KN Academy: cultivating excellence to shape the future
For several years now, emlyon business school has been helping Kuehne+Nagel France, a leader in the transport and logistics industry, to train its future managers through an innovative customized training program: the KN Academy. Insights from Nathalie Barrière, Skills Development and Training Director at Kuehne+Nagel, and Estelle Crouzet-Bruyère, Customized Training Project Manager at emlyon business school.
A customized training program based on excellence
With this in mind, the company turned to emlyon business school to design a tailor-made training program, specifically adapted to its challenges, culture and ambitions. Unlike standardized executive training, a customized program allows us to create a unique pedagogical path in close collaboration with the company, integrating its strategic objectives and specificities.
The program lasts a full year and participants are rigorously selected. “This selectivity is essential," underlines Nathalie Barrière. “Each class of twelve 'academics' is put together by our career management department after an in-depth analysis of profiles following annual interviews and panel sessions. We look for profiles that combine skills, potential, humility and the ability to embody the Group's values”.
Structured around fifteen modules and a total of 200 hours of training, the curriculum is partly certifiable. “It is attached to our Executive Master in General Management, explains Estelle Crouzet-Bruyère, project manager for customized training at emlyon business school. This training offers a 360° vision of the organization, which is essential for future leaders”.
In order to guarantee the excellence of the program, emlyon business school mobilizes top-level contributors: professors-researchers from the school, notably in the fields of leadership or finance, specialized freelancers and certified professional coaches, who ensure regular monitoring of the team's cohesion. This diversity of expertise, orchestrated by a dedicated pedagogical coordinator, ensures the coherence of the program and the learning process.
Innovative teaching methods backed by strong commitment
"In finance, for example, we use a serious game that simulates business issues directly related to their activities. The goal is to make each learning experience concrete," explains Nathalie Barrière.
The program's pedagogical philosophy aligns with the "Grand 8" approach, emphasizing concrete behaviors applicable to the actual work environment. Its impact is quantifiable, integrating four key change dynamics: vision, acquiring targeted behaviors, practical action, and individual and collective reflection.
The executive committee's involvement is another key success factor, as it increases learner commitment and the transformative impact of the training. “It's a remarkable investment on the part of Comex, emphasizes Nathalie Barrière. Guillaume Péard, our CEO for France and the Maghreb, is personally involved, and each member of the Executive Committee shares their expertise during special times with the academics." This high-level mentoring translates into personalized support: each participant is followed by a member of the Kuehne+Nagel executive committee. "These mentors facilitate access to strategic contacts within the organization and provide a real operational bridge," she adds.
We are proud that Kuehne + Nagel France contributes to the individual and collective development of its talents. We're preparing for the future in a great way. Well done to everyone. My thanks to emlyon!
A learning program that creates value
The program's effectiveness is evident in its consistently high Net Promoter Score (NPS), which exceeds 9/10, as noted by Estelle Crouzet-Bruyère. Notably, 70% of participants change jobs during or after the course, as highlighted by Nathalie Barrière. The program's impact extends to talent retention, contributing to the long-term success of our organization. By engaging participants closely in the company's transformation, the KN Academy fosters a comprehensive understanding of strategic issues, enabling them to apply their learnings through company projects. This approach strengthens their sense of belonging and long-term commitment.
The program's selective nature fosters a sense of pride among its participants, who in turn become dedicated ambassadors for the KN Academy. These "academics" embody the program's values, positively impacting the company culture.
The impact on the employee advocacy strategy is also significant. “When budgetary considerations arose, there was never any question of discontinuing the KN Academy program, confides Nathalie Barrière. This underscores the program's return on investment and the strong commitment of Comex to this initiative, thereby reinforcing our employer brand both internally and externally."
The KN Academy program is as much about behavioral change as it is about management training. The goal is to enable the high-potential talents identified by the company to move from the position of experts to that of leaders and entrepreneurs with a global vision and capacity for innovative action.
In this program, emlyon business school uses a strong pedagogical approach, the “Grand 8” approach, based on multimodality, team dynamics, lean startup and the back and forth between theory and practice, which encourages learning by doing and the individual and collective commitment of the participants. And their progress and projects show us that it works beyond our goals!
The KN Academy exemplifies the advantages of a customized program developed in collaboration with emlyon business school and an international group that prioritizes talent development as a core element of its strategy. Beyond its proven track record of career progression and retention, this elite training program cultivates a genuine community of leaders, poised to spearhead Kuehne+Nagel's transformation towards a sustainable future.