Executive Summary
Our current Guest Services on-boarding program is fully instructor-led.
While supporting the program last peak season, I noticed moments where the classroom experience wasn’t benefitting everyone. Learners moved at different paces, which sometimes led to disengagement. At the same time, the heavy focus on in-person delivery can be demanding for Delivery Specialists and makes it harder for the program to scale as our department grows.
This proposal introduces a hybrid on-boarding model, with one dedicated day each week for remote, self-paced eLearning. This gives learners the flexibility to absorb information in a way that works best for them, while allowing in-person time to focus on what truly matters: building confidence, offering coaching, and creating meaningful connections.
By evolving our Guest Services on-boarding experience, we have an opportunity to better support new hires, ease the load on Delivery Specialists, and create a more flexible, scalable program while still preserving the sense of connection and culture that makes in-person training so valuable at the Bird.
The Problem
Facilitator Dependency
Demanding on Delivery Specialists
Three interconnected challenges are limiting the effectiveness of our current training model:
Learner Overload
Four consecutive weeks of classroom instruction creates significant cognitive fatigue. Learners show real differences in how quickly they process new material, some finish activities early while others need more time. The result is that fast learners disengage and thorough learners feel rushed. Neither group retains information as well as they could.
Scalability Limits
Our current training program is almost entirely dependent on trainer availability. Every cohort requires Delivery Specialist facilitation, room availability and full-day commitment. As the organization grows, this model will bottleneck. There is currently no infrastructure for scaling training without proportionally scaling Delivery Specialist headcount.
The Solution: A Hybrid On-boarding Learning Model
A hybrid on-boarding program strategically distributes training across in-office skill development days and remote self-paced eLearning days.
The key insight is simple, not all learning requires a delivery specialist in the room.
Use remote days to build knowledge, and in-person days to build confidence.
In-office
Skill based learning. Facilitators can spot gaps, adapt explanations, and offer coaching in the moment.
Topics:
Guest experience skills, including our service model
Salesforce navigation
SOP practice and role play
Instructor-led workshops & complex scenarios
These are the moments where a facilitator adds real, irreplaceable value:
1. Skill practice & role play
Guest experience skills, including our service model, brand voice, and dealing with escalated guests.
2. Coaching and feedback sessions
Personalized guidance is hard to replicate asynchronously. Facilitators can spot gaps, adapt explanations, and build confidence in the moment.
3. Culture building & connection
Team norms, company values, and “how we show up” are felt—not just learned. Group discussions, storytelling, and shared experiences help build belonging.
4. Complex or sensitive topics
Anything nuanced (e.g., judgment calls, edge cases, or emotionally charged scenarios) benefits from discussion, Q&A, and clarification.
5. Assessments that require observation
Live evaluations (mock calls, scenarios, simulations) ensure learners can actually apply what they’ve learned—not just recall it.
Remote
Knowledge based learning. Self-paced modules allow learners to go at their own pace and revisit content as needed.
Topics:
Company, product & policy knowledge
Process & compliance training
Self-paced digital modules
Self-paced + knowledge checks
Informational content can be absorbed independently, rewatched, and revisited
1. Foundational knowledge
Policies, procedures, systems, and basic workflows. These are often content-heavy and don’t require live discussion to understand.
2. System walkthroughs & tutorials
Step-by-step demos, videos, or guided simulations where learners can pause, rewind, and practice on their own.
3. Compliance & required training
Standardized content that must be consistent across all learners is a strong fit for eLearning.
5. Knowledge checks & quizzes
Basic comprehension can be assessed asynchronously, freeing up live time for deeper application.
Hybrid On-boarding
During remote days, Delivery Specialists can be available on Teams for questions and/or host a Teams call “office hours” for questions.
Week Two
Before new hires set foot in the classroom, they can complete a set of short digital modules covering:
• Company overview, mission, and values
• Core products and service offerings
• Introduction to key systems (navigation only, no hands-on yet)
• Policy fundamentals
Goal: New hires arrive day one with baseline knowledge of who we are, so we can skip the company policies and start applying.
Week One
Before new hires set foot in the classroom, they can complete a set of short digital modules covering:
• Company overview, mission, and values
• Core products and service offerings
• Introduction to key systems (navigation only, no hands-on yet)
• Policy fundamentals
Goal: New hires arrive day one with baseline knowledge of who we are, so we can skip the company policies and start applying.
Week Two
Before new hires set foot in the classroom, they can complete a set of short digital modules covering:
• Company overview, mission, and values
• Core products and service offerings
• Introduction to key systems (navigation only, no hands-on yet)
• Policy fundamentals
Goal: New hires arrive day one with baseline knowledge of who we are, so we can skip the company policies and start applying.
Disclaimer
Relationship building, roleplay, peer learning, coaching conversations, and group problem solving remain 100% in-person. These are the activities where human connection creates irreplaceable value. The hybrid model exists to protect them — not reduce them.
Week One
Before new hires set foot in the classroom, they can complete a set of short digital modules covering:
• Company overview, mission, and values
• Core products and service offerings
• Introduction to key systems (navigation only, no hands-on yet)
• Policy fundamentals
Goal: New hires arrive day one with baseline knowledge of who we are, so we can skip the company policies and start applying.