Quick facts about Hellmann:
- Industry: Transport & Logistics
- HQ: Osnabrück, Germany
- Established: 1871
- Web: www.hellmann.com
Challenge
Hellmann Worldwide Logistics is a global transport and logistics company with a workforce of 10,000. Hellman’s existing learning platform had been holding the company back, delivering a poor user experience for end-users while being difficult to administer for the learning team.
The team were seeking a new modern learning solution that had better ROI, would be far easier to use and would integrate effortlessly into a new Microsoft 365 digital workplace. The team also wanted to streamline and automate learning administration tasks.
Learn365 fits our philosophy of ‘smart and simple’. It’s so simple to use but has very smart features that serve the needs of our global learning community and make the platform very easy to manage. It’s working perfectly for us here at Hellmann.
Friederike Prasuhn, Head of Learning & Development
Solution
Friederike Prasuhn, Head of Learning & Development, explains:
“Our legacy LMS looked old-fashioned and was very difficult to use and manage. We wanted a new modern solution that fitted our philosophy of ‘smart and simple’, working intelligently around the needs of each individual employee with advanced features, but also be effortless to use.”
Although the team had started to tentatively look for a new learning platform, Hellmann’s introduction of Microsoft 365 proved to be the catalyst to finding the right solution.
Theresa Wigger, Global HR Learning & Development Specialist, explains:
“We needed a learning platform that could plug straight into Microsoft 365 and be accessed through single sign-on. We also wanted to integrate it with other Microsoft tools such as Power BI and Teams.”
On researching products, the team soon found Learn365 met its key requirements. Friederike Prasuhn explains:
“Learn365 has very ‘smart’ features, but is so ‘simple’ to use from both a user and administrator perspective. We felt Learn365 would deliver an excellent level of ROI.”
After selecting Learn365, the team initiated a busy project to launch the platform to Hellmann’s global workforce. Theresa Wigger comments:
“It was a major project with a lot of content to migrate! But we had very good support and training from the Zensai team. Everything went very smoothly.”
In February 2021, Learn365 launched to Hellmann users around the world.
Results
Currently 7,500 users – predominantly white-collar workers – are accessing Learn365 through the browser from within Microsoft Teams or via the Learn365 mobile app. Branded as the “Learning Hub”, the platform supports a wide range of content.
Friederike Prasuhn comments:
“Learn365 supports a fully blended-learning approach with online learning, classroom training, webinars and even blogs. We run all our mandatory compliance training through the platform, and have a full course catalogue on topics such as leadership and communication. Everyone from apprentices to senior managers can access their development plan. Everything is in the Learning Hub!”
The number of pieces of course material already runs into the thousands, with Learn365’s flexibility also ensuring that content is available in multiple languages. Theresa Wigger comments:
“We set up a start page for learners in German, English and Spanish. There are additional languages for compliance training. Our training serves the needs of our diverse, global workforce.”
So far, adoption of the Learning Hub has been very healthy. Theresa Wigger comments:
“Because Learn365 looks the same as the rest of Microsoft 365, it really increases the confidence of our learners. The ease of access also lowers any barriers to use.”
Friederike Prasuhn adds:
“We’ve received a lot of good feedback that learning is now closer to people’s daily work. They get reminders about learning in Microsoft Teams. Everything is more integrated, truly transforming the experience of learning throughout the company.”
Learn365 is also supporting new employees, delivering a brand-new onboarding experience. Friederike Prasuhn explains:
“We’ve used Learn365 to launch a new, standardized global employee onboarding program. This is completely updated with a new structure and introduced learning to new employees from day one.” Here, integration with Power Automate has helped to automate reminders for users and streamlined the administration of the system.
As well as making life easier for users, Learn365 is also generating efficiencies for the learning team. Creating course material is now quick and easy, while Learn365 features such as certificates mean administering annual compliance training involves far less effort. Theresa Wigger adds:
“Because Learn365 is so simple to use, it means we can hand over more administrative tasks to our colleagues. More of us can use the system.”
Due to the seamless integration with Microsoft 365, the learning team can take advantage of other Microsoft 365 tools to enhance the learning experience. For example, Microsoft Forms allows teams to easily collect course evaluation feedback, while Microsoft lists helps to manage and present individual development plans across different systems.
The continuing success of the platform is further helped by a strong working relationship with the Learn365 team. Friederike Prasuhn comments:
“The relationship is a special one! From the start we’ve always felt that the Learn365 team are very focused on our needs.”
Future
The learning team plans to continue evolving the Learning Hub. A major step will be providing access to 3,000 firstline workers, likely through the Learn365 mobile app. The team will also continue to add content. Friederike Prasuhn comments:
“By expanding the range of on-demand courses, we want to encourage independent learning. Our vision is to create an open learning culture over time.”
The team are also about to implement a Power BI dashboard to cover more advanced reporting on learning, as well as customizing views of the Learning Hub for managers.
The team believe that the continual improvement that underpins Learn365 will enable the Learning Hub to continue getting better and better. One important aspect of this is the ability for customers to influence the Learn365 product roadmap. Theresa Wigger remarks:
“We raised a request with the Learn365 team for a new feature, and two releases later it got implemented. This was just perfect for us.”
Friederike Prasuhn adds:
“New releases regularly bring great innovations that are very positive. The platform is very future oriented! We’re excited about what we can achieve going forward.”
About
Hellmann Worldwide Logistics is a leading, global transport and logistics company with a workforce of 10,000, consisting of both white- and blue-collar workers. Headquartered in Germany and still family-owned, Hellmann has a heritage stretching back to 1871, and today serves multiple industry sectors.