At Your Best! Artificial Intelligence, People and Business Analytics, Highly Realistic Avatars, Innovative Learning and Development

This article is about a training project within a leading Italian insurance company, based on people analytics and a blended learning program enhanced by e-REAL® and artificial intelligence. The intervention started with an Organizational Network Analysis regarding informal and spontaneous communication from which skills and ideas arise: this is the starting point that allows the HR Team to take decisions and outline strategies to support growth. Then, a Sentiment Analysis was performed, in order to track and monitor the climate in different clusters within the company, by mapping sentiment through natural language processing algorithms (all data anonymized). This step also opened to a Tensions Analysis targeting expressions of anger or misalignment with the corporate culture. As a further step, an Employees Potential Chart was developed. As an output of this phase, the HR Team was provided with essential metrics such as performance peaks, relational networks, communication and collaboration among teams and departments, key competencies, and skills. Then, a learning and development plan based on people analytics was designed: the main elements were interactive tutorials and immersive online experiences made by a multimedia and visual storytelling approach, as well as an extensive interaction within an escape room animated also by realistic avatars. A number of other methodologies were introduced as a further step: first of all training on-the-job, coaching, and mentoring. All the interventions were based on a large amount of people analytics collected from gamified activities, allowing for micro-targeted and highly precise interventions that are very innovative in the field of learning and development.