For Sprouts Farmers Market, the in-store experience goes far beyond product displays. A key differentiator for the grocer is a knowledgeable workforce—associates who can confidently guide shoppers through Sprouts’ distinctive assortment of fresh, organic and specialty items.
To support that goal, Sprouts has overhauled how it trains its teams, adopting a more engaging, retention-focused approach that meets employees where they are. During a session at the National Retail Federation’s Big Show in New York City, the grocer’s Director of Training and Development detailed how the strategy is reshaping learning across the chain.
In August, Sprouts marked one year since rolling out training software from Axonify to all stores. The platform delivers “bite-sized” learning modules that associates can complete in just a few minutes at the start of each shift.
“[The] idea around this [is] daily reinforcement, or daily engaging with a learning management system… through daily questions,” said Kyle Eynon, Director of Training and Development at Sprouts. “So what we do is we have our team members, when they come in each and every shift, they spend about three to five minutes answering questions, and there’s a gamification component on the platform as well, which really helps to drive that engagement piece.”
Training content is tailored based on employees’ roles, ensuring that information is relevant to their responsibilities, Eynon said. That targeted approach, combined with short, interactive sessions, has helped drive strong participation across the chain. Engagement on the platform runs between 93% and 94%, according to Eynon. Axonify incorporates a variety of games designed to reinforce material covered in previous sessions, and the format helps improve memory recall by keeping employees focused on the experience rather than passively absorbing information.
Flexibility has also been key to adoption. Sprouts associates can choose which device they use to complete their daily training. Every store has a dedicated training computer, and employees can also access the platform on in-store desktops, Sprouts-issued handheld devices, or by downloading the app to their personal smartphones.
While the platform may not provide the kind of end-to-end or “rich data” typically associated with some technology partnerships, Eynon said the insights it does offer are critical for store leaders. One feature allows employees to rate how confident they feel in their answers to daily questions—a tool that gives managers a clearer picture of where support is needed. If a department or store manager notices an employee expressing high confidence in an incorrect answer, they can step in to correct the issue. Conversely, when an associate answers correctly but indicates low confidence, managers can provide reassurance and coaching.
“With confidence, I think that’s really powerful when you think about folks in the field,” Eynon said. “If they lack confidence, the chance of them going and engaging with the customer is very, very low.”
For Sprouts, that confidence translates directly to the sales floor—helping ensure that associates are prepared to engage, educate and ultimately elevate the customer experience the grocer is known for.
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