Senior leadership at a national car wash chain reported that store managers and team members in colder regions were requesting training for themselves and their team members on preparing for outdoor work during the winter season.

Analysis: Consulted with operations SMEs and identified three key needs: (1) team members required guidance on preparing for and working safely in cold weather; (2) managers needed clear expectations for maintaining appropriate winter gear, uniforms, and supplies before and throughout the season, as well as budgeting for these items; and (3) both groups needed a shared vocabulary for discussing conditions and safety. To support this, I reviewed OSHA cold-stress standards, aligned with Purchasing on company gear requirements, and met with Operations to understand budgeting cycles for winter equipment and uniforms.

Design and Development: Developed one eLearning course for team members on cold stress and winter safety, and a four-part manager series covering winter preparation, team safety, store safety, and end-of-season gear management. Used Word and PowerPoint for storyboarding, built the courses in Rise with integrated knowledge checks, branching scenarios, and final assessments, and created supporting assets in Canva and Vyond.

Implementation: Launched the program as a set of eLearning courses: one annual fall course for team members (paired with the spring heat-illness course) and a four-part series for field managers—delivered throughout the year—focused on winter preparation, safety, team support, and spring wrap-up.

The eLearning program achieved a 100% completion rate, achieving 90% of ratings at satisfactory or highly satisfactory. The introduction of standardized cold-weather safety terminology, including “cold stress” symptoms and management, established a clear framework for evaluating winter working conditions and was adopted across multiple markets. The training also contributed to improved purchasing and planning processes for winter gear and supplies throughout the annual cycle.