WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.759 Imagine this scenario. You're Sarah, a dedicated 00:00:03.759 --> 00:00:07.480 store manager, maybe feeling a bit frustrated. 00:00:07.599 --> 00:00:10.300 You've got these great new Gen Z hires. They're 00:00:10.300 --> 00:00:13.880 broke, they're eager, but that... that 50 -page 00:00:13.880 --> 00:00:16.100 training manual you painstakingly put together. 00:00:16.199 --> 00:00:18.679 Yeah, I can picture it. Dust collector. Exactly, 00:00:18.859 --> 00:00:20.920 collecting dust. And those mandatory quarterly 00:00:20.920 --> 00:00:23.859 training videos, you know, the ones watched on 00:00:23.859 --> 00:00:26.780 mute, maybe sped up, maybe just ignored. Does 00:00:26.780 --> 00:00:29.160 that sound familiar to any of you retail executives 00:00:29.160 --> 00:00:30.980 listening today? I suspect it might ring a few 00:00:30.980 --> 00:00:34.549 bells. What, Sarah, and maybe many of you? are 00:00:34.549 --> 00:00:37.689 bumping up against is this, well, this huge shift 00:00:37.689 --> 00:00:40.250 in how a whole generation gets their information. 00:00:40.929 --> 00:00:43.350 Gen Z, they live, they learn, they shop, they 00:00:43.350 --> 00:00:45.270 connect through this constant cycle. It's almost 00:00:45.270 --> 00:00:48.750 intuitive. Scroll, swipe, share. It's completely 00:00:48.750 --> 00:00:50.570 second nature. It is, and it's fundamentally 00:00:50.570 --> 00:00:52.429 changed the game, hasn't it? It just demands 00:00:52.429 --> 00:00:55.030 a whole new playbook. So our deep dive today 00:00:55.030 --> 00:00:58.369 is really about understanding that. How can the 00:00:58.369 --> 00:01:01.380 strategies of social media influencers? I mean, 00:01:01.579 --> 00:01:04.099 these are the voices Jan Z actually trusts, the 00:01:04.099 --> 00:01:07.239 ones who shape what they buy. How can their methods 00:01:07.239 --> 00:01:10.620 reshape how you, in retail, approach training 00:01:10.620 --> 00:01:13.519 and communication for your frontline teams? And 00:01:13.519 --> 00:01:15.859 listen, this isn't just about chasing the latest 00:01:15.859 --> 00:01:18.900 trend. It's really about unlocking better engagement, 00:01:19.459 --> 00:01:21.760 seriously improving knowledge retention, and 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:23.900 yeah, ultimately, boosting performance and culture 00:01:23.900 --> 00:01:26.700 right there on your shop floor. We're digging 00:01:26.700 --> 00:01:28.560 into insights from a really interesting article 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:31.719 called, What Influencers Can Teach Us About Training 00:01:31.719 --> 00:01:34.400 Gen Z Frontline Teams. And that point about connection, 00:01:34.620 --> 00:01:36.340 it's so critical. This isn't just training in 00:01:36.340 --> 00:01:38.640 isolation, it's about truly connecting with these 00:01:38.640 --> 00:01:41.120 employees. Understanding this whole shift is, 00:01:41.120 --> 00:01:43.219 well, it's essential for reaching Gen Z, not 00:01:43.219 --> 00:01:45.780 just as customers, which, let's be honest, retailers 00:01:45.780 --> 00:01:47.659 spend a fortune on with influencer marketing. 00:01:48.019 --> 00:01:52.329 But just as crucially, as your employees. their 00:01:52.329 --> 00:01:54.409 expectations for how they get information, how 00:01:54.409 --> 00:01:57.409 they learn, how they connect. It's just fundamentally 00:01:57.409 --> 00:01:59.629 different when they clock in. You really can't 00:01:59.629 --> 00:02:01.689 afford to ignore it. Okay, so let's really unpack 00:02:01.689 --> 00:02:05.250 this then. What actually defines how Gen Z consumes 00:02:05.250 --> 00:02:07.250 information? I mean, for many of us, maybe older 00:02:07.250 --> 00:02:10.310 generations, we remember turning to, well, TV 00:02:10.310 --> 00:02:13.889 news, the newspaper. Corporate memos. Yes, those 00:02:13.889 --> 00:02:18.150 stacks of corporate memos. But Gen Z, they are 00:02:18.150 --> 00:02:20.800 digital natives through and through. When they 00:02:20.800 --> 00:02:23.500 want to find a product, learn a skill, form an 00:02:23.500 --> 00:02:26.219 opinion, where do they go first? TikTok, Instagram, 00:02:26.680 --> 00:02:29.050 YouTube. Exactly. Those platforms are basically 00:02:29.050 --> 00:02:31.330 their classroom, their news feed, their entertainment 00:02:31.330 --> 00:02:34.430 hub. It's all rolled into one seamless experience. 