Royal Swinkels' cohort-based approach to leadership training: fostering community and shared learning

Swinkels, a respected brewery with a history spanning over three centuries, proudly remains a family-owned business in the Netherlands. Known for its commitment to sustainability and rich tradition, Swinkels embodies innovation and progress in the brewing industry. Seeking to strengthen their leadership skills, Swinkels embarked on a journey to enhance their training program for 200 leaders. This journey, lasting 6-8 months, blends physical classroom sessions with digital learning assets, reflecting Swinkels’ comprehensive approach to professional development.

The Challenge

In their pursuit of excellence, Swinkels faced the challenge of creating a dynamic training program for their 200 leaders. They needed a platform that seamlessly integrated physical and digital learning experiences, was easy to use, engaging, and visually appealing. With 200 participants managing busy schedules, striking a balance between in-person and online engagement was crucial. Additionally, the program required tools to track progress and generate reports effectively.

The Solutio

To meet these challenges, Swinkels chose Totara as the foundation for their leadership training program. Through Totara Learn, they crafted a transformative learning journey with four modules. Utilizing a simple horizontal scroll format, known as scrollytelling , participants could navigate through the program’s content with ease, immersing themselves in a captivating storytelling experience. This innovative approach made the learning process more engaging.

The four modules include:

• Kick Off
• Me as a Leader
• My Team
• Our Organizatio

Each module integrates a self-assessment, including pre-and post-program assessments displayed visually on a personalized dashboard. Participants engage in interactive activities such as word cloud questions and reflective exercises, fostering self-awareness and growth.

Swinkels emphasized creating a collaborative learning environment, where leaders could learn together and from each other. This cohort-based approach fosters a sense of community and shared learning among participants, enhancing the overall learning experience. Moreover, Swinkels leverages a data-driven approach, utilizing Totara’s analytics capabilities to gain insights into their leaders’ progress. By harnessing data, Swinkels gains valuable insights into their organization’s leadership capabilities, enabling them to tailor future training initiatives more effectively.

The Result

The online training courses for the leadership community at Swinkels has proven to be effective in terms of facilitating the overall training approach. With 160 users, 87.5% of whom logged in at least once, the courses are well-received and utilized by the community. Everyone was divided into 4 cohorts of approximately 35 participants each, with each cohort consisting of learning teams of about 5 participants.

Despite the challenges of remote learning, the completion rate for the first 3 courses that are about to finish is already more than 85%, indicating a high level of engagement and commitment from the participants. Prior to the courses, participants took a self-assessment that measured their level of the capabilities cheerfulness, commitment, compassion, courage, and curiosity, with results ranging from 3.87 to 4.03 out of 5. After the program, this self-assessment will be taken again to compare the level of capabilities before and after the program.

Overall, the data shows that the online training course was well-structured and effective in training the leadership community at Swinkels. The high completion rate and already positive self-assessment results demonstrate that the course was engaging and valuable for participants, and the cohort-based approach allowed for a collaborative and supportive learning environment.

Swinkels’ efforts were met with success, with participants praising the effectiveness of the Totara platform. Deloitte’s support during implementation further enhanced Swinkels’ satisfaction. The integration of Totara Learn marked a significant milestone in Swinkels Brewery’s leadership development journey, making learning more accessible and convenient for everyone involved. Empowered by a culture of continuous learning and collaboration, Swinkels Brewery is poised for ongoing success and innovation in the competitive brewing industry.