Training Magazine - July 2008 - (Page 22)

5TALENT MANAGEMENT ISSUE5 Managing the Magic HODGES: Walt Disney made it clear we could never rest on our laurels, so continuous improvement has been an integral part of our culture. In our organization, it’s important that each employee has a voice and that people have a variety of ways to share their thoughts and opinions with us. In addition to annual employee surveys and action-planning forums, there are employee resource groups, advisory councils, and feedback mechanisms—usually supported by a leader or an executive champion— that are in place. Whether an employee submits feedback through a formal or informal process, there are methods for doing so directly or anonymously. It is then our responsibility to respond appropriately. PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICH NEWMAN AND DAVE WEINER WALT DISNEY PARKS AND RESORTS EXEC JULIE HODGES SAYS THE COMPANY’S GREATEST TRAINING CHALLENGE HAS BEEN TO FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE OF CONSISTENCY AND ADAPTABILITY FOR DYNAMIC BUSINESS NEEDS AND A DIVERSE EMPLOYEE BASE. Training: How do you recruit new workers? HODGES: At Disney Parks, there are wide varieties of guest service, entertainment, internship, and professional roles. We utilize a multilayered media approach to lead prospective candidates to our Websites, including Internet advertising and postings, print advertisements, radio commercials, and displays and signs in targeted locations. However, our most successful source for new candidates is from Cast Member referrals to our sites. Our network of employment Websites provides detailed descriptions and visual displays about the employment experiences, role expectations and qualifications, and the beginning of the application and selection process. The recruitment process is completed by our recruiters, who discuss the best role that suits the individual’s skills and desires, while focusing on the person’s potential to provide excellent guest experiences. Training: At Disney Institute, I learned that you have a enjoy our company products and services when they’re not at work, not only for their knowledge about our company’s products and services, but to build pride and engagement. Training: What is the blended learning equation at Disney? HODGES: There’s no specific equation for our approach to blended learning. Our instructional systems design practices enable us to identify the appropriate delivery methodology for each individual learning experience—instructor-led, e-learning, a gaming simulation, a media object on a mobile device, or an on-the-job training session. To stay in touch with our learners, our Disney trainers and coordinators of training, who work in the operation each day, identify individual needs and learning styles so we can design training effectiveness and learner comprehension into new offerings. Training: How do you assess the knowledge of your employ- much better-than-average employee retention rate than other hospitality/resort companies, but that you would like to further reduce turnover. What is your retention rate and what are you doing to improve it? HODGES: Retention rates vary among the business units. We have 40 different lines of business and more than 2,000 job descriptions (for salaried leaders, hourly employees, office and technical staff, and technical specialists). The turnover of fulltime employees at our Parks and Resorts is significantly below the industry average. Key retention factors include providing knowledge, resources, and a supportive work environment. Although all leaders are accountable for engaging employees, we have service managers whose primary focus is the employee experience. We talk to candidates and employees to discover what brought them to Disney and encourage employees to 22 ees after courses? And how do you assess the course to know it’s working and is a worthwhile investment? HODGES: The Walt Disney Parks and Resorts segment has a dedicated Learning and Development Evaluation team, which partners with training professionals during the design, implementation, and evaluation of an offering to design an appropriate evaluation strategy. Employees are required to complete and pass all regulatory compliance training; other assessments and evaluations focus on the transfer of knowledge. After the evaluation team presents the data to our training professionals, we can consider whether to revise, redesign, or retire content as appropriate. Although training evaluation involves a continuous process of asking questions, gathering feedback, and evaluating training effectiveness, it is critical for the ongoing success of our employees and, ultimately, our business. t w w w. t r a i n i n g m a g . c o m | JULY / AUGUST 2008 t r a i n i n g http://www.trainingmag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Training Magazine - July 2008

Training Magazine - July 2008 Contents Online TOC Editor’s Note Training Today Soapbox How-To World View Managing the Magic Keys to the Kingdom Good Job! Personalities & Performance Hidden Potential The Executive Entrance Live & Online No More Revolving Door Questions for Covey TMI Brochure

Training Magazine - July 2008

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