00:02:34.789 --> 00:02:37.289 And the article, it really nails down four key 00:02:37.289 --> 00:02:39.669 habits that honestly every retail leader needs 00:02:39.669 --> 00:02:41.409 to get their head around because they define 00:02:41.409 --> 00:02:44.449 how Gen Z learns. First, it's visual first. Less 00:02:44.449 --> 00:02:46.729 text, more pictures, more video. Way more. Forget 00:02:46.729 --> 00:02:49.210 dense paragraphs. Video, images, that's what 00:02:49.210 --> 00:02:51.370 grabs them. That's how information lands effectively. 00:02:52.009 --> 00:02:54.610 Second, content has to be short and snackable. 00:02:54.990 --> 00:02:57.800 Snackable. I like that. Yeah, the article puts 00:02:57.800 --> 00:03:01.599 it bluntly. A 15 -second reel is more impactful 00:03:01.599 --> 00:03:04.639 than a 15 -minute lecture. They want brevity, 00:03:05.020 --> 00:03:07.539 immediate value, no fluff. Makes sense. What's 00:03:07.539 --> 00:03:10.840 third? Third, they're hugely peer -influenced. 00:03:10.840 --> 00:03:13.360 Yeah. Massively. They trust people. They follow 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:16.139 online voices they see as authentic, like peers 00:03:16.139 --> 00:03:19.840 way more than traditional ads or corporate speak. 00:03:19.840 --> 00:03:22.199 That's a big one. And the last. And finally, 00:03:22.240 --> 00:03:26.240 number four, they are always on. constantly connected, 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:28.259 consuming content throughout the day, mostly 00:03:28.259 --> 00:03:30.139 on their phones, expecting information to be 00:03:30.139 --> 00:03:32.960 right there, accessible anytime, anywhere. OK. 00:03:33.060 --> 00:03:35.699 So you take all that together. What's the takeaway 00:03:35.699 --> 00:03:37.860 for you as a retail leader? It means your training, 00:03:37.860 --> 00:03:40.520 it has to match the style, the pace, the platforms 00:03:40.520 --> 00:03:43.740 Gen Z already uses instinctively, not just during 00:03:43.740 --> 00:03:45.819 work hours, but how they live their digital lives. 00:03:46.020 --> 00:03:49.520 That always on piece. That really changes things, 00:03:49.539 --> 00:03:52.240 doesn't it? It explains why maybe a single long 00:03:52.240 --> 00:03:56.900 training day feels so alien to them. But hang 00:03:56.900 --> 00:03:58.419 on, if we're leaning into this peer influence, 00:03:58.840 --> 00:04:01.759 what about accuracy, compliance? You can't just 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:03.740 have employees sharing whatever they want, surely. 00:04:03.939 --> 00:04:06.719 How do you balance that authenticity with making 00:04:06.719 --> 00:04:09.460 sure the right info gets out? That's a really 00:04:09.460 --> 00:04:12.000 critical question. And no, it's definitely not 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:15.080 about letting chaos take over. It's more about 00:04:15.080 --> 00:04:18.199 curation. Think of yourself as a kind of community 00:04:18.199 --> 00:04:21.500 manager for your internal content stream. You 00:04:21.500 --> 00:04:24.620 empower maybe your top performers, your star 00:04:24.620 --> 00:04:27.220 associates to share their tips, their wins. But 00:04:27.220 --> 00:04:29.860 you provide a framework. Maybe a manager quickly 00:04:29.860 --> 00:04:32.379 vets the content, or you have a system to highlight 00:04:32.379 --> 00:04:35.279 peer -verified best practices. It's about channeling 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:37.899 that peer energy constructively, not just unleashing 00:04:37.899 --> 00:04:40.579 it randomly. Right, guiding it. Got it. That's 00:04:40.579 --> 00:04:42.699 a really helpful way to think about it. So if 00:04:42.699 --> 00:04:45.420 Gen Z is glued to influencers, and these influencers 00:04:45.420 --> 00:04:48.279 have this incredible power to shape buying decisions, 00:04:49.259 --> 00:04:53.079 their strategies must hold the key, the secret 00:04:53.079 --> 00:04:55.399 sauce for training them effectively, too. So 00:04:55.399 --> 00:04:57.560 what makes them so good? The article highlights 00:04:57.560 --> 00:05:01.399 three kind of core principles. First up is authenticity. 