Case study July 2014

Putting social media to work

The Santa Fe Group

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This case study forms part of a research project conducted in 2014. The main research report and other case studies can be found here.

The context Michelle Parry-Slater, Head of The The innovation Headquartered in London, The Santa Academy, puts it, ‘there’s one of SFG has used an enterprise social Fe Group (SFG) is a global relocation me and there are 3,000 of them. I learning network called Fuse to service provider with offices in 56 can’t be everywhere, I can’t know create a company-wide learning countries. It was formed from a everything.’ And there was also and development platform. This 2010/11 merger of Santa Fe (Asia a question about how well their is the company’s first global based), Interdean (Europe) and existing model embedded learning. learning platform and it serves Wridgways (Australia). Since then a On The Academy workshops, both to provide a virtual learning main focus has been to consolidate environment and to connect common processes and a common [Participants would] have a really employees across the organisation. corporate culture across the group. ‘fantastic experience, they’d all get to know each other, their The platform, which is called The The size and global nature of the networking value would be Academy Online, is available on merged group brought into relief fantastic. Then, they’d go back off desktop PCs and through an app for the need for greater consistency to their various countries and that’s mobile digital devices. It went live in in learning and development and all they had. They didn’t have a September 2013 with 1,700 office- to build on what was already in way of networking with those based employees around the world, place. The core offering of The people other than calling them or covering both relocation services Academy (the internal learning emailing them. … The focus was and moving services. The warehouse arm of the company), which the less on the actual content of what employees are yet to be included. group inherited from Interdean, they would learn and more around was two residential five-day the networking value. (Michelle Content and membership on The workshops on moving services, Parry-Slater) ’ Academy Online is organised by pitched at introductory and function-based communities. For the advanced levels. These were run It was agreed that learning and launch, about 100 pieces of video annually and brought together development should be more learning content (typically a few colleagues from across Europe. rooted in employees’ day-to-day minutes long) were purchased and Santa Fe and Wridgways did experiences. Both Michelle Parry- loaded onto The Academy Online, not have any equivalent formal Slater and Katherine Marlow, but a central aspect of the platform’s learning programmes, only ad hoc Director of People, Learning and functionality and purpose is to workshops as required. Culture, shared a basic belief in enable employees to produce and the 70:20:10 model, which states share learning content themselves. The face-to-face training workshops that learning comes mainly through were a successful model, typical experience, partly from other people Thus, as well as being able to post of many businesses. As with any and only in small part from training. comments with links to online face-to-face training experience, learning content, any employee the quality of the workshops All of these things were pushing can upload and share files, such depended on factors including who ‘us towards a virtual learning as video, PowerPoint, PDFs, Word the participants in the room were environment. … What that looked documents, and so on. They can and whether English was their like, I didn’t necessarily know at also record and upload screencasts, first language, and since 2011, the time … I just felt it had to be whereby they simultaneously record there were also the challenges of community driven; I had a very their actions on their computer delivering to scale and having a strong sense of that. (Michelle and a voiceover to talk about what comprehensive curriculum that Parry-Slater) ’ they are doing. The learning and works in all parts of the globe. As development team can then pick up

