When most companies were asking their learning functions to make cuts at the height of the global recession in 2009, executives at Mars Inc. challenged Mars University to have more impact.
by Site Staff
November 19, 2012
JIM BRODIE
Global Operations Director, Mars Inc.
The first order of business was to conduct a strategic review of how the university could better integrate with Mars’ principles and strategic business plan. The review, completed in March 2010, found duplication, inconsistencies and inefficiencies throughout the program. Perhaps most startling: less than 30 percent of associates strongly agreed that Mars University contributed to business goals and impacted job performance.
In the next two years, learning leaders at Mars, led by Jim Brodie, director of global operations, worked to revamp Mars University into a singular entity using a consistent framework and language with modules that showcased stronger relationships between the university and business practices. With these changes in place, use of Mars University resources increased five-fold by Mars employees in the last year.