail Services in Mississauga, Ont. provides professional services and training for retail operations across North America. It helps retailers such as Walmart and Sam's Club connect consumers to brands through superior customer service and a range of third- party services such as running sales and inventory. BIG PLANS FOR MOBILE LEARNING 55% Number of CLOs (chief learning officers) who plan to increase their use of mobile learning (in 2018). 76% Number of CLOs delivering e-learning on mobile devices (compared to 12% in 2014). 54% Number of CLOs who say a major driver of mobile learning is its ability to reach a large audience with few resources. 36% Number of CLOs who say the second biggest driver of mobile learning is cost savings. memory retention over time. A learner can consume a course on a Monday and, come Friday, could potentially forget 70 to 90 per cent of the content they consumed. Coupled with the fact that traditional courses are longer, we wanted to move to a microlearning strategy. Anything beyond two to five minutes is too long. The majority of our in-house course building is done with videos and animations in a more informational and bite-sized digestible format." For example, when OSL launches a new product, it provides the relevant material in one channel. For all job and training aids, it has created a quick video that provides a brief on the product. In the cellular space, instead of putting an entire Samsung "Unpacked" event in front of learners — where the company shows off its latest devices — the OSL team will break it down into the most important information relevant to the learner's jobs. AI more than buzzword Prior to the implementation of more advanced learning technology, retailers would have to send a trainer to the Source: CLO Magazine

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