Gilde-BT

Gilde-BT specialises in IT, outsourcing and training. They have developed a preboarding concept based on virtual reality and e-learning, which is used before the onboarding process begins. This helps the company and the new employee avoid misunderstandings and ensures a uniform training that also complies with safety regulations.

Hiring new employees can be quite draining for companies. Not only do they need to be recruited, but also onboarded and given the appropriate safety instructions. This puts pressure on existing staff and can lead to inconsistency when different people are responsible for the entire process. Moreover, the risk of new colleagues burning out is often higher than desired, as there may be a discrepancy between expectations and reality. This is why it's important to be able to present a complete and accurate picture.

Gilde-BT decided to address these issues. A pre-boarding concept was developed to prepare new employees as effectively as possible for their first steps in the company. It starts with responding to a job vacancy. If a candidate sees an interesting vacancy at a staffing agency, they are given the opportunity to put on a VR headset to see what the company looks like and how it operates in reality. This way, expectations are factually supported.

If the candidate is enthusiastic after this experience, they can proceed to the next round. Once a new employee is selected, they must complete an e-learning course covering the key safety and company aspects. This means they are prepared for their first day of work in the best possible way and the company can trust that you can work safely. If the e-learning is successfully completed, they will receive a certificate that can be shown on a phone or tablet on the first day of work.

A good idea, but there's more. At Gilde-BT, people work on (new) e-learning programmes every day, so the standard is high. Therefore, this pre-boarding also had to meet certain requirements. The training had to be varied and accessible, preferably making extensive use of interactive videos.

The interactive videos in the e-learning make it more enjoyable to go through all the company and safety aspects. The new employee observes various situations that may arise in practice, which are then tested. Each content section concludes with one or more questions, ensuring that everything has been covered. With such visually compelling training, it's easy for new employees to visualise what their job will look like.

The results achieved in aNewSpring are stored in Gilde-BT's training management systems, ensuring that they are always retained. Even if you are enrolled in a different course version, such as when you change locations and get a different manager.

Did you encounter challenges in using virtual reality?

"Not direct challenges, but rather that customers find it a fairly expensive investment. Additionally, only one person can view the film at a time. That's why we offer a corporate film that is shown to groups, followed by a test and reference material (in the form of e-learning).

This looks great and works very well in practice."

What do you find most inspiring about the outcome?

"That, as a company, we can contribute to our clients achieving their goals. And, of course, in a very beautiful way."