Totara Learn helps KwikFit to give new employees a jump-start

KwikFit is a household name among Dutch car owners. Today, you can visit any of the 165 branches for tyre changes, MOT, air conditioning and maintenance. With more than 1,200 employees, many of whom have been with the company for a long time, anniversaries of 25 or 40 years are no rarity at KwikFit.

The challenge

The rise of electric cars requires a new mindset from employees. Electric vehicles often have around 15 cameras and are increasingly becoming self-thinking. This requires mechanics to work in a different way and think about how the car itself thinks.

The tight labour market makes it challenging to attract and retain new employees. Therefore, the learning and development department was expanded in early 2023. Previously, a training centre already existed where employees were trained on various products and, for example, in-house emergency response. Although this centre started digital learning years ago, the platform was outdated and no longer suited the current situation. The training centre was renamed: KwikFit campus this year.

The solution

Timon’s first assignment was to look for a learning platform. He started by mapping out the needs and requirements. And then started looking for platforms that seemed to meet these. Together with Wouter, Timon assessed each platform on the various criteria, Totara Learn then emerged as the winner. The pleasant contact with Courseware and the competitive investment were decisive.

With Totara they were able to create an environment that suits KwikFit well, also in terms of reporting options. KwikFit employs people of different generations, from trainees to near-retirees. The platform had to be attractive, understandable and intuitive for all these generations. These people do not work much with a computer on the shop floor.

Implementation of Totara Learn started in July 2023. Three months later, in early October, KwikFit’s Totara Learn platform went live. It was decided to gradually expand its use to ensure that the system is firmly embedded in the learning and development process within the organisation. Started with the pre-boarding of new employees. This will be followed by branch managers, employees who perform MOT and the rest of the employees.

The pre-boarding process is designed to get employees started with enthusiasm and confidence. Between signing the contract and the first working day, new employees often have a number of questions. Timon conducted a survey among new employees to find out how they experienced their start at KwikFit. This served as important inspiration for a list of 79 questions new employees may have for their first day at work. Such as: “What does my first day look like?”, “Who is my point of contact?”, “Do I have to bring my own lunch?”.

Timon and Wouter are brimming with plans for the Academy. For the MOT training, they will develop a blended pathway. Before a training day takes place on campus, employees must complete an e-learning module through the academy.
In addition, an onboarding programme will be set up for new branch managers and also for the buddies who will guide new employees during their first months.

The result

The KwikFit Academy has only been live for a month and a half. So far, new employees have been invited via just one email to participate in this pre-boarding programme. A total of 50 people have received the invitation and, despite minimal promotion, more than a third have completed the full programme.

Soon, the pre-boarding programme will be expanded to include a welcome package. This package includes a magazine, an invitation to have custom-made earplugs fitted, safety glasses and confetti. The package also includes a card with information about the KwikFit academy, which will be an extra incentive to participate in the pre-boarding programme.
Once employees join KwikFit, they often stay for a long time. The pre-boarding programme contributes to a good start in the organisation.

There is clearly a noticeable shift in the way the academy is viewed. The employee comes first even more. The new KwikFit Academy has already received many positive reactions from both managers and employees.