Across the Toyota Retail Network there is no consistent model for inducting new employees. Each country has its own model, standards and approach. We were invited to create a new, contemporary and relevant Induction Program – to meet the needs of today’s workforce.
Our brief: To engage new Retail & Head Office starters with a powerful and memorable introduction to the world of Toyota using a series of interactive learning modules.
We began by sending all markets received a Skills Survey inviting them to indicate the process by which they induct new starters. This quickly revealed a clear acknowledgement that many employee’s ‘Day 1’ was not fit for purpose.
In fact, with no consistency or standards, many new starters began life at Toyota with a limited formal introduction.
Following extensive benchmarking, we created a set of Minimum Standards for NMSC’s and Retailers to follow and began to build an Induction course that doesn’t follow the traditional rules.
The 4-step Induction Programme is based on a platform that allows high levels of interactivity, quizzes, downloadable assets and links. The narrative is contemporary, easy to understand and is designed to surprise and intrigue the learner. Critical to the success of the programme is blending self-learning with dedicated Manager interaction at key times through the Induction process, culminating in a 12-month Personal Development Plan for the new starter.
The Induction Programme is part of an in-depth revision of Toyota’s Skills & Certification Curriculum to link it more closely to the European strategy, expected customer-centric behaviours and business priorities.
For now, we are working alongside a Pan-European ‘Skills Committee’ in readiness for beta-launch in Spring 2021.