1 Putting social media to work: The Santa Fe Group case study pieces of content and order them process training for the newly the same space. I want to be able for ease of use, as well as produce formed Santa Fe Group was to, actually have: “This course, more formal pieces of learning delivered in two workshops in we’ve just done; let’s talk about content (for example, what you London and Frankfurt. This was it.”’ People were literally staring need to know when working with followed up by Michelle Parry-Slater at us like we had two heads. Company X, or how to use certain delivering further training in the (Michelle Parry-Slater) ’ software). different countries to embed the learning. This reinforced her view However, at the end of their day at Being a social network, The that this approach was not sufficient the exhibition, they wound up at Academy Online also facilitates to drive a cohesive way of working the brightly coloured stand of Fuse, conversations between employees, across the global organisation. a small new player in the market. everyone being able to post While branches in some countries Within minutes of listening, they questions and comment and were embracing the new processes realised that they had found what respond to colleagues’ comments. wholeheartedly, this was not they were looking for. happening across the board, for The Academy Online is used within reasons discussed above (see The There was somebody who [shared] SFG to deliver blended learning context). ‘all of those feelings I had around, and development. An intervention ‘We need to have conversations may start with a presentation or SFG’s first social media experiment around learning. We need to make workshop and go on to self-directed was with Salesforce Chatter, but this it normal to have a conversation e-learning through The Academy was found to be too specific to the around learning. We need to have Online, which involves different sales function and didn’t take hold consistency in a formal way, yet a learning streams and formats. It is with other parts of the organisation. very informal, accessible platform.’ also used in what is a fast-paced … [On seeing a sample] it felt like I working environment to provide We put all of the people that was looking at YouTube, Facebook, employees with access to an array ‘ had been through the relocation LinkedIn all smashed together. I of bite-sized learning, so that training on Chatter and tried to instantly felt like, ‘I know how I they can do worthwhile personal encourage them to communicate could drive that; I know I could development in even a five-minute in that regard. It was just another work with that.’ It just felt right, slot, or to find solutions on demand task [for them]. They weren’t from that very second. (Michelle to work through a problem they are sales people so they weren’t in Parry-Slater) ’ facing at any given moment. Salesforce; they weren’t there all of the time. It wasn’t natural for As it was such a new way of The platform has taken cultural them to be there. (Michelle Parry- learning, they soon realised that differences into account in its Slater) ’ it would be a harder sell within design. In particular, SFG decided the rest of the organisation and to it would be insensitive to include a Realising they needed a dual-aspect the parent company, East Asiatic leaderboard to show how people solution of a learning management Company. So, as Michelle’s role are contributing and, by the system (LMS) integrated with a moved from regional to global, principle of gamification, allocate social networking platform, Michelle she took the opportunity to talk to points to encourage participation. and her boss, Katherine Marlow, stakeholders across the organisation This clashes with common values in approached various major LMS and socialise the idea that The the one region, where employees suppliers at the 2013 Learning Academy was going to deliver do not want that visibility. A part of Technologies Exhibition. They felt much more than workshops, as the solution is better cross-cultural that none offered a decent level of that was not a sustainable solution understanding; demonstrating integration. for a global organisation. Talking to that through the platform was heads of functions about their ‘pain important. They all talked about this clunky points’, she found that there was ‘ add-on. So, ‘Yes, here’s your not a single conversation in which The journey learning, here’s your email, your a platform like Fuse could not be In late 2011, the proposal was put … neat and tidy course. You click offered as a viable solution. forward for a socially networked Next: here’s your quiz. Then, you learning and development platform, come out of that and here’s your A lot of the problems that but this was put on hold due to profile page or your community ‘they were having were around the merger. Following the merger, page.’ I said, ‘No, I want them in consistency, were around people

