In many companies, the logistical challenges created by the confinement of workers have been fertile ground for implementing innovative solutions. This was the case for the Foyer Group in general and also for its training department

The impossibility of organising face-to-face training led to the need to digitalise the offer. The foundations of this approach had already been laid, but as in many other areas, we had to accelerate in order to adapt to a new reality. The objectives were not only proposed by the Group’s management, but also dictated by the regulatory requirements of the insurance sector.

However, the urgency created by the health crisis should not have led us to find solutions in a hurry. In project management, we all know that the best solution is the agile solution, the one that meets the objectives at the moment but also allows for the adaptation of these objectives while the environment continues to change or to be unstable. With the uncertainty of the duration of the health crisis and its short and medium term consequences, it was imperative to find a solution that was efficient and flexible enough to meet this new reality.

After the shock of the health situation a year ago, some companies adopted a fallback approach to training.

Foyer Group and its training department, far from being overwhelmed by the situation, has risen to the challenge and committed to a sustainable digital vision. This is why the training department has been reinforced by the arrival of Alexa in January 2021.

Alexa, can you tell us what you think about the digitalisation of training?

The digitisation of training courses should not be thought of solely in terms of the distance imperative imposed in the context of the health crisis, but also and above all with the aim of providing professionals with the elements necessary for the accomplishment of their work and for their personal development. The availability of learners and resources, intrinsic motivation, the choice of channel and activities offered, are all elements that must be able to come together to achieve a positive and fruitful learning experience.

Can we say that the distance learning method is the same as face-to-face?

Just because a face-to-face course uses certain processes does not mean that it is compulsory, or even appropriate, to use them to produce a digital course. This does not mean that digital training will be of lower quality. On the contrary, it is time to dispel this misconception.

Most e-learning platforms offer several types of activities, presentations, quizzes, videos, etc. Taking advantage of this diversity ensures a varied menu and generates an appetite for the subject and for digital learning in general. Educational engineering, far from being a distant theory, has been adapted to the new media of knowledge transmission in order to integrate all the strengths of the system. This is a real profession requiring specific skills.

It is in consideration of all this, that at Foyer, each adaptation in digital training is now treated as a project in its own right, it is no longer a question of « simply » changing the transmission channel, but of adapting the pedagogical scenario, the form, the proposed learning activities, the timing and the communication methods in order to create an enriching and unique digital experience.