Decathlon France's challenge
Decathlon France's Training department has always seen developing and motivating its store managers as vital: they are the leaders at the point of sale. But from 2020 onwards, with training going digital at full speed, it was time to rethink how to do it.
The challenge had several layers. Training for people in leadership roles needed a dose of innovation to become genuinely attractive, the training methods for store managers were due for an update, and whatever came next had to fit the company's management culture. There was also a concrete idea on the table: bringing online gamification into the store managers' development program.
- Make training attractive for people in leadership roles
- Update the training methods for store managers
- Fit in with the company's management culture
- Bring online gamification into the store managers' development program
The solution
Decathlon France chose video games for its store manager training: a more dynamic, immersive format that can simulate the real situations a store manager faces every day. The program kicked off with 250 store managers playing Pacific, Game Strategies' serious game on team management.
Once they had completed Pacific, they moved on to the next phases with other video games designed to build more team management and leadership skills: coaching, effective feedback, conflict resolution and effective delegation of tasks. Access couldn't have been simpler: the Training Manager for executives and managers sent each manager a username and password by email to play online. In the end, most of Decathlon France's store managers took these courses, and video games became part of the company's training ecosystem.
The games they played
The results
Store managers gave it a big thumbs-up. They agree it's an entertaining, uncomplicated way to train that still deals with the real situations they face in the store every day. 98% say what they learned is directly applicable to their daily lives and that they retained it easily, and 85% would recommend this type of training.
Video games have improved how this group of employees perceives training, and Decathlon is now considering taking the format further: developing the talent of other staff members, improving onboarding and boosting interest in operational training.
More retail & consumer goods case studies
100%recommend itApollo-Optik helps its managers put on their 'leader glasses' with Pacific, and 100% recommend it
100%completion rateCoca-Cola FEMSA trains 850 managers in leadership with Pacific, and every one of them finishes
+69%team motivation and engagementJTI boosts employee engagement by 69% and productivity by 60% with game-based learning
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