The Problem
Our client was a global chemical conglomerate. Keeping the workforce safe and healthy was a key corporate value.
Corporate Medical had created a wide range of policies and programs to support workforce health and safety. Most of these policies and programs included a role for local managers and supervisors, either in administering the programs or in helping employees find resources.
Corporate Medical needed a way to get managers and supervisors aware of these programs, and committed to making them available to their employees. Previously, the Medical Director had done this personally, through one-on-one interviews with new managers. But as the organization grew, it became clear that a technology-based solution was required.
Prometheus Approach/Solution
Our analysis showed that motivating managers to become informed about these programs was our most important hurdle. We had to help managers see why this material was relevant – and even urgent – to learn about.
Our solution was a knowledge/information portal, linked to an e-learning “Manager’s Challenge.” Each screen in the Manager’s Challenge presented a health-related scenario that managers commonly needed to handle (for example, dealing with an employee who showed signs of substance abuse). Then we asked the managers to select from three not-so-obvious choices about how they should handle the problem. Based on their selection, they were given feedback about the consequences of their choice, along with links to a variety of related resources within the knowledge portal.
The Knowledge portal itself was set up by topic. Resource materials, forms, and even the names of local contacts were available under each topic heading. The portal was searchable, for ease of use.
The Managers Challenge was deployed in multiple languages. Where relevant, localized answers were available, along with the appropriate links to the Knowledge Portal.
Special Skills/Software
- Front End Analysis, Gap Analysis, Task Analysis
- Instructional Design and Development
- E-Learning design and development
- Software: This was an html program, created in DreamWeaver
Result/Benefit to Client
Our client has enthusiastically embraced this program!
Managers/supervisors: The Manager’s Challenge scenarios were fun and engaging. But the choices they were asked to make were serious business. Managers soon became aware that they couldn’t do their jobs right without knowing about Health & Safety programs, and understanding their own roles in implementing these programs.
Corporate Medical Director: The Medical Director eventually widened the audience for this material from new-managers to all managers and supervisors in the organization. She still likes to speak personally to new senior-level managers on this topic. But now, this can be done through a NetMeeting, using Managers Challenge scenario pages as a jumping off point in the discussion. She finds that managers are now more receptive, more attentive, and ask more plant-specific questions during these discussions.
Organization as a whole: The organization had invested heavily in creating programs and policies that supported its workforce health and safety commitments. The Managers/Supervisors Orientation was an effective way to realize greater value from the organization’s investment.
For more information about this project, please contact us.