Symbal has been able to conduct a wide range of assignments for IKEA - from the Change Communications at a high strategic level to learning solutions for different parts of the company. Here is a story about one case.

Web-based training solution helps IKEA to train 50 000 employees

A few years ago IKEA contacted Symbal with an inquiry into how they effectively could support the rollout of IKEAs new store sales systems, Isell. Inquiry resulted in an exciting project with the goal of educating all sales co-workers in IKEA stores around the world. The task was, as usual with IKEA, comprehensive. The company's size, for 267 IKEA stores in 24 countries, more than 120 000 employees and a continuous organic growth, is a major internal challenge. Dynamics of IKEA makes it constantly going on lots of projects aimed at developing the business. Therefore, each training operation must be planned and executed with great efficiency.

Co-workers on the floor of stores currently use the system Isell every day to serve IKEA's customers. The new application offers new drills and new job opportunities for the individual user. Education that has been going since 2007 based on the IKEA trainer ( "Super users") is a classroom training on site at the stores.

The challenge for IKEA and thus Symbal was to create a solution that provides support for the various coaches throughout the regions. This means ensuring that educational materials are always up to date, in the correct language and ensure that training is a high level of sales. It is important to remember that the coaches are running Isell education only as a sideline, and they are simultaneously occupied with their regular duties. A simple and functional Isell training portal with relevant educational materials such as coaches need to deliver the job was the result. Training can be done in groups as an instructor-led training, but it can also be done individually. Each subtopic ends with the ability to answer questions. Linked to each workout is also a certification test.

The administrative interface allows the individual coach to keep track of who is invited, have undergone training and who passed the exam and become certified. Hereby, the central project also received a good tool to monitor the global rollout.

Simplicity is a key word in the IKEA culture and this is reflected in Isell training portal, which is simple and intuitive to use. The classroom training material acts as an always available worldwide “on-line PowerPoint ". It ensures a uniform appearance with a current content. The single local alignment is the language (not layout). In this way, IKEA has saved staff time and money.

Today, 50 000 employees have undergone training in how Isell operates in 19 different languages.

Mats Wåhlander who is commissioner of the project are satisfied:
"We are extremely happy with the whole project. The solution via the Web has given us control over the training efforts in different countries and an opportunity to monitor the quality of each individual site. Those who have worked as a local implementation manager has also had control over his projects. We have also used the statistics of the training portal as a base when we made a decision on the closure of the respective country projects. "

Mats gives also some tips for other companies planning a global education initiative:
"Take a serious approach and not underestimate the change process. Remember that everyone is different and reacts in its own way to change. It is not just about installing a new IT system, but a great work is about changing everyday life for many people. We have learned incredibly much of this training effort. "