00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:04.339 Their stories just feel genuine, right? Influencers 00:05:04.339 --> 00:05:06.639 don't just rattle off specs. They share experiences, 00:05:06.740 --> 00:05:09.259 they give context, meaning it makes the information 00:05:09.259 --> 00:05:12.019 stick. They show, they don't just tell. It feels 00:05:12.019 --> 00:05:16.310 real. Yes. Second is relatability. The tone the 00:05:16.310 --> 00:05:18.110 style it's approachable. It feels like you're 00:05:18.110 --> 00:05:21.310 hearing from a friend up here Not some big faceless 00:05:21.310 --> 00:05:23.250 company talking down to you. It feels more like 00:05:23.250 --> 00:05:25.850 a conversation less corporate polish definitely 00:05:25.850 --> 00:05:29.029 and Finally, there's consistency they show up 00:05:29.879 --> 00:05:33.319 regularly with fresh stuff. It creates this expectation, 00:05:33.740 --> 00:05:35.779 this habit of engagement. It's not a one -off 00:05:35.779 --> 00:05:38.740 seminar. It's this ongoing dialogue that builds 00:05:38.740 --> 00:05:40.879 trust over time. And what's really fascinating 00:05:40.879 --> 00:05:42.360 there, our host, picking up on what you just 00:05:42.360 --> 00:05:45.600 said, is how those exact same principles, authenticity, 00:05:46.019 --> 00:05:48.240 relatability, consistency, they don't just move 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:50.680 products off shelves. They are fundamentally 00:05:50.680 --> 00:05:53.939 the bedrock for effective internal communication 00:05:53.939 --> 00:05:56.579 and training too. But here's maybe a nuance, 00:05:56.779 --> 00:05:59.759 especially with authenticity for Gen Z. It often 00:05:59.759 --> 00:06:02.319 isn't about being perfectly polished or using 00:06:02.319 --> 00:06:04.720 flawless corporate jargon. Sometimes it's the 00:06:04.720 --> 00:06:08.480 opposite. It's about rawness, maybe even showing 00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:10.980 imperfections, sharing genuine, here's what I 00:06:10.980 --> 00:06:13.319 learned moments, even mistakes. That's interesting. 00:06:13.620 --> 00:06:16.379 Yeah. Trying too hard to be cool or overly slick 00:06:16.379 --> 00:06:19.120 can actually backfire. It rings false, feels 00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:22.670 inauthentic. So the real insight. Authentic training 00:06:22.670 --> 00:06:25.449 isn't just showing a real employee. It's letting 00:06:25.449 --> 00:06:28.930 their genuine, maybe unvarnished experience come 00:06:28.930 --> 00:06:31.029 through. That thick manual or that, you know, 00:06:31.170 --> 00:06:33.750 once a year mandatory seminar. It fails because 00:06:33.750 --> 00:06:36.730 it lacks all three elements. Gen Z needs training 00:06:36.730 --> 00:06:39.170 that feels personal, relevant, and crucially, 00:06:39.660 --> 00:06:42.300 Continuous. Okay, I hear authenticity and relatability 00:06:42.300 --> 00:06:44.500 and it totally makes sense for one person an 00:06:44.500 --> 00:06:47.519 influencer But for a big retail company, is it 00:06:47.519 --> 00:06:49.500 really possible to be authentic in that same 00:06:49.500 --> 00:06:52.860 way or are we always aiming for a kind of? Corporate 00:06:52.860 --> 00:06:54.819 version of authentic that might still feel a 00:06:54.819 --> 00:06:57.740 bit manufactured. That's a fair challenge, definitely. 