Discover Financial Services’ New Hire Training Programs are designed to ensure that employees provide world-class customer experiences and accurately perform the tasks required for their job role. Certification is achieved through completion of a blended training experience that includes instructor-led and online coursework, mentoring, assessments, evaluations, coaching, and recognition. The amount of time required to certify varies according to role specialization.
Program Details
Each program is created from a detailed needs analysis completed by an internal consultant. Once all training requirements have been defined, the Design Team creates coursework that engages learners through instruction, demonstrations, practice, and knowledge-based tests. Facilitators adhere to a “Vital Behaviors” model to aid in the transfer of knowledge and help learners feel successful. This model requires that facilitators:
- Vary instructional techniques
- Alternate between teaching and questioning
- Provide opportunities for hands-on application
- Reward with genuine, positive praise
- Immediately correct behavior using feedback
Reporting, which includes customer service metrics and process accuracy results, is used by facilitators to evaluate new employee performance and determine areas for group and individual coaching. A final employee scorecard is used to help the new employee’s transition from training to production. The receiving manager gains key insight into areas of strength and opportunity for immediate focus.
These programs also are designed to immediately engage employees and provide them with the tools and skills needed to deliver on Discover’s commitment to customer service. Discover has found that learning expectations of the Millennial and ’Net generations demand a new way of approaching employee onboarding with technology because it is an everyday part of their lives. Following a year-long test, Discover converted a majority of New Hire Programs to blended self-paced delivery. A class syllabus is used to guide the facilitator and learners on the order of coursework and to gauge progression. Outside of instructor-led sessions, learners determine how much time to spend on training activities. As they engage in primary Web-based training, they are guided to locate supplemental resources that can be used within customer interactions.
By focusing on on-the-job learning rather than memorizing procedures, learners demonstrate a high level of confidence and independent problem solving. Knowledge-based assessments are deployed at strategic times within the program. Learners understand they must achieve 80 percent or better to pass these tests; they are encouraged to use online resources and the allotted time. A minimum number of call observations and compliance audits are completed by a centralized team to assure quality and accuracy. Coaching is provided following each test, observation, audit, and daily performance reporting updates.
Results
A full suite of metrics is used to demonstrate that an employee has met certification requirements. Level 1 survey results show that learners are highly engaged in their onboarding experience and feel well supported. The average Level 2 knowledge assessment scores show knowledge retention is high, exceeding the minimum pass rate by 5 to 7 percent, depending on role. According to call observations, compliance audits, and Key Performance Metrics, new employees are between 87 and 100 percent as productive as tenured peers.