2 Putting social media to work: The Santa Fe Group case study coming on board. Potentially, time had already made great Content creation sitting on their job, five and a strides in starting to change the One of the first peer-to-peer videos half months before attending an organisation’s culture. Because of came following SFG’s Phuket Academy course. Or, potentially, their familiarity with social media in conference, where a Korea-based wanting to go on an expensive general, some people took to Fuse employee complemented Katherine course that then qualified them to far more quickly than expected. Marlow on The Academy Online go and work somewhere else and and mentioned that he had set his then leaving. (Michelle Parry- We had a four-point plan, [which] computer to automatically open the Slater) ’ ‘we thought would last about four platform when he turned it on. months. We would start with: Having gone through due diligence just get people to log in; all we Katherine said, ‘How do you do and contracted Fuse, the learning want you to do is look. Then, ‘that? That’s really interesting.’ He and development team was ready the next month, we were hoping said, ‘I’ll show you how to do it to launch The Academy Online in that people would start to like and then you can share it with late spring 2013, but did not want and comment and feel a little bit everyone.’ She said, ‘No, no, no. to launch the product at the start confident around that. Then the I’m not sharing it. You share it; it’s of the relocation industry’s busiest third month, we were hoping that your idea. … You make a video season. It set a launch date in they would feel up to, maybe, on it and you share it.’ He went, September and in the meantime sharing content with other people. ‘Really? Can I do that?’ … So he devised a communications plan … Then the final stage, where they goes back to his office, he clicks to prepare the organisation and would actually record their own the record button and he puts generate curiosity and enthusiasm. videos. We were blown away that together a little video on how to by the end of September we’d got set your Internet browser to open Firstly, it ran webinars to inform through those four stages with multiple windows at the same managers about the product and some people. Some people have time. (Michelle Parry-Slater) how it would help solve their ‘pain never logged on but it’s a journey, ’ points’. It then drip-fed messages isn’t it? (Michelle Parry-Slater) Within the first week, the video through the organisation about ’ received over 250 views. In general, its impending arrival, including a At the point of this research, 75% the number of employees actively cryptic email showing only closed of registered users had logged sharing learning has exceeded red theatre-style curtains and a in the previous week and this expectations, but there are still message of ‘Are you ready?’ This is anticipated to have already barriers that are thought can got people talking as intended. increased to 80%. The most be overcome to increase this This was followed up with a video activity seen to date in a given day participation. of the CEOs of the three global was 2,744 views, an impressive regions talking and enthusing number for 1,700 employees. People don’t like to hear about the product that would ‘themselves on a voiceover and put them at the cutting edge of The learning and development they don’t want to be on a video. learning and development, and team is trying to establish why The … What we’ve tried to do is a small ruler puzzle as a piece of Academy Online is not being used say, ‘Look, it doesn’t need to be merchandise. in certain pockets and what they perfect. It needs to be human. It can do to make sure the platform can be fun.’ So Michelle and I did In September, Michelle Parry- is not failing people, but the main a video just before the conference. Slater ran a series of five webinars issue seems to be that a number … It took us three or four tries. for different time zones to of people have not properly tried At the end of [the posted] video, introduce the organisation to Fuse. it out; once they do, they realise we put some text saying, ‘This is Throughout these, employees were what they have been missing. how much fun a video can be,’ encouraged to go on the platform Although many employees still and then we put the spoofs or and try it out. perceive lack of time as a barrier the bloopers in. We had a number (due to perceptions of old-style of people at the conference say, Take-up and use e-learning), increasingly they are ‘Oh, I loved your video. It was so At the time of the research, SFG realising that they can do bite-sized funny.’ Because we tried to open had been using Fuse for less than development activities in the time it the umbrella, and then the wind six months, but in that short takes to eat an apple. is getting us, and everything that

