Picture yourself starting a new job as a customer service agent or sales professional at a large organization. It is likely this experience will begin with a heavy influx of information, delivered to you over a short period. You’ll not only be expected to retain all of that information but to hit the ground running soon after.
Running toward what? And how long will it take to reach that unknown destination?
New employees need an onboarding experience that is valuable, tailored to their individual role and different from one-size-fits-all training. That is why, when reimagining our onboarding program, the sales and operations training team at WEX Inc. started by creating a hand-sketched learning journey map.
The goal? To paint a picture of where employees start — learning the foundation of products, services, systems and skills — and outlining where they might want to go within the company after their first year of employment. Whether their professional career goals involve inside sales, management, mentorship or another role, the map provides a clear course to achieve them.
The learning journey maps, built by function, serve as a starting point for the personalized learning experience new employees are embarking on.
(Click to download.)
(Click to download.)
The map provides a picture of an engaging, thoughtfully paced and fun learning experience. For instance, the map includes “nesting periods,” or breaks for participants to practice what they’ve learned with a mentor or coach at their side. Learners complete assessments and surveys along the way to ensure that training is meeting their needs, that they are comprehending the skills being taught and that the experience is making them feel valued. The maps enable employees to visualize what lies before them and how their career might look in the future.
With these maps, the onboarding program provides employees with the tailored training they need to improve their skills and reach their goals, no matter where they are in their journey. The learning journey maps are the foundation to engage employees at the start and create a vision of the future, ultimately helping organizations retain their talent.
