Volvo uses e-learning to help improve management

Mon, 10 Jan 2011

Volvo uses e-learning to help improve management

Car manufacturer Volvo is turning to e-learning to help improve employee engagement and develop modern management practices within the company.

The firm is using digital training films as a new approach to staff training. It is focusing on training its 500 dealership managers with the films in an attempt to get the managers to “think differently” about their management style. John Merrell, the leadership and e-learning manager at Volvo, says the new style of staff training will help the managers keep up with a new kind of management for the 21st century.

He added that the training programme will help managers adapt to the fact that employees are less loyal to their employers, who are unable to offer attractive bonuses and raises due to budget retraints.

Merrell explained how the modern workforce is different from that of the past: “Today people in the workforce are more ambitious; they need to be engaged, challenged and managed differently.”

He added that the training scheme did initially face some resistance from managers who held the attitude, “I’m a manager and therefore I don’t need any training.” However, line managers quickly realised the benefits of e-learning, and quickly found that it was, “not the beast that they thought it was.”

The e-learning scheme is largely focused on providing managers with the skills they need to become ‘coaches’, bringing about team improvements from the top down.

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