00:06:57.920 --> 00:07:00.579 And look, the goal isn't for, say, the VP of 00:07:00.579 --> 00:07:02.740 operations to perfectly mimic a 19 -year -old 00:07:02.740 --> 00:07:05.060 on TikTok. That would be awkward. Right. It's 00:07:05.060 --> 00:07:07.819 about extracting the principles. Corporate authenticity 00:07:07.819 --> 00:07:11.279 means things like transparency. It means acknowledging 00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:14.819 challenges openly. It means showcasing real employee 00:07:14.819 --> 00:07:18.420 voices, unfiltered as much as possible, avoiding 00:07:18.420 --> 00:07:21.569 that overly produced disconnected feel. It's 00:07:21.569 --> 00:07:24.170 about finding your organization's authentic voice, 00:07:24.449 --> 00:07:26.750 which can still be approachable and relatable, 00:07:26.949 --> 00:07:30.069 but fits your brand. Being genuine about your 00:07:30.069 --> 00:07:32.769 mission, your values, the actual impact their 00:07:32.769 --> 00:07:34.970 work has. That helps clarify it. It's about being 00:07:34.970 --> 00:07:37.069 genuinely yourselves. So the big question becomes, 00:07:37.589 --> 00:07:40.209 how do we actually take these influencer superpowers 00:07:40.209 --> 00:07:43.610 and put them to work training our frontline teams? 00:07:43.709 --> 00:07:45.529 This is where the rubber meets the road for retail 00:07:45.529 --> 00:07:47.509 operations, right? Exactly. Let's get practical. 00:07:47.959 --> 00:07:50.860 The article lays out some really specific actionable 00:07:50.860 --> 00:07:53.540 strategies. First one, micro -learning. Yes, 00:07:53.879 --> 00:07:56.579 bite -sized chunks. Exactly. Breaking down those 00:07:56.579 --> 00:07:59.579 long, maybe overwhelming sessions into short, 00:07:59.839 --> 00:08:02.300 digestible little modules. Things associates 00:08:02.300 --> 00:08:05.180 can actually access easily, maybe between shifts 00:08:05.180 --> 00:08:07.439 on their phone, whenever they have a few minutes. 00:08:07.579 --> 00:08:10.259 That's into their flow. Then there's story -driven 00:08:10.259 --> 00:08:13.000 content. Just like influencers tell stories, 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:16.060 your training should weave product details into 00:08:16.060 --> 00:08:19.000 narratives. Make them memorable, maybe even a 00:08:19.000 --> 00:08:21.720 little emotional. Think about, say, a customer 00:08:21.720 --> 00:08:24.500 success story, where this specific product solved 00:08:24.500 --> 00:08:26.839 the real problem, instead of just a bulleted 00:08:26.839 --> 00:08:30.019 list of features. So instead of enhanced arch 00:08:30.019 --> 00:08:31.920 support. All right. Tell a quick video story 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:34.740 about maybe a customer who had foot pain, found 00:08:34.740 --> 00:08:37.559 relief, got comfort because of those specific 00:08:37.559 --> 00:08:40.179 shoes. Make it human. Much more powerful. Totally. 00:08:40.659 --> 00:08:43.659 Another big one, leveraging peer voices. We touched 00:08:43.659 --> 00:08:45.679 on this, inviting your own associates to share 00:08:45.679 --> 00:08:47.980 their wins, their best practices, maybe tips 00:08:47.980 --> 00:08:50.620 on handling a tricky customer situation. That 00:08:50.620 --> 00:08:53.279 builds huge credibility and relatability within 00:08:53.279 --> 00:08:55.779 the team, much more than a top -down memo ever 00:08:55.779 --> 00:08:59.019 could. People trust their peers. They do. And 00:08:59.019 --> 00:09:00.980 finally, and this is non -negotiable really, 00:09:02.039 --> 00:09:05.539 visual first delivery, moving beyond just text. 00:09:06.100 --> 00:09:08.539 using video, using good graphics, interactive 00:09:08.539 --> 00:09:10.840 stuff, whatever, keeps attention high and makes 00:09:10.840 --> 00:09:12.919 the information engaging, and frankly, easier 00:09:12.919 --> 00:09:15.039 to digest. And when you do all that, you really 00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:17.379 transform training. It stops being just a checklist 00:09:17.379 --> 00:09:19.559 item, something to get through, and it becomes, 00:09:20.019 --> 00:09:22.620 well, an experience. Something that actually 00:09:22.620 --> 00:09:25.000 sticks with your people, makes the knowledge 00:09:25.000 --> 00:09:27.460 usable, actionable, not just something they heard 00:09:27.460 --> 00:09:31.139 once and forgot. And hosts, just building on 00:09:31.139 --> 00:09:33.789 your micro learning point. A common pitfall is 00:09:33.789 --> 00:09:36.490 companies just chopping up an old, boring, hour 00:09:36.490 --> 00:09:38.990 -long lecture into 12 five -minute videos, right? 