We conduct training marathons for employees
To begin with, we decided to find out about the needs of the employees themselves. After talking with colleagues, we found out what skills they themselves would like to develop, what topics would be interesting, what formats they like, and in which of them they are ready to participate. Everyone was enthusiastic about the idea of a training department and talked about their expectations and wishes in this regard.
Separately, we talked with top managers, team leads and heads of departments to find out their vision and priority competencies that, in their opinion, team members need to develop first.
At the same time, we conducted a market analysis and compiled a list of competencies that are most in demand and important for IT company specialists today.
The result was a fairly large list of topics for the next year or two. For convenience, we divided them into areas and decided to present them in different formats.
Formats that didn't suit us
Collections. We have collected all the useful material on individual topics and compiled a selection of feature articles, e-books, videos, podcasts and free courses for self-study. All content was posted on the internal corporate portal and a general newsletter was sent out once a month. However, it later turned out that almost no one opened these collections, postponing them for later. The guys noted that the content is really useful, and will definitely need to be viewed later, when there is time. The problem is that this “later” never came, and the amount put aside for later only increased every month.
Webinars. Once a month, we held open webinars with invited experts, which all interested employees could take part in. Despite the fact that the topics were interesting, the material was structured, and the speakers were professionals, in the end this format also had to be abandoned. Mainly due to the fact that it does not provide for practicing the acquired knowledge in practice, and after viewing it remains at the theoretical level. In addition, it was important for us that the material be adapted specifically to our business realities, which third-party experts, naturally, could not give us.
How we found the ideal format for developing soft skills – a training marathon
Trying to solve the issues we encountered when using collections and webinars, we came to the conclusion that the marathon mechanics suited us best. The first marathon was held in August 2022 on the most pressing topic for everyone at that time – effective holding of meetings. Many of the employees we interviewed noted that meetings and conferences take a lot of time, but half of them could not be attended, and agreements reached at meetings are not always recorded and implemented. That is, it takes a lot of time, but the efficiency is low. We decided to change this situation with the help of a marathon.
We chose ours as the site for the first marathon. corporate messenger Squadus, where for five days in the mornings they published short theoretical articles and small practical tasks to consolidate the material. For example, in a marathon for holding meetings, as one of the DMs, it was necessary to write an invitation according to the necessary requirements: with the name, agenda of the meeting, justification for the choice of participants, etc. An example of another task is to prepare “minutes” following the meeting, displaying agreements, deadlines, those responsible, and a way to track progress. Each homework assignment was given 24 hours to complete; it had to be sent to the training department email for checking the next morning. Everyone who conscientiously completed the assignment received valuable feedback on the tasks completed. Based on the results of the marathon, we prepared checklists and useful materials on the topics covered in a more detailed format for all participants. A total of 59 employees took part in the first marathon, 16 of whom were among the top participants and received gifts.
By choosing the marathon as a training format, we solved several problems at once:
We established feedback with the participants and gave them the opportunity to practice their acquired knowledge.
We adapted the training material taking into account the specifics of our company. Participants also appreciated the rhythm of learning and the opportunity to receive dosed information at the same time every day. This made it much easier to allocate time to study it.
But our first marathon as a training format also had its drawbacks: not everyone found time to complete their homework, so many were simply passive observers. As a result, only 35 people actively took part in the marathon.
Even in the first marathon, we lacked the involvement of participants. When we launched it, we expected more active communication between colleagues – discussing homework and sharing experiences. But the discussion did not start by itself, although the topic was relevant and interesting to many.
Analyzing the low level of engagement, we also came to the conclusion that we made a mistake with the choice of prizes. We presented the participants who completed all the tasks with a certificate from the publishing house “MIF”, where they could choose books at their discretion. Colleagues noted that the training prize associated with training was not particularly motivating. The guys thought that for their active studies they deserved a rest.
Marathon 2.0
After analyzing the results of the first marathon, we made the following adjustments to the second:
We revised the participant remuneration policy. To increase engagement, we developed a rating system that included points not only for completing homework, but also for participating in discussions, commenting in chat, and attending an online event. Participants who topped the top 15 received a LEGO construction set. The guys themselves chose the prize from several options, so the desire to receive it was many times higher than in the first marathon.
Round tables were held to consolidate the theory. On the last day of the marathon, we organized online meetings in mini-groups under the guidance of a coach. The participants were distributed in such a way that each group included employees from different departments. This allowed them to get to know each other better and made the exchange of experience more effective. Colleagues were asked to talk about a real problem they encountered on the marathon topic and come up with solutions based on the material they had covered. Thus, the participants had the opportunity not only to apply the acquired knowledge in practice, but also to receive a ready-made solution to the problem.
Optimized homework completion. To save participants’ time, we prepared templates for the work report in advance and created separate cloud files for each employee. In addition, we added the ability to complete homework after the deadline – however, we deducted points for this. But the participants who were active in discussions and at the round table could easily compensate for them and even reach the top.
Added gamification elements. The educational content that we published in the channel was supplemented with motivational videos and funny memes, we organized voting and collected likes. This made the learning process more interesting and lively.
All these changes made it possible to increase the number of participants, involve them in discussion and establish a mechanism for exchanging experiences, and thanks to the opportunity to complete their homework after the deadline, more children were able to reach the end of the marathon.
Since February 2023, we have held several marathons, within which:
Over time, participation increased from 34% in the first marathon in August 2022 to 88% in the February 2024 marathon. The average rating of marathons according to participants is 4.6 out of 5.
Reviews of direct participants can be read in the relevant articles, links to them are just above.
Future plans
We definitely don’t intend to stop there; a program for the next marathons to develop soft skills has already been planned. For example, in April 2024 we plan to hold a feedback marathon. We also receive requests from employees to organize marathons to develop hard skills.
Now our main goal is to increase employee involvement in marathons, so we will work in this direction, including by improving the motivation system and the quality of content. We plan to translate some of the theoretical information that we give during the marathon into video and audio format, as well as create a reward system for participants that would motivate not only to reach the end, but also to take part in all of our marathons. For example, this year we released themed stickers so that participants could build a collection. In short, there are a lot of ideas, we are working on their implementation.
Summarize
If you are just starting to build an employee training system and do not have your own LMS system and a staff of trainers, then the marathon is what you need. Thanks to the relatively simple format in terms of organization, it can be carried out with just 2-3 people from the HR department, as was the case in our case. And the presence of interactive elements, a rating system and the opportunity to practice acquired skills make the marathon attractive for the participants themselves. This format is more suitable for developing soft skills, but if desired, it can also be used to organize training in professional skills. In general, a marathon is a kind of springboard; once you have mastered its mechanics and received a positive response from the team, you can begin to work on more complex and time-consuming training formats.