3 Putting social media to work: The Santa Fe Group case study could go wrong went wrong. … put into that community and not If it’s good, it gets discussed, it Once people have done it a few everybody else was saddled with ‘gets liked, it gets shared. If it’s times they’re okay, but it’s getting it. (Katherine Marlow) pants, it gets panned, it just falls them to do it initially. … I think ’ away’. (Michelle Parry-Slater) they’re just nervous. … You’ve The learning and development ’ just got to keep pushing, showing team has discussed the validity Linguistic groups the success, and it happens. of some of the content that is From the start, SFG was clear that (Katherine Marlow) ’ shared, but has concluded that, it wanted The Academy Online for the main part, the platform to break down geographical The learning and development effectively monitors itself. Only boundaries and be based on team is also encouraging employees one inappropriate comment has functions. But one question that with expertise to come to the fore been noted, and in this case, it is has arisen is whether linguistic through a webinar series in which thought that the person shared it groups are acceptable or it should they will interview people about globally by mistake. It was flagged all be in English. The initial sense their job. up and the person took their was that they would reinforce comment down. geographical boundaries, but Some employees have now become eventually it was decided to allow well known for their presence on Michelle Parry-Slater sees four levels them, so that employees could The Academy Online. One example of checking or policing: first, by all communicate in their mother is Tiago, a business development the individual who posts a piece of tongue. In fact, they find that manager from Vienna. content, who makes a decision on people post in two languages. what is relevant and not offensive For example, some Chinese users He clearly is massively engaged in or in some other way inappropriate; write a post in Chinese and then ‘ social media generally. He finds second, by other people within translate it below into English. fantastic, really relevant, cutting- the functional communities that edge articles that he shares. ‘This form the main groupings of The Business impacts is the top ten tips on managing Academy Online users; third, by the In a little under six months, The a client’ or ‘How to sell to the three regional learning leads; and Academy Online has already started difficult person’ or whatever it fourth, ‘the most powerful level’, to change SFG’s learning culture, might be; he’s sharing. … So, which is peer review. weaning it off what Michelle Parry- come the conference, people are, Slater calls ‘injection education’, ‘Oh Tiago; great article that you An example of peer review is whereby people’s learning needs shared. (Michelle Parry-Slater) a post of a scanned piece of are ‘cured’ with a simple, discrete ’ content in which the image was training workshop. As well as Maintaining relevance of poor quality, containing scribbled training, employees are realising content notes, and upside down. While that SFG can now offer ongoing SFG has tried to make it clear that the document was thought to be conversations and reminders about The Academy Online should be used useful, colleagues commented on that training and ongoing access specifically for learning-relevant the format and the next day, the to more learning resources as and content. person had replaced it with a better when they are needed. image. One of the things for instance The Academy Online has also been ‘ we toyed with is people putting The great thing is we haven’t successful in fostering connections up inspirational quotes and ‘really had to do anything about across the global organisation. One sayings, and it was, ‘Well, you can [irrelevant or poor quality recent example of this came when understand why they were putting content], because peers … have an employee based in Marseille them up, and they were great commented on it, and sort of openly posted a question on a to put them up, but is it really said, ‘No, I don’t think this is technical issue that was picked up learning content? [Yet] if we take right,’ or, ‘I think this is posted by a colleague based in Paris, who them down, are we discouraging in an unprofessional way. Take it was in London at the time. This people from contributing?’ So we down and redo it.’ So it’s been generated further input from a basically agreed that we would self-monitoring, which has been colleague who works from home create a separate community for fantastic. Or self-managed, I in Hawaii. The conversation thus these types of things, so that every guess. (Katherine Marlow) broadened the perspective to time something was posted it was ’ people working in very different

4 Putting social media to work: The Santa Fe Group case study regions, created a searchable out operational updates or resolve but how to be collaborative and discussion feed that may be of use problems in real time, although do social networking. (Katherine to other employees in the future, this is thought to be only a few Marlow) ’ and formed a connection between months away. At the time of the employees who previously would research, SFG was thought to be a Lessons not even have known about each year or more away from becoming Having started its social media other. ‘a truly learning organisation’. journey by trying out Salesforce. Employees are still getting used com Chatter, one learning point But being better connected is to the platform, as examples like was seen to be that Fuse/The not simply a matter of learning the person posting a poor quality Academy Online worked because and development. The Academy image upside down show. it gave people a genuine reason to Online is SFG’s first global platform be using social media. available to all office-based staff Whereas The Academy Online is (SFG had a Salesforce.com CRM internally facing, Santa Fe Group [Internal social media] needs platform already in place for global now plans to use Fuse as a client- ‘to be purposeful and relevant sales teams). There are other facing platform. This will both because just going to people, benefits too, for example, its search enable clients to provide content ‘Here is a space; talk to each functionality has effectively given (for example, a video on how they other,’ it doesn’t work; there’s the organisation its first up-to-date would like Santa Fe employees to nothing to drive them to it. … online directory. work with them) and enable Santa The ultimate reason why Chatter Fe to share content with them failed [for all staff] was there was It has made people’s lives so (for example, how to use its IT no relevance [to non-sales staff]. ‘much easier. If I’m looking for systems). There was no reason to have somebody that does moving in that discussion. (Michelle Parry- India, for instance, I can find Currently, the group of employees Slater) ’ that now, whereas before I could who don’t have access to The maybe find one person in here Academy Online is the warehouse, But more than simply giving and I would have to call around packing and removals crew, employees a practical reason to use and email. So it’s simple, but it’s including drivers, as they are not it, The Academy Online has made just made a huge difference. office based. Fuse does have a people feel more valued for their (Katherine Marlow) ’ mobile app but SFG does not yet experience and knowledge. have a formal bring-your-own- There is also a knock-on effect device policy or provide crews One of the reasons why I think from employees becoming more au with mobile devices. Nonetheless, ‘it has been successful is we’ve fait with social technology through the potential and relevance is made it attractive for people The Academy Online, as they are seen for this group of employees to be there. We’ve made it now engaging more with other – for example, to share videos on rewarding [by] the fact that they social technology, such as Skype how to pack an antique vase or get the kudos. I don’t want the and webinars. a grand piano – and the plan is kudos; I don’t care if my face to enable them to join the online or voice never appears on The The cost of the Fuse platform is felt learning community. Academy Online again. It’s not to be extremely good value and about what I know. It’s about the platform has generated large The Academy Online is now these guys understanding, firstly, savings elsewhere. In particular, becoming the place to go when they need to improve themselves, the pre-work and online resources people want to share anything they need to learn, they need are dramatically reducing costs in across the organisation. A next step to be self-aware; [and] secondly, flying people around the world for will be to move SFG towards being they do have value and they training courses. socially networked in other areas need to share that value with than learning and development. other people. (Michelle Parry- Next steps Slater) ’ As a workforce, Santa Fe Group is It’s opened up almost a can of relatively early on in its journey with ‘worms … a good can of worms. In this way, The Academy Online internal social media. For example, People are thinking in ways that is allowing employees throughout it is not yet at the point where they would never have thought the organisation to informally step employees are using it to send before, so not just about L&D, forward as leaders.

