Social Learning: How FMCG Brands Are Successfully Cultivating Change
Social Learning theory is based on the premise that humans learn best through observation and then emulation. People watch someone perform a task and then mimic them to learn. While Social Learning theory is by no means new, it has only recently broken into the mainstream.?
Over the last several years, visionary brands in the fast-moving consumer goods space have been integrating Social Learning techniques into their employee training and development strategies to create more diverse and talented workforces.?
Top FMCG brands have also been using Social Learning to set the stage to successfully transform their organizations, adopt new technologies, and thrive in this fast-paced vertical.
In this exploration of Social Learning, let’s consider how this dynamic educational and training model has helped FMCG companies evolve.?
Why Businesses Must Prioritize People Initiatives During Times of Change
When businesses are preparing to enter a time of significant organizational change, decision-makers will often put people initiatives on hold. At first glance, this appears to be a wise choice. Putting people initiatives on ice is a cost-saving move and can also reduce the amount of stress put on employees.?
However, delaying employee training and development can actually cause team members to be unprepared for change. Instead of delaying training and development initiatives, business leaders should invest in people first and technology second.?
When a workforce is composed of talented, confident, and engaged individuals, it will be better equipped to navigate the challenges of any large-scale change.?
The Role of Social Learning in the FMCG Vertical
The traditional employee training and upskilling model represents a sharp contrast from the modern fast-moving consumer goods industry. Antiquated training strategies center around bland long-form content that is grouped into hours-long or sometimes days-long blocks of instruction.?
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Conversely, the FMCG vertical is a fast-paced work environment that requires employees to be agile, adaptable, and flexible.
Social Learning techniques tap into the core premise of Social Learning theory while also incorporating microlearning concepts. This means that content is condensed into brief, engaging, and relevant segments that employees can easily weave into their workday.?
By switching from long-form content to micronized Social Learning modules, employers can empower their teams to exhibit the flexibility and agility that the FMCG industry requires. Employees can learn on their terms, select the content style, format, and topics that are most relevant to them, and revisit materials anytime they need a refresher.?
How Packaged Consumer Goods Brands Are Using Social Learning to Evolve
FMCG businesses like Kellogg are using Social Learning techniques to upskill and cross-train their teams. Additionally, they are using Social Learning to drive better employee engagement and encourage voluntary participation in training and development.
According to Tomissa Smittendorf, the North American director of Sales Learning & Development for Kellogg, 72% of Kellogg’s employees voluntarily adopted its Social Learning platform within 120 days of the rollout. Smittendorf also reported that users spent 26 to 44 minutes per week engaging in voluntary social learning.?
Smittendorf and Kellogg are using the Social Learning strategy in a variety of ways. Directly, they use it to cultivate a more talented and diverse workforce. They also use Social Learning to prepare their teams to successfully navigate other change initiatives, such as the implementation of new technologies.?
These are just a few of the many use cases of Social Learning within the FMCG industry.?
Fuel Your Transformation with Tigerhall
Want to learn more about the Social Learning content delivery model that Kellogg and other FMCG giants are using to drive organizational transformation? If so, schedule a demo of Tigerhall, the leading Social Learning content platform.?