Dive Brief:
- Roadways and sidewalks can become treacherous in the winter, but that can't stop couriers who work for Deutsche Post DHL Group, one of the world's largest logistics companies. In fact, they are getting a little help from Mother Nature herself, with some training on the basics of walking on ice from the experts — penguins.
- Aptly named "Safety First - Safety Feet" the employee safety training program that took place in November featured an African penguin borrowed from a local zoo. It was designed to teach employees how to handle themselves on slippery surfaces by adopting the careful gait of this flightless bird.
- DC Velocity reports that the training was so popular that there were repeat performances in the USA at two Kentucky locations.
Dive Insight:
Sometimes it takes a highly creative method to get the message through to employees, and engage them fully in the training process, especially when it comes to safety training. It's not a particularly exciting subject and employees have heard it over and over again. This take was a deeply creative and engaging spin on such a topic.
Since penguins have a low center of gravity and flippers instead of wings, it's easy to translate these ideas to the couriers who can use this style of walking to prevent slips and falls on the job. Besides, penguins are super cute (therefore, a huge learning retention draw) and have a strong personality.
A big plus: They also have their own little uniforms.
