Skanska

The construction company Skanska often refers to itself as a community builder—and with good reason. With thousands of construction projects, 8,000 employees, and more than 10,000 partners, Skanska is involved in initiatives that shape how people live, work, and travel for years to come.

To remain a leading societal player, Skanska relies heavily on the development of its managers. For over 20 years, the company has run a leadership program aimed at those who represent Skanska during procurement, planning, and the execution phases of construction projects.

– Many of our projects are for public sector clients, so it’s not just about our practical solutions—it’s also about earning the trust of those we represent, says Mattias Magnell, responsible for leadership training at Skanska.

NanoLearning as a complement‍

For the past couple of years, Skanska has integrated NanoLearning into its year-long leadership program as a supplement to in-person and digital sessions. Over an eight-week period, participants receive NanoLearning lessons twice per week between the program modules.

The NanoLearning courses have covered topics such as remote leadership, presentation skills, and understanding the role of communication in achieving quality and efficiency in leadership. Skanska has evaluated the program for over a decade, and the latest reports from March 2023 show a clear shift.

– Since we began using NanoLearning, we’ve noticed that the importance of communication is mentioned more frequently in evaluations, says Mattias Magnell.

Presentation technique is a high priority at Skanska, with thorough preparation, introductions, training sessions, and video recordings. The purpose of the complementary NanoLearning course is to raise and maintain awareness of communication throughout the program and long afterward.

– In general, we see that this type of initiative requires clear impact, continuity, and systematic approaches in all our training efforts, says Mattias Magnell. And NanoLearning clearly adds value in these areas.

The overall goal of the training is to improve presentation skills, which in turn contributes to Skanska’s success in winning large, long-term construction contracts.

– We haven’t yet conducted evaluations that directly link the outcomes of individual training components, such as NanoLearning, to the number of deals won, says Mattias Magnell. But both participants and their managers report spending more time preparing and delivering presentations of bids and solutions. And we know that this leads to more successful tenders.

Increased confidence and enthusiasm‍

One of the stated goals of the training is to boost both confidence and enthusiasm around giving verbal presentations—both prepared and impromptu. Many participants have even said they are aiming for roles involving more public speaking in the future. So, while it’s hard to pinpoint which specific element made the biggest impact, Skanska sees that the overall training goals have been met.

– The participants’ self-assessments are also an important metric in this context. If they feel more confident and enthusiastic about these tasks, that’s clearly a positive result. And NanoLearning plays a clear role in increasing awareness of the importance of effective communication.