A good learning platform thrives on two things: great content and motivated participants! Nico Adorf and Hendrik Hinsken from SNIPES share how these two core elements are combined within the SNIPES Campus – and why a solid learning platform is a key part of corporate culture.
About the authors: Together, Hendrik Hinsken and Nico Adorf are responsible for the Training & Development Department at SNIPES.
Their SNIPES Campus is actively used every month by more than a thousand employees across a total of 9 countries.
The SNIPES Campus has been running for over a year now. What formats and content do you offer your employees there?
The platform is used for practically everything: We have classic e-learning content where our people can upskill independently. At the same time, we also use blended learning, particularly in the Customer Service area. The content itself is very diverse: We have some mandatory courses – such as onboarding – but for the most part, they are voluntary courses.
In addition, we have an events area where we promote our events and present news about the latest campaigns or products. It has actually become a platform where we offer diverse learning content on the one hand, and an entertainment section on the other.
That sounds exciting! Why did you choose a learning platform from blink.it for this concept?
The deciding factor was that with blink.it, we are not tied to external partners and can truly create our own content as quickly as possible and build our courses flexibly.
We can shoot videos, use PDFs, and upload PowerPoints – in other words, use all the content we already have in our daily work. For us, blink.it is exactly what we need to communicate with our people in an agile and fast way.
Your biggest course is the onboarding course for new employees. Why did you move the induction phase to the digital CAMPUS?
SNIPES is growing incredibly fast. Normally, that would make it essential to ask the management in our stores to conduct onboarding discussions several times a week, which would take up a lot of time. So we wanted to simplify daily business for all employees and their managers.
For this reason, we designed the onboarding course and various induction roadmaps that conclude with a brief learning assessment at the end. This allows us to transmit the same knowledge as quickly as possible and protect ourselves legally by ensuring that all employees have been informed about important topics.
Insight into the SNIPES Campus: Alongside the mandatory onboarding course (see image), many voluntary learning materials are also offered.
In the courses, you provide a lot of content through videos. Why do you use this format of all things?
In the beginning, many PDFs and PowerPoint presentations were used in the courses. However, our very young target audience is used to having learning content presented a bit differently.
By analyzing the courses, we quickly noticed that anything supported by video material is received much better. That's why we immediately rethought our strategy and have since worked heavily with audio-visuals, reducing the text content to the absolute minimum.
Now that we have adapted our content to our employees, we also see that the Campus is used much more actively than at the start! So active, in fact, that some employees are starting to create video material on their own initiative, such as product training, which we upload to the Campus after careful review. In this way, users create content themselves – without pressure, just for fun! An absolute win-win situation for us!
With videos, we have another advantage: If we notice a specific topic during our analyses or meetings, we can react quickly and flexibly. We create a concept, shoot a short clip, turn it into a tutorial, and send it promptly to our employees' devices all over Europe. This process can be completed within just a few days.
Along with the mandatory courses, you also offer many voluntary learning modules. How do you motivate your employees to actively participate in these voluntary courses?
On the one hand, we believe that the platform should also be fun, meaning we include entertainment to create incentives for people to check the platform regularly. In the entertainment area, for example, there is info on events sponsored by SNIPES, or cool new product videos that we produce in cooperation with our partners in the industry. Once our employees are regularly spending time on the Campus, they automatically engage with the voluntary learning content as well.
On the other hand, we show very transparently what a career path at SNIPES can look like through the Campus: In the mandatory courses, we emphasize that self-initiative is rewarded – with diverse promotion opportunities. Anyone who wants to learn is allowed to learn!
We are also very keen to bring in new content regularly and always keep the platform up-to-date. New employees grow up with the Campus: It immediately becomes completely natural for new people to work with it.
The SNIPES E-Learning Concept with blink.it
So new employees know from the start that the Campus and some mandatory courses exist – how do you practically introduce them to the learning platform?
It's very simple: Our employee data is synchronized daily on blink.it. As a result, employees receive an invitation email to the Campus even before their first day of work.
The starting point is a welcome course with short video tutorials about the platform and how to save blink.it directly to the smartphone home screen like an app. The mandatory courses are structured almost like a video game, where you work your way from level to level to eventually receive a certificate from your Store Manager.
During the first few working days, colleagues on-site in the stores and we in the T&D Department are of course there to help if our new employees have questions about the courses or how to use the system. Generally speaking: Our e-learning platform is simply part of our corporate culture!
Thank you very much for the interview, Nico and Hendrik!
Conclusion
A learning platform is successfully implemented when it does not just convey knowledge but becomes part of the daily work reality.
The SNIPES Campus impressively shows how a learning platform can be more than just a digital training tool. Through relevant content, strong video formats, and a clear connection to career opportunities, learning becomes natural and attractive at the same time.
Those who know their target audience, produce content with agility, and consistently integrate the platform into processes and culture, turn e-learning into a true fun-platform – and professional development into a permanent part of the company's DNA.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
How does SNIPES use its learning platform?
The SNIPES Campus combines mandatory and voluntary e-learning offers with blended learning, onboarding, product information, events, and other content for employees.
Why does SNIPES increasingly rely on videos for learning content?
Course evaluations showed that videos are better received by employees than extensive texts or presentations. In addition, current topics can be prepared quickly and flexibly in this format.
How does SNIPES motivate employees to learn voluntarily?
Along with relevant learning content, the Campus also offers entertaining material and up-to-date information. Additionally, SNIPES shows transparently how self-initiative and further training are linked to personal development opportunities.
How is the learning platform used for onboarding?
New employees get access to the Campus even before their first day of work. A welcome course explains the learning platform, and subsequently, structured mandatory courses and training roadmaps guide them through the onboarding process.
How does a learning platform become part of the corporate culture?
At SNIPES, the learning platform is integrated into the daily work routine right from the start, regularly updated with new content, and used for various purposes. This makes digital learning a natural part of the job for employees.