00:09:39.110 --> 00:09:41.309 Uh -huh, doing that. But they don't change the 00:09:41.309 --> 00:09:43.730 style of the content. And influencer mindset 00:09:43.730 --> 00:09:45.970 means each tiny piece isn't just short, it's 00:09:45.970 --> 00:09:48.590 also super engaging, visually appealing, instantly 00:09:48.590 --> 00:09:50.750 relevant. It becomes a piece of content they 00:09:50.750 --> 00:09:53.590 might actually want to see, not just a fragmented 00:09:53.590 --> 00:09:55.830 chore they have to do. That's a fantastic distinction. 00:09:55.950 --> 00:09:57.789 Change the ingredients, not just the package 00:09:57.789 --> 00:10:01.929 size. Okay, so the principles make sense, but 00:10:01.929 --> 00:10:04.370 how do we actually do this at scale? Especially 00:10:04.370 --> 00:10:06.490 in a big retail organization with lots of stores, 00:10:06.590 --> 00:10:09.169 lots of people. The article mentions purpose 00:10:09.169 --> 00:10:11.570 -built platforms like INCITE Posts as being 00:10:11.570 --> 00:10:13.409 a real advantage here. Yeah, the right tools 00:10:13.409 --> 00:10:15.649 can make a huge difference. They're apparently 00:10:15.649 --> 00:10:18.769 designed to look and feel like a social feed, 00:10:19.289 --> 00:10:21.830 right? So it's instantly familiar territory for 00:10:21.830 --> 00:10:25.950 Gen Z. Exactly. Less friction. Let's talk features. 00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:28.899 They're mobile native, obviously. So associates 00:10:28.899 --> 00:10:31.600 access content on their phones, wherever, break 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:33.860 room, commute, maybe even at home if needed. 00:10:34.019 --> 00:10:36.559 Crucial. They support media rich updates. So 00:10:36.559 --> 00:10:39.259 video, images, polls, quizzes, interactive bits, 00:10:39.740 --> 00:10:41.759 mirroring that dynamic experience they get on 00:10:41.759 --> 00:10:44.340 social media anyway. Keeps it interesting. The 00:10:44.340 --> 00:10:45.899 updates are designed to be quick and relevant. 00:10:46.279 --> 00:10:48.600 Keep it fresh. Avoid that information overload 00:10:48.600 --> 00:10:51.059 feeling. And maybe most importantly, they're 00:10:51.059 --> 00:10:54.240 engagement focused. Associates aren't just passively 00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:57.139 watching. They can comment, react, ask questions, 00:10:57.500 --> 00:10:59.399 feel like they're part of a conversation, building 00:10:59.399 --> 00:11:01.679 that community feel around learning. And if you 00:11:01.679 --> 00:11:04.620 connect that to the bigger picture, with tools 00:11:04.620 --> 00:11:07.799 like these, retailers effectively become their 00:11:07.799 --> 00:11:10.419 own internal influencer, right, for their own 00:11:10.419 --> 00:11:12.559 workforce. Wow, interesting way to put it. You're 00:11:12.559 --> 00:11:15.379 delivering these regular consistent bursts of 00:11:15.379 --> 00:11:18.299 content that are informative and genuinely engaging. 00:11:18.519 --> 00:11:21.779 It's like having your own private internal social 00:11:21.779 --> 00:11:24.799 channel that speaks your team's language fostering 00:11:24.799 --> 00:11:27.440 this continuous learning vibe. That makes sense. 00:11:27.639 --> 00:11:29.820 Although it's worth saying the tech is only part 00:11:29.820 --> 00:11:33.149 of it. You mentioned operationalizing. A big 00:11:33.149 --> 00:11:35.269 hurdle isn't always the software itself. It's 00:11:35.269 --> 00:11:38.029 often getting, say, buy -in from a legacy IT 00:11:38.029 --> 00:11:40.429 department or just figuring out how to consistently 00:11:40.429 --> 00:11:43.210 create this style of content. It really demands 00:11:43.210 --> 00:11:45.389 a bit of a cultural shift, not just a software 00:11:45.389 --> 00:11:47.370 subscription. That's a really important reality 00:11:47.370 --> 00:11:49.309 check. The best tools are useless without the 00:11:49.309 --> 00:11:52.190 right strategy and, yeah, getting people on board 00:11:52.190 --> 00:11:55.889 internally. So bottom line, why should busy retail 00:11:55.889 --> 00:11:58.350 execs prioritize this shift right now? Good question. 