About the practice
Where: Vienna, Lower Austria, Burgenland, Vorarlberg
Start date: August 2020
Status: Digi cafès have been implemented and finalised, however the practice can be replicated everytime new training needs emerge
Beneficiaries: All ABZ*AUSTRIA employees + course participants and women in ABZ* counselling service
Funded by: ABZ*AUSTRIA’s own funds (obtained through project assignments)
OVERVIEW OF THE PRACTICE
ABZ*AUSTRIA is a non-profit women’s organisation that has been devoted to promote the equality of men and women on the Austrian labour market ever since it was founded in 1992. The practice of ABZ*Digi-Cafés was developed in order to respond to the changed framework conditions due to the Covid-19 situation and the resulting strong focus on digitization at work. The organisation decided to launch an internal digitization training initiative in 2020 to make sure all employees were able to use the new digital tools for distance learning and distance counselling that were made available. The most important part of the training consisted in the ABZ*Digi-Cafés, during which employees could have access to specific, uncomplicated and free training and peer-to-peer exchange about digital tools. The idea was to ensure that no employee who did not yet know the tool had to learn it all by herself.
Over 80 ABZ* employees were actively involved in the Digi-Cafés and all 170 employees have access to the recordings.
THE METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH
The desire to discuss and learn about a digital tool is drawn from everyday practice in courses or in consulting.
The frequency of use of all digital tools is surveyed within the framework of the individual projects and then communicated to the Digi-Team members.
For every training, the ABZ*Digitalisation Officer is responsible for coordinating the topics, hosts and dates as well as sending out the invitation and documentation to the ABZ*Digi-Café. Employees can then decide whether the digital tool presented is of their interest and if they want to take part in the training. During the Digi-Café, which usually lasts 30-60 minutes, digital tools are explained and first steps are tried out. All information and links to the tool presented, as well as the video recording of the input part of the ABZ*Digi-Café, are made available to all employees so that they can have access to them at any time. Moreover, via a Digi-Café-Padlet, ABZ* employees can always exchange information and ask colleagues new questions, which are answered by experienced users of the respective digital tool. After the training, the ABZ* employees use the new digital tools in the ABZ* courses and in counselling, they train the participants in the use of these tools and expand the possible uses through their applications. If further possibilities for using a digital tool are found, the employees can in turn communicate this to their colleagues via ABZ*Padlet for the Digi-Café.
All staff members give regular feedback on their use of the digital tools. If more in-depth training on a specific tool is needed in a project, the Digi Team members can provide this training.
Since 2021, the ABZ*Digi-Cafés have been held every two months.
TYPE OF SKILLS DEVELOPED
ABZ*Digi-Café employees are trained on how to use specific digital tools. Selected examples of tools discussed so far include Trello, Edupad, Cryptpad, Scrumblr, Flinga, Mindmeister, Oncoo, Padlet, Easyfeedback and Loom.
THE INNOVATIVE ASPECT
The innovative aspect of the ABZ*Digi-Café lies in the exchange of all employees via Zoom, which allows all colleagues in all federal states to participate. The relaxed atmosphere in the Digi-Café, which does not have to adhere to the guidelines of a course schedule, also contributes to the fact that many employees use the Digi-Cafés for further training. By making the recording available to all colleagues, those who are prevented by appointments at the time of the Digi-Café can also learn about the contents of the training. Their comments and suggestions can in turn be read later via our Digi-Café-Padlet.
In addition, as a non-profit organization, ABZ*AUSTRIA has little to no budget for large-scale training and the chosen form of peer-to-peer training is cost-effective.
IMPACT & SUSTAINABILITY
The ability to use digital tools and to pass on how to use them has increased. Inhibition thresholds in the use of digital tools are reduced. Moreover, digital tools continue to be used in face-to-face training to bring digitalisation closer to the course participants in the projects. Also, constant care is taken to ensure that the newly acquired knowledge is maintained by all ABZ* staff.
The sustainability of the Digi-Cafés is maintained through regular use of the digital tools. The Digi-Team members always look into further possible uses of the tools, continue to gather feedback on this from colleagues and surveys the needs for further digital tools in the projects.
Securing the data and, thus, retaining the knowledge of the experts also plays an important role in sustainability. Knowledge should be quickly accessible and easy to understand in order to be used easily by each colleague.
Furthermore, since no travel is required to participate in a Digi-Café, the practice results to be sustainable also from an ecological perspective.
Lastly, due to the low cost of implementing the training program and the high added value for the employees, Digi-Cafés are also economically sustainable.
Contacts
Daniela Schallert
abz-austria@abz-austria.at
www.abzaustria.at