HR leaders in Learning and Development can tell you finding a learning strategy that serves all employees can be a challenge. In the case of JCPenney, the company has different types of frontline employees with different goals.  In total, the retailer has about 90,000 frontline associates.  Some of those employee serve in JCPenney stores.

Learning and Development

“The primary area that we need them focused on is really around delighting our customers,” JCPenney VP of Talent Development and Diversity Miya Maysent said.  “So, coming into their roles with a mindset of service care and concern for our customers is something that's really, really important.  We can develop that.  We can teach it.  We encourage it.  We reward it.”

Another type of frontline employee is one that works at the company’s home office.

“These are individuals who are preparing for future professional roles,” Maysent said.  “For those individuals, we still have a focus around a care and concern for our customers, but we also need innovation, thought, agility, and we need individuals who want to embrace the values that are core to our organization.”

In the video below, Maysent explains how her company addressed those groups and others at the company.