The Benevolent Society, Australia's first charity founded in 1813, is committed to creating a just society where all Australians can live their best life. Guided by principles of reconciliation, collaboration, and innovation, the organisation uses its resources to reduce disadvantage and improve community welfare. Their vision encompasses delivering person-centred services, influencing social change, achieving growth for impact, and building a thriving organisation. In his case study we’ll explore their transition from traditional face-to-face training to a digital learning solution with Forget Me Not®.
Before implementing Forget Me Not®, The Benevolent Society relied on face-to-face training sessions for leadership development.
Leadership programs, such as Team Leading Essentials and Management Essentials, were conducted over several days offsite.
The organisation faced significant logistical issues in training their team this way though, including the difficulty of coordinating schedules to get everyone in one room, which resulted in organisation wide downtime and high dropout rates.
Tammy Turvey, Learning and Development Specialist from The Benevolent Society noted, "We had a large dropout rate, which made it a bit harder to keep the momentum going. So we'd start with big cohorts but by the time we got to the end of the three month program, we would have half a cohort." Additionally, even during training sessions, participants were frequently distracted by work-related issues, often checking their phones for messages. Tammy remarked, "They'd have their work mobile phones on the desk. So as soon as a message would pop up, they'd be checking it as well."
Furthermore, there was a lack of continued learning once the training sessions ended, leading to poor retention and application of the learned material. "Once they finished the training, they just switched that bit off and didn't use it back in the workplace," Tammy explained.
Tammy and her colleague Renee first encountered Forget Me Not® at a conference in Melbourne. The innovative approach of the platform, which included a mix of short, easy-to-understand content and repetition, caught their attention. "We attended a conference in Melbourne and on our seats there was this cardboard envelope. When we opened the envelope, it had Forget Me Not®, and it had a little bit of information on each of the corners of the envelope. That piqued our interest."
For The Benevolent Society, the appeal of Forget Me Not® lay in its simplicity and flexibility. Tammy appreciated that it allowed for continuous learning post-workshop and could also serve as a standalone course delivery tool for her team. "It was short, it was easy, and it was simple to use. What I liked was the repetition, and you could use it as an effective ongoing learning tool."
The transition to the new system was smooth and well-supported with The Benevolent Society's team appreciating the helpfulness and responsiveness of the Forget Me Not® team when getting up and running. "Everyone was very helpful. They could turn my gobbledygook into something that was amazing and effective. It didn't matter what I said or what questions we asked, It was always answered, and I wasn't treated like it was silly."
Initially, there was resistance to moving away from the traditional face-to-face model as can be expected when changing processes in any part of an organisation. However, the flexibility of the microlearning format eventually won over the participants. The new system allowed them to learn at their own pace without the need for extended time away from their daily tasks. "We're now at a point where everyone is using Forget Me Not® when we give it to them. We're getting a lot of really positive feedback. I'm getting more enrollment requests than we actually have room for in our Team Leading Essentials training program!"
The onboarding process for Forget Me Not® was very straightforward. Although there were some technical challenges related to internal IT infrastructure on the Benevolent Society end, these were resolved quickly with the support of the Forget Me Not® team. "The onboarding and setup were fairly simple. We're actually getting the app pushed out to everyone's mobile phone with minimal issues. Downloading and accessing the app is quite simple for the team."
Tammy found the implementation process smooth and efficient. The continuous support from Forget Me Not® ensured a seamless transition. "I loved the implementation process and learner experience because you got a couple of questions a day. You weren't overloaded with too much information like other learning platforms. You could easily read through the scenarios, answer the questions, and even if you got it wrong, it opened up more information to learn."
"Oh, absolutely. And I have already been recommending Forget Me Not® to other organisations. I think it's the way to go. I actually think it works better than an LMS."
The platform's bite-sized learning approach was well-received by the team, and Tammy enjoyed the ease of accessing short, daily content, finding it beneficial for encouraging continuous learning. "I loved it because you got a couple of questions a day. You weren't overloaded with too much information. You could easily read through the scenarios, answer the questions, and even if you got it wrong, it opened up more information to learn."
The new approach to learning transformed The Benevolent Society's training landscape. It shifted from traditional, intensive workshops to a more flexible and continuous learning model. This change not only improved knowledge retention but also supported the organisation's need for ongoing staff development without impacting productivity. "People are discovering they really don't have time for face-to-face training anymore. Forget Me Not® has changed everything for us and gives them more time to actually complete the training that they need. They can do it at their own pace, and they can work through the information easily and in a way to retain everything."
Tammy strongly recommended Forget Me Not® to other organisations. She emphasised its ease of use, accessibility, and the significant benefits over traditional LMS systems. "Oh, absolutely. And I have already been recommending Forget Me Not® to other organisations. I think it's the way to go. I actually think it works better than an LMS." Forget Me Not® has been instrumental in fostering a culture of continuous learning at The Benevolent Society. By delivering small, daily learning doses, the platform seamlessly integrated into the staff's routine, promoting regular skill development without being intrusive. "It's non-invasive and non-disruptive, but it's reminding them that they need to learn something new every day."
Tammy highlighted the platform's ability to provide a portable library of resources as a significant advantage over other learning platforms. This feature ensured that learning was not a one-time event but an ongoing process. "I actually love unlocking the resources and having that portable library available to you at any time. It's not just do it once and let it go. You can go back in with the resources.
The transition to Forget Me Not® has had a substantial impact on The Benevolent Society. It has addressed the key challenges of traditional training methods, provided flexibility and accessibility, and supported the organisation's goal of continuous learning.
“Forget Me Not® has changed everything for us and gives our team more time to actually complete the training that they need. They can do it at their own pace.”
“In the past, once finished with their training the team used to switch off and didn't use their learnings once back in the workplace,” but with Forget Me Not®, “because you’re not overloaded with too much information, it’s easier to drive retention and more effective learning experiences.”
“We’re getting a lot of really positive feedback! I’m getting more enrollment requests than we actually have room for in our Team Leading Essentials training program!”
“Everyone on the Forget Me Not® team was very helpful. They could turn my gobbledygook into something that was amazing and effective.”
“Forget Me Not® is non-invasive and non-disruptive, but it’s consistently reminding our team that they need to learn something new every day… having that portable library available to you at any time is a huge advantage.”
If you're looking to elevate the way you train your team, we're here to help. Let's have a chat and get you started on a pilot program so you can start creating a culture of continuous learning!
