{"id":4563,"date":"2019-02-21T09:33:00","date_gmt":"2019-02-21T09:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hrgrapevine.com\/content\/article\/prta-2019-02-21-how-openreach-improved-staff-engagement-through-innovative-training"},"modified":"2019-02-21T09:33:00","modified_gmt":"2019-02-21T09:33:00","slug":"how-openreach-improved-staff-engagement-through-innovative-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/squarehr.com\/index.php\/2019\/02\/21\/how-openreach-improved-staff-engagement-through-innovative-training\/","title":{"rendered":"How Openreach improved staff engagement through innovative training"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"How
How Openreach improved staff engagement through innovative training<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Two years ago, Openreach wasn’t meeting Ofcom’s minimum service levels, and employee engagement scores were low.<\/strong><\/p>\n

So the telecoms company decided to overhaul its training strategy and invest £3.8mil in new facilities.<\/p>\n

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The result? They are now meeting all Ofcom service levels, and staff engagement is up 11%. And thanks to their cutting-edge training, recruitment has never been better.<\/p>\n

No more ‘perfect’ training<\/strong><\/p>\n

Openreach connects homes and businesses using digital networks. It works with 600 service providers like Sky and BT to link the UK to the world.<\/p>\n

With millions of people depending on the company, it couldn’t afford to fall short of expectations.<\/p>\n

So an internal team reviewed the training and found that it was too isolated, sterile, and only reflected ‘perfect working conditions’. Engineers weren’t being trained for the real work environment.<\/p>\n

Open Street<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mark Rainbow, Head of Training Delivery & Facilities, realised what was needed.<\/p>\n

“We recognised that a fundamental aspect missing from our training was the ability to see, touch, feel and work on a live end-to-end network, in real-to-life scenarios,” he said.<\/p>\n

So they turned an unused company building into an exact replica of the Openreach network. The state of the art facility, called Open Street, was finished in December 2017 and cost £220,000. And trainees could experiment in a hands-on environment that reflected what they would face on the job.<\/p>\n

Changing the teaching relationship<\/strong><\/p>\n

This innovative facility – a world first for a telecoms company – also turned the company’s teaching model on its head.<\/p>\n

Since trainees weren’t in a traditional classroom anymore, they didn’t need teachers. They needed trainers who could give guidance and encourage learning, not simply disseminate information.<\/p>\n

That’s why the trainer role was completely overhauled, giving rise to ‘facilitrainers’.<\/p>\n

Effect on trainees<\/strong><\/p>\n

Trainees are surveyed after training and asked to score it out of 5. Three years ago, the average score was 3.8\/5. Last year it was 4.8\/5.<\/p>\n

The new facility has also helped with recruitment. Openreach recruited 1,800 new engineers in 2017\/18 and has recruited a further 3,500 this year.<\/p>\n

Gaining trust from customers<\/strong><\/p>\n

The facility is a great tool for Openreach’s service providers to better understand how their products and services work.<\/p>\n

By inviting service providers in, Openreach has been able to demonstrate its dedication to quality training. This improves trust with providers because they understand it means better service for their customers.<\/p>\n

Getting results<\/strong><\/p>\n

The improved training has greatly influenced the way staff keep the UK connected.<\/p>\n

Two years ago, 59% of staff said they were proud of the service they give customers. Now, it’s at 71%. Even more proof that the training works is that Openreach now exceeds all 40 of Ofcom’s minimum service levels.<\/p>\n

There are plans for 11 more ‘Open Streets’ – a further investment of £6.8mil. Openreach now has people with the right skills to support Britain’s thriving digital economy.<\/p>\n

Does your organisation have an impressive training or skills development story? Get recognised like Openreach by entering the 2019 Princess Royal Training Awards delivered by the City & Guilds Group. Entries open until 29 March 2019. Find out more: www.princessroyaltrainingawards.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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