An e-learning package that helped a retailer reduce the costs of incident reporting has been recognised at digital industry awards.
The training package, developed by exam awarding body Highfield e-Learning, took first prize in the ‘Best use of learning technologies to ensure compliance application’ category of the Learning Technology Awards after impressing judges with its impact on Marks & Spencer’s business.
Since its introduction in 2016, the high street chain has seen a significant increase in reporting compliance, and reduced costs (by minimising interruptions to normal trading), encouraging duty managers to act promptly when incidents occurred, and ensuring consistency in behaviour at stores across the UK.
Nearly 3000 duty managers have taken the duty manager e-Learning course, with the business seeing a 1,000 percent return on their initial investment, given that the average cost per incident – such as fire, floods and invacuations – is put at £1,608.
John Frost, Head of Business Continuity at Marks & Spencer and chairman of the Retailers Business Continuity Association, said: ‘M&S has a number of award winning programmes but this is definitely one of the very best, and possibly the most effective e-learning solution we have seen to date. The e-learning was fresh and challenging for our team, and helped us achieve our strategic objectives in reducing losses from incidents.’
And Chris Sprenger, Highfield MD, said: ‘I’m very proud of this achievement, which is a huge testament to our incredible team and their dedication to our core values of quality, value, service and integrity. We believe that we have one of the best – if not the best – offers in terms of e-learning, and it’s satisfying to have that belief justified. It’s even more satisfying to see just how our e-learning has positively impacted on a great organisation like Marks & Spencer and helped them to improve the way they do business.’
Highfield e-Learning is part of the Highfield Group, a winner of the Queen’s Award in 2016. The Learning and Technology Awards ceremony ran at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel in central London on Wednesday, November 29. Visit www.highfieldelearning.com.
