CSA Exclusive: Kroger reaps benefits of mobile employee engagement

The Kroger Co. is expanding how it leverages its “Fresh Start” employee app and workforce management solution.

Chain Store Age recently spoke with Senchal Murphy, senior director of onboarding and training for Kroger, to get an update on how the supermarket giant is leveraging solutions from microlearning technology provider Axonify to streamline the hiring, training, engaging and motivating of its nearly 500,000 grocery associates in the ongoing face of disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Getting a ‘Fresh Start’
Internally, Kroger brands its Axonify training solution as the “Fresh Start” employee app. Associates can download the app on their own mobile devices, or also gain access via shared corporate devices. Employees are encouraged to log in as soon as they start their shift, and are introduced to Fresh Start during the first day of their onboarding process.

Murphy previously spoke with Chain Store Age about Kroger’s efforts with Axonify and Fresh Start in July 2021.

“I’m excited about Fresh Start with Axonify,” said Murphy. “It’s simple and easy, and in the flow of work. Associates enjoy the ability to learn at their pace, with resources at their fingertips when they need them.”

Especially in the current “Great Resignation”-influenced workforce environment, Murphy said that Fresh Start provides Kroger an advantage in enabling employees to upskill and reskill in the flow of their jobs.

“Employees can learn and have fun at the same time,” Murphy said. “It’s really exciting for us to embrace technology at different levels of the organization to simplify the associate experience. Simplifying training for associates makes their job better and easier to do, which leads to better recruitment and retention in a time when there are industry-wide labor shortages.”

Growth and change
Looking at the evolution of Fresh Start since it launched in 2021, Murphy noted the program is growing into new capabilities.

“Fresh Start was launched for bite-sized training of the business processes that matter most to Kroger providing a top-notch customer experience. We call this, ‘full, friendly and fresh.’ Now, we are looking at employee financial, emotional and physical well-being, including mental health.”

[Read more: Kroger provides personalized training via employee app]

To this end, Kroger is using the Fresh Start app to provide three-to-five-minute training programs focused on all areas of employee well-being, featuring corporate executives and professional health leaders.

“We are leveraging new and unique ways to train our corporate leaders to be more compassionate,” said Murphy. “It’s part of a renewed effort to ensure our leadership develops broader skills at all levels and takes ownership of the business, including having a passion about our people.”

Final thoughts
Looking ahead, Murphy said that this year, Kroger will deploy the Fresh Start solution to focus on training store associates about the “friendly” aspect of its customer experience promise. The company also intends to expand the scope of Fresh Start beyond its retail supermarket division to the supply chain and manufacturing divisions.

“Fresh Start is one of many tools we use,” said Murphy. “We use Microsoft Teams for teleconferencing at stores, sites and plants. We get a whole lot done with more efficient and effective communication.”

Murphy concluded by reviewing some of the accomplishments Kroger has achieved with Fresh Start in its first year of deployment.

“We are closing out the fiscal year with 15 million Fresh Start sessions among 100,000 associates,” said Murphy. “They are engaged in fun, cooperative, team-oriented activities, with gamification challenges and social networking. Kroger sees the value of training to employees’ personal growth and development.”

Based in Cincinnati, Kroger operates 2,800 stores under a variety of banners across the U.S., including Kroger, Ralphs, Dillons, Smith's, King Soopers, Fry's, QFC, City Market, Owen's, Jay C, Pay Less, Baker's, Gerbes, Harris Teeter, Pick 'n Save, Metro Market, and Mariano's.