00:11:58.519 --> 00:12:01.039 Well, retailers already pour tons of money into 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:03.080 influencer marketing, right? To connect with 00:12:03.080 --> 00:12:05.820 customers, drive sales. The exact same logic 00:12:05.820 --> 00:12:08.539 applies inside the company. If influencer -style 00:12:08.539 --> 00:12:10.679 content works to sell products to your customers, 00:12:11.600 --> 00:12:14.659 it absolutely can teach your associates how to 00:12:14.659 --> 00:12:17.100 sell those products and how to give great service. 00:12:17.840 --> 00:12:20.320 You're leveraging a proven method to power up 00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:22.980 your internal team. It's applying a successful 00:12:22.980 --> 00:12:26.879 external strategy internally. Exactly. And the 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:29.620 tangible benefits for your stores, for your bottom 00:12:29.620 --> 00:12:32.019 line, they seem pretty clear. You can improve 00:12:32.019 --> 00:12:34.159 knowledge retention using stories and visuals 00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:37.740 beats dry specs every time. You'll increase engagement 00:12:37.740 --> 00:12:40.500 across your teams with short mobile content that 00:12:40.500 --> 00:12:42.919 fits their lives. You can strengthen your company 00:12:42.919 --> 00:12:45.340 culture, keeping everyone connected with consistent 00:12:45.340 --> 00:12:47.779 dynamic messaging. And ultimately, you'll boost 00:12:47.779 --> 00:12:49.779 performance because you're aligning training 00:12:49.779 --> 00:12:52.610 with how Gen Z actually learns best. That means 00:12:52.610 --> 00:12:55.049 better equipped, more confident staff. And this 00:12:55.049 --> 00:12:56.889 really brings up a crucial point for every leader 00:12:56.889 --> 00:12:59.029 listening. Your Gen Z associates, they aren't 00:12:59.029 --> 00:13:00.870 just employees when they walk in the door. They're 00:13:00.870 --> 00:13:03.750 highly sophisticated consumers of information. 00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:07.419 204 .7. They come into work expecting a similar 00:13:07.419 --> 00:13:11.039 level of personalization, creativity, and frankly, 00:13:11.659 --> 00:13:13.519 digital ease in their workplace communications 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:15.340 as they get on their social feeds every single 00:13:15.340 --> 00:13:19.200 day, ignoring that fundamental expectation. That's 00:13:19.200 --> 00:13:21.059 a huge missed opportunity. It impacts everything. 00:13:21.200 --> 00:13:24.340 Job satisfaction, engagement, productivity. Investing 00:13:24.340 --> 00:13:26.639 in this is investing in your people, and that 00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:30.179 pays back directly to the business. But let me 00:13:30.179 --> 00:13:33.320 push back slightly. Isn't there a risk, if we 00:13:33.320 --> 00:13:36.200 try too hard to mimic social media, could we 00:13:36.200 --> 00:13:39.220 end up, I don't know, trivializing really important 00:13:39.220 --> 00:13:42.019 training, like compliance stuff, or maybe diluting 00:13:42.019 --> 00:13:45.000 our core corporate message? How do you keep the 00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:47.120 seriousness where it's needed, but still make 00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:49.169 it engaging? That's a totally valid concern. 00:13:49.370 --> 00:13:51.009 It really is about finding the right balance. 00:13:51.370 --> 00:13:53.090 Mimicking the format of social media doesn't 00:13:53.090 --> 00:13:55.690 mean you have to mimic the sometimes frivolous 00:13:55.690 --> 00:13:57.789 content. It doesn't mean sacrificing seriousness. 