Transitioning to a Virtual Learning Environment at HME

HM Electronics, Inc. (HME) is a group of companies that designs, manufactures, sells and services specialized communications, audio and software solutions for niche markets.

HME is a global company with a diverse workforce in multiple locations in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia. The organization’s performance management system, Halogen TalentSpace, lacked robust learning features and was being used to its fullest capabilities. HME envisioned upgrading to a platform that better aligned with on-demand instruction and guided learning.

In 2019, HME switched from Saba TalentSpace to Cornerstone’s Saba Cloud platform because its capabilities could scale to meet the evolving learning and performance needs of HME’s growing workforce, and also provided automated reporting and notification features that created a seamless experience for administrators.

With Saba Cloud, HME could introduce a transformative learning environment where all employees could access resources for compliance and operational standard training on a single platform.

Provided a learning platform and resources for HME’s diverse workforce to grow and develop professionally, increase employee engagement and boost employee performance.

HME embarked on an ambitious three-month implementation plan. Diem Lewis, Director of Organizational Effectiveness, and members of HME’s Employee Learning Committee met and collaborated with a Cornerstone consultant to ensure Saba Cloud had an intuitive user experience. Cornerstone’s 24/7 customer service was also a winning factor in selecting Saba Cloud, as troubleshooting issues could be addressed efficiently.

Lewis wanted to push platform features to their full potential with customization and said Cornerstone met their expectations. “We had someone who was able to keep up with my mind in regard to special requests,” she said. The team utilized an agile project management approach to ensure each implementation phase was aligned to meet a fast-paced deadline schedule.

“We didn't have any downtime with the switch, which was great,” Lewis said. “The impact on the user was minimal.”

Learning was key to the company’s continued success. Upgrading to Saba Cloud—internally called Compass—provided an agile learning environment that empowered employees to continuously develop their knowledge.

The platform also created a dedicated space for employees and managers to collaborate on their performance plans. Saba Cloud’s rollout was synced with the company’s employee quarterly review process. As soon as it was implemented, 75% of employees completed a quarterly check-in—and that increased to 91% a year later.

Finally, Saba Cloud’s comprehensive reporting features were a huge improvement for Diem and her team. Since HME receives government funding to provide employee training, they spent hours maintaining meticulous training records. Saba Cloud’s reporting and analytics provide an efficient way to generate reports, which allows her team more time to focus on developing and delivering employee education curriculums.

While allowing more virtual learning and performance capabilities was the initial goal, HME’s decision to implement Saba Cloud in 2019 made the company more agile during the COVID-19 pandemic and remote work.

“I felt like we were six months ahead of the curve because Saba Cloud had tools we were able to experiment with before COVID occurred,” Lewis said.

The impact of these tools on employee performance quickly became clear. For example, HME’s sales team needed to adapt to remote sales. HME quickly rolled out tutorials on conducting virtual demos, and employees were able to receive direct facilitator feedback through the platform.

Since implementation, Saba Cloud’s virtual learning and meeting capabilities have allowed HME to create a robust training portal that employees are excited to use. It also allows departments to collaborate with HR to address learning needs, boost employee performance and continue to drive business growth and success.

“The most exciting part is, instead of going out and finding a different solution, leaders in the organization are reaching out to us and saying, ‘Hey, do you think Compass can do this for us?’ and we’re able to say ‘Yes.’” said Lewis.