How Ishida Transforms Learning and Compliance with 360Learning
Founded in Japan in 1893, Ishida has established itself as the premier manufacturer of weighing and packaging equipment for the global consumables sector, employing over 3,500 staff around the world.
As Ishida’s first subsidiary outside Japan, Ishida Europe is located in Birmingham, UK, with a diverse workforce of more than 700 employees in the EMEA region. This includes frontline assembly teams, field service engineers, and sales professionals, making compliance in a rigorously regulated industry a daunting task.
This case study showcases how Ishida navigated challenges in workforce skill enhancement and compliance through innovative automation, which significantly cut administrative overhead and paved the way for more strategic, proactive learning initiatives.
Meet the Team
- Nicholas Taylor, L&D Manager, Ishida Europe
- Sarah Cash, Senior L&D Business Partner
- Jakub Kominka, Core Product Trainer
Identifying the Challenges
Ishida’s seven-member L&D team comprises specialized trainers for various functions including assembly and field services, addressing compliance, technical skills, and leadership training for their extensive workforce. However, prior to partnering with 360Learning, they were bogged down by manual processes that hampered efficiency and effectiveness.
1. Cumbersome Administrative Processes
Ishida’s reliance on spreadsheets and a basic HR learning module fell short of meeting their enterprise size and complexity, forcing the L&D and Health & Safety teams to navigate through over 25 spreadsheets just to track training and compliance.
Managing coordination and record-keeping was incredibly challenging. We had five core machine products with countless variations, alongside a global workforce—doing it all manually was nearly impossible. – Nicholas Taylor, L&D Manager
2. Compliance Challenges
Operating in a strict regulatory environment required Ishida to maintain meticulous training records. Old systems made it nearly impossible to stay ahead, leading to situations where employees missed crucial recertifications.
3. Scaling Training Efforts
The company faced hurdles in providing consistent, timely training for dispersed teams, requiring extensive hands-on training for frontline employees, while also ensuring sales teams received comprehensive blended learning programs.
4. Limited Strategic Focus
With a vast array of products and sectors, Ishida needed a system to disseminate customized knowledge. However, the focus remained on creating large-scale content rather than targeted training, hindering strategic initiatives.
We were perpetually behind—caught up in data entry and scheduling, making it difficult to focus on true development goals. – Nicholas Taylor
Crafting Effective Solutions
In evaluating Learning Management System options, Nicholas prioritized automation, ease of scheduling, and collaborative learning features. 360Learning’s robust tools stood out, enabling Ishida to overcome its greatest hurdles.
1. Automated Enrollments and Tracking
By harnessing 360Learning’s audience builder, Ishida automated enrollment processes, drastically reducing the need for manual compliance tracking. This innovation streamlined operations and allowed for clear visibility into course requirements.
The platform automates so much for us—enrollments, reminders, and compliance checks—freeing us up to provide more strategic value. – Nicholas Taylor
2. Unified Compliance Dashboards
Centralizing training records into a single portal simplified monitoring and made tracking course completions intuitive, reducing the burden on both L&D and Health & Safety teams.
3. Enhanced Scheduling and Empowering Frontline Teams
The central L&D team is now capable of efficiently creating courses tailored to the EMEA region, utilizing 360Learning’s authoring tool for scalable content management.
4. Strategic Capacity Restored
With administrative tasks minimized, the L&D team now focuses on higher-impact projects, prioritizing the capture of critical knowledge from seasoned engineers while implementing skills frameworks for talent retention and growth.
We are free from administrative burdens and can finally focus on cultivating substantial pathways for employee development. – Nicholas Taylor
Results Achieved
With new systems in action, Ishida has seen significant performance improvements:
- 52% decrease in L&D administrative time. Automation has allowed the team to concentrate on strategic development initiatives.
- 30% boost in compliance rates. Automated reminders ensure timely course completion and help maintain regulatory compliance.
- 40 hours monthly saved in reporting. Admin tasks have significantly decreased, enabling a focus on proactive professional development.
- Increased engagement from managers and learners. Simplified scheduling and immediate access to content foster greater collaboration.
- Lower employee turnover. Improved opportunities for internal career development have enhanced job satisfaction.
Looking Ahead
Having streamlined reactive tasks, Ishida’s next steps include:
- Building skills frameworks. To establish clear career paths within the company.
- Encouraging SME contributions. Enabling more experts to share knowledge directly via the platform.
- Implementing blended management pathways. Continuing to enhance leadership programs through a mix of in-person and eLearning strategies.
- Expanding training globally. Localizing content across different languages to unify the employee experience.
Transform Your Learning and Development Strategy
By automating compliance and enhancing frontline training, Ishida Europe has fundamentally improved operational efficiency, enabling a shift toward strategic learning and development. Interested in seeing how 360Learning can lead to similar transformations for your organization?
Request your personalized demo today and discover how our collaborative learning platform can empower your organization to upskill at scale.
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