00:13:58.409 --> 00:14:01.389 It means delivering serious, vital information 00:14:01.389 --> 00:14:04.230 like compliance in a format that's accessible, 00:14:04.629 --> 00:14:07.710 digestible, and actually gets absorbed. Compliance 00:14:07.710 --> 00:14:10.269 training, for instance, can absolutely be engaging. 00:14:10.860 --> 00:14:14.139 Think short, scenario -based video clips, maybe 00:14:14.139 --> 00:14:16.340 featuring peers discussing how they handled the 00:14:16.340 --> 00:14:18.440 situation correctly, rather than just a wall 00:14:18.440 --> 00:14:20.860 of legal text. Right, make it practical. Exactly. 00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:23.200 The goal is to make the important information 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:25.740 resonate. to make it stick, not to make it seem 00:14:25.740 --> 00:14:28.460 trivial. It's ultimately about respecting their 00:14:28.460 --> 00:14:30.899 attention span and their learning style, which, 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:33.519 ironically, makes the serious stuff more likely 00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:36.059 to land effectively. That makes sense. Respecting 00:14:36.059 --> 00:14:38.120 how they learn helps them learn the important 00:14:38.120 --> 00:14:41.039 things better. OK, so wrapping up our deep dive 00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:44.480 today, Gen Z, they're really rewriting the rules 00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:46.960 for how information gets consumed, aren't they? 00:14:47.179 --> 00:14:49.120 You just don't respond well to the old ways, 00:14:49.379 --> 00:14:51.879 static documents, thick binders, those long sit 00:14:51.879 --> 00:14:54.570 down seminars. Definitely not. What does resonate? 00:14:55.129 --> 00:14:57.909 Stories, compelling visuals, authentic voices 00:14:57.909 --> 00:15:00.169 they feel connected to, delivered consistently 00:15:00.169 --> 00:15:02.789 on the platforms they already live on. So we 00:15:02.789 --> 00:15:05.070 really encourage you, our listeners, to think 00:15:05.070 --> 00:15:07.909 about how adopting this kind of influencer mindset 00:15:07.909 --> 00:15:11.590 could genuinely transform your training, moving 00:15:11.590 --> 00:15:14.470 it from just another task on the list to a really 00:15:14.470 --> 00:15:17.789 powerful tool for engagement, connection, And 00:15:17.789 --> 00:15:20.289 yeah, loyalty. It's a chance to finally bridge 00:15:20.289 --> 00:15:22.190 that gap between how your employees learn in 00:15:22.190 --> 00:15:24.289 their own time and how they're trained at work. 00:15:24.730 --> 00:15:27.009 And maybe here's a final provocative thought 00:15:27.009 --> 00:15:30.110 to leave you with. Just as influencers have completely 00:15:30.110 --> 00:15:32.590 reshaped how brands connect with customers, they 00:15:32.590 --> 00:15:35.250 really hold the power to reshape how your organization 00:15:35.250 --> 00:15:38.210 connects with its own employees. In today's retail 00:15:38.210 --> 00:15:40.250 world, which is only getting more competitive, 00:15:40.769 --> 00:15:42.870 that deep, authentic connection with your Gen 00:15:42.870 --> 00:15:45.450 Z workforce, that might just be your ultimate 00:15:45.450 --> 00:15:49.019 differentiator. So, consider this. How can your 00:15:49.019 --> 00:15:51.620 organization take these insights, meet Gen Z 00:15:51.620 --> 00:15:53.620 where they actually are, speak their language, 00:15:53.940 --> 00:15:56.179 and build those stronger relationships? Because 00:15:56.179 --> 00:15:58.320 those relationships translate directly into better 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:00.779 performance, higher retention, and ultimately 00:16:00.779 --> 00:16:03.539 a thriving, modern workplace culture. It's not 00:16:03.539 --> 00:16:05.320 just about tweaking your training modules. It's 00:16:05.320 --> 00:16:07.460 really about future -proofing your entire talent 00:16:07.460 --> 00:16:07.919 strategy.