5 Putting social media to work: The Santa Fe Group case study The face that I recognised at material to be sharing. For example, Finally, on a very practical point, ‘ the conference, Tiago, he’s now one item shared was an article SFG’s experience highlighted the made a name for himself. He’s about Hungarian being the hardest importance of allocating a decent relatively new [to the organisation] language to learn. budget for marketing a product … and I think that [activity on like The Academy Online. This is The Academy Online] buys him The headline was, ‘What is the needed to promote the benefits, visibility and credibility, given what ‘ hardest language to learn?’ That but also to manage expectations he’s posted. If he posted a lot of was shared somewhere in Europe and explain how it will and rubbish then he would get the an hour ahead of us. … I’d seen it won’t work. An initiative like this opposite. (Katherine Marlow) [at home on my smartphone]. … constitutes a fairly major change ’ Before I’d got into the car to go programme that needs to be Related to this, The Academy Online to work I [thought], ‘This is going managed in a way in which leaders is changing the skill set needed to be a political hot potato. It’s ‘make people feel like they’re in the learning and development not learning, it’s information … changing with you rather than function. Firstly, the team has had it’s not going to teach anybody the changes being done to them.’ to upgrade its IT skills so that it anything.’ … By the time I had (Michelle Parry-Slater) can lead the way in the use of got in, parked my car, had a chat, The Academy Online. But more sat down, looked at it again – so Acknowledgements fundamentally, its role is morphing this was only in a window of Katherine Marlow, Director of from content creation to curating two hours – the comments were People, Learning and Culture, Santa other people’s expertise. just everywhere. … I suddenly Fe Group thought: this is it; this is the cultural It’s also changed the way we’re element that we were looking Michelle Parry-Slater, The Academy ‘ thinking about learning, and how for. They all have something to Manager, Santa Fe Group we sell the concept of learning, say about which is the hardest to that it’s more of a blended learn because everyone speaks a solution, and it’s learn, share, grow. different language in this company. We’re trying to get people to stop Let’s celebrate that; that’s amazing. thinking of development as just a I would have potentially taken that workshop. (Katherine Marlow) down as a piece of non-learning ’ content … [but] what that taught Another key learning point for the me was to let peers review. The learning and development team bad stuff just falls away, no one has been not to be too prescriptive comments on it. (Michelle Parry- about what is appropriate or relevant Slater) ’

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Issued: July 2014 Reference: 6634 © Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development 2014