ISS Case Study

About ISS

ISS is one of the largest facility services providers in the world supplying organisations of all types, shapes and sizes with every facility solution they might require including catering, cleaning, transport, landscaping and security.

Formed in 1901 in Copenhagen, Denmark, as a small security company with 20 night watchmen, ISS has grown to become an international organisation with a presence in over 50 countries. ISS employs over 535,000 people worldwide and 45,000 staff in the UK alone.

Sue Twist, Health and Safety Manager at ISS, said:

In April 2013, ISS selected Virtual College’s Construction Services e-Academy to provide health and safety, 17th Edition and Inspection and Testing training to those working in the Citigroup contract.

/n/n### The Challenge

Virtual College helped ISS with the introduction of e-learning across different Citigroup sites through implementing a common training platform.

As a large organisation with a diverse workforce working on multiple contracts across the world, ISS has a number of training challenges. Sue commented:

When the NICEIC announced their electrical audits, ISS wanted to ensure that all electricians were up to date with Inspection and Testing and 17th Edition training, following the introduction of amendment one in July 2011. A number of their employees qualified many years ago and were reluctant to go back to college to update their qualifications.

They also wanted to train employees in health and safety and customer service to ensure that everyone had the same level of knowledge.

Furthermore, being a customer focused organisation, ISS did not want to lose individuals from site to attend classroom based training.

The Solution

Online training provided ISS with a flexible way to train staff without disrupting work or requiring them to leave the site.

ISS discovered Virtual College through an internet search and chose them based on their partnership with the NICEIC, ensuring the courses met industry standards.

In February 2013, ISS met with Virtual College to discuss the Learning Management System and training options. The membership packages allowed e-learning access for up to 5,000 staff at a fixed cost, with additional face-to-face training available as needed.

As this was ISS’s first e-learning implementation, Virtual College provided support throughout the process. Their account manager quickly assessed ISS’s needs and helped establish realistic timelines for the rollout.

The Results

The introduction of e-learning has unified Citigroup sites by implementing a common training platform. ISS has approved a staged 12-month rollout, introducing a new course every six months.

Traditional classroom training posed challenges for service providers, as it required staff to be away from work. E-learning offers flexibility, allowing staff to complete courses during quiet periods without disrupting service.

Early feedback from staff has been positive, with users finding the course content informative and easy to navigate.

Between April 1, 2013, and June 1, 2013, 167 staff members completed 170 courses. This volume of training would not have been feasible with face-to-face sessions due to scheduling constraints.

All staff on the Citigroup contract now have access to Manual Handling and Fire Safety e-learning courses. The rollout will continue with additional courses, including Health & Safety in the Workplace, Risk Assessment, Working at Height, Customer Care, Personal Safety for Lone Workers, and An Overview of COSHH.