Studies in Success

Boy Scouts of America

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is well-known as one of the nation’s foremost youth programs of character development and values-based leadership training. BSA takes training seriously, and its employees must be able to uphold the highest ethical and moral standards, and act as role models for America’s youth.

With over 300 local councils throughout the U.S., BSA is acutely aware of the logistical problems of training its 7,000 geographically dispersed council employees. In 2007, BSA selected Workplace Answers to implement a comprehensive, Web-based educational initiative that would enable interactive, engaging courseware to be easily deployed using state-of-the-art technology.
 

Overcoming obstacles

The flexibility of course customization and course delivery was especially important to BSA, as some of its more far-flung employees did not have access to high-speed Internet, making it extremely slow to download video or heavy graphics. Although Workplace Answers courses can include audio, video messaging, and Flash interactive components, Workplace Answers also uses illustrations that require little bandwidth and work well, even on a PC accessing the Internet via a dial-up connection. As an added bonus, BSA was able to customize the illustrations in the courseware to reflect the diversity and customs of local councils, enhancing their organizational culture.

In addition, Workplace Answers’ powerful SLATE® Training Management Platform provided BSA with a comprehensive reporting platform for course registration records, courses taken, the amount of time each employee spends on a course, training-by-council monitoring, and council progress.

Better communications, better results

At Workplace Answers, we know that learner communications are a key element to a successful program. Welcome emails were automatically sent to all employees, providing information about the course and how to access their assigned training. Weekly, personalized reminders were automatically sent to employees who had not completed training.

At the end of eight weeks, 80 percent of BSA’s employees had successfully completed the course, and administrators reported they were able to see positive change throughout the organization.