How Rostelecom ran an online quest on its production system for employees nationwide
Client
Rostelecom is one of Russia’s largest telecommunications companies. The company runs internal employee training and development programs, including projects related to its production system (PSR) and operational efficiency.
The company has dozens of branches across the country, and its employees work in four time zones. Training had to be designed so the program would stay accessible and convenient for participants regardless of their region or work schedule.
Challenge
The team’s challenge was to run a large-scale PSR training program for employees from different regions while maintaining high engagement and completion. The team didn’t want just another remote training — they wanted a program that would:
- help employees learn the principles of the production system;
- reach a wide audience across the country;
- be equally convenient for participants in different time zones;
- keep both new hires and experienced employees engaged;
- hold participants’ attention throughout the entire program.
The subject itself was an added challenge. Production system materials are often seen as complex and formal, so the learning format had to be rethought to make it more engaging.
Solution
The program was delivered on the Talent Rocks platform as a five-day online quest called “PSR Expedition.”
The project team bet on a combination of microlearning, game mechanics and multi-format content. Instead of sitting through long lectures, participants completed short stages with different types of materials and tasks.
The program was built as a sequential journey through the quest stages, combining learning with competitive mechanics and continuous interaction with the platform.
A multi-stage, multi-format program
The program included 16 stages that opened sequentially for all participants, regardless of region.
This kept a single scenario for everyone and prevented employees in earlier time zones from sharing tasks with colleagues in advance.
The program content followed microlearning principles: short stages that are easy to complete during the workday.
The training used:
- videos;
- animations;
- podcasts;
- text materials;
- interactive tasks.
At the same time, the team kept a balance between learning and engagement: about 80% of the content was educational and 20% was entertainment mechanics.
“It was important for us not just to run remote training but to create a program that would help employees learn the principles of the production system, reach a wide audience across the country and keep participants engaged. That’s why we chose a five-day online quest with short stages, game mechanics and multi-format content: video, animation, podcasts and interactive tasks.”
Game mechanics and social learning
A gamification system was used to keep engagement high throughout the program.
Participants earned an internal currency — “PSR likes” — for completing stages and tasks and for being active in the program.
The program also featured a participant leaderboard, which encouraged people to return to the platform and added an element of competition.
One of the project’s goals was not only to share knowledge but also to build an active community around the program.
During live streams and while completing stages, participants asked questions, discussed tasks and interacted with each other within the program.
This turned training from “watching materials” into a full-fledged digital learning experience.
Mobile format and analytics
Special attention was paid to accessibility and analytics. Training can be completed via the platform’s web version or the mobile app, which is especially important for a distributed team.
The platform also provides analytics tools. Managers and the training team now see employee progress, track course completion and analyze assessment results.
Results
The program showed high participant engagement and activity:
- 876 registered participants;
- 75% of participants completed the full program and passed all tests, even though training was voluntary;
- 400 questions and messages from participants after live streams and discussions;
- 60% of participants checked the leaderboard more than once a day throughout the program;
- 192 top-ranked participants received branded merch.
The project confirmed that even complex corporate topics can be moved to a modern digital format without compromising training quality.
“We knew that production system training could come across as complex and formal. So it was important for us to make the program lively and engaging. We built it as an online quest with short stages, game mechanics and different content formats. As a result, participants didn’t just go through the materials — they were genuinely engaged and kept coming back to the platform throughout the program.”
Summary
The “PSR Expedition” project showed that large-scale corporate programs can maintain high engagement even with a distributed audience and a remote format.
The combination of microlearning, game mechanics and multi-format content helped create not just a course but a full-fledged digital learning experience that employees genuinely wanted to come back to.