Results
- 1,400 employees trained in just 48 hours
- 96% completion rate on compliance training
- 90%+ engagement across frontline teams
- Sales uplift driven by more engaged, better-trained employees
“Since implementing Bites, our engagement rates have soared to over 90%. This transformation has not only improved internal communication but has also positively impacted our sales performance.”
— Doron Zilbershtein, Managing Director at Unilever Food Solutions
The Challenge
Unilever had to deliver regular compliance and safety training to thousands of employees across multiple sites. But their existing training methods were unsustainable. Operations had to shut down for hours at a time while employees sat through clunky in-person sessions, and retention rates hovered at a measly 20%.
Managers were frustrated, employees disengaged, and it was clear that Unilever urgently needed a way to upskill frontline staff without disrupting day-to-day operations.
The Solution: Training that fits how people learn today
By 2025, Gen Z will make up 30% of the global workforce. Having grown up in a hyperconnected world where 98% use a smartphone as their primary means of communication, the bulk of today’s frontline employees respond best to training that is instant, bite-sized, tailored, and highly social. Think TikTok, not textbooks: 67% of Gen Z already use TikTok as a primary source of information.
At the same time, polls show that 43%–57% of employees today use instant messaging for work, with younger generations leading the shift. Taken together, these changes are forcing organizations to rethink how corporate learning is designed and delivered. It’s exactly why Unilever turned to Bites.
Bites made it simple to convert static, PDF-based training materials into engaging, interactive micro-videos with built-in progress tracking – all delivered seamlessly through familiar channels like SMS, WhatsApp, and Slack.
The first “bites” were created for a road safety program for 150 logistics drivers. Within 24 hours, almost all had completed the training.
Building on this success, Unilever used Bites to roll out an extensive series of compliance training courses across multiple global affiliates. Staff responded enthusiastically to the snackable format, with 1,400 employees (approximately 80% of the workforce) completing the training in a single day. By using progress tracking to monitor attendance and send reminders through the dashboard, managers were able to increase completion rates to 96% within just a few days.
Creating and sharing content was simple, and it was clear employees genuinely enjoyed the experience. Despite training remotely and on their own time, staff still felt part of a team, with 30% leaving comments to thank colleagues and wish them a safe journey.”
— Klara Esers, HR Coordinator, Unilever
Key Benefits
The AI-powered Bites 2.0 platform has transformed how Unilever creates and delivers training, enabling the production of engaging and effective content at scale.
Smart, simple training
Team leaders can convert PDFs and presentations into short videos that employees actually complete.
Frontline-first delivery
Employees can receive the training materials on WhatsApp, SMS, and Teams – no extra apps, no friction.
Insights that matter
Managers track engagement, spot knowledge gaps, and link training to real business outcomes.
Impact without downtime
Employees learn on the go, boosting compliance and sales performance without halting operations.
Unilever leads way in enabling frontline employees
The ability to quickly implement a highly effective training solution is a must-have for any business looking to navigate these challenging times. From piloting Bites for driver safety training, to being an asset used organization-wide, Unilever shows that it’s possible to get your frontline team Covid-ready quickly, and at scale.
This case study also shows that in today’s world, there are new possibilities for employee training and engagement. By using formats that employees enjoy such as short video, and reaching them where they’re most attentive (their IM channels), Bites creates new possibilities for employee productivity and engagement.