From fragmented training to a scalable academy at House of Covebo

Founded in 2001 by two brothers-in-law in an attic, House of Covebo began with a clear mission: “Make everyone’s world of work well organised.” Today, it is a leading international recruitment company operating in nine countries with over 1,000 employees and a family of 13 recruitment brands. As the organisation grew, investing in learning and development became increasingly important. To support this growth, House of Covebo adopted the Totara learning platform, establishing learning and development as a strategic focus across the group.

The challenge

Rapid growth made it difficult for House of Covebo to consistently deliver services aligned with its mission and values. Employees on the work floor often lacked the time or experience to train and develop new colleagues, while the existing learning platform did not keep pace with the company’s expansion. As a result, the training offer no longer matched the varied needs of its companies and job roles.

The training catalogue was unclear, making it difficult for employees to find relevant courses. There were no learning paths to guide them, and reporting features were underused. Consequently, there was limited insight into the effectiveness of training and not enough control over employee turnover, costs, and development progress.

The solution

A turning point came with the introduction of a new job framework and a rebrand of House of Covebo. At the start of 2024, the platform was completely redesigned in both structure and appearance. The House of Covebo Academy received a new look, and the organisation structure was reconfigured on the platform. This allowed segmentation by company, department, and job role.

This laid the foundation for the next major project: the launch of the digital onboarding programme “Flying Start” in 2025. The programme includes more than 30 learning paths across five companies, featuring over 125 microlearnings. New colleagues are introduced to the company, its values, and their roles through interactive modules.

Managers play a key part in the process, receiving progress reports on their teams. Automatic reminders help ensure that learning and development remain a consistent priority.

The result

These improvements have strengthened the company’s mission to “Make everyone’s world of work well organised.” More employees are engaging with training each month, and colleagues can easily locate the courses most relevant to them. The range and quality of available training have both increased, and with the help of data and automated evaluations, the L&D team can identify exactly where to enhance content and delivery.

“The new learning platform helps colleagues learn at their own pace and in their own way. This way, they become passionate partners for our customers and great supporters for our employees.”
— Daniek van de Kamp, L&D Advisor, House of Covebo

Achievements with Totara and Courseware

Onboarding well organised from day one
House of Covebo now offers 30 digital onboarding programmes designed for 30 job profiles across five companies, with more in development. The onboarding materials include more than 125 microlearnings and checklists, all created in Articulate Rise 360.

Learn where, how, and when you want
Each company within the group has its own branded learning paths, giving employees a familiar and personalised experience. The training offer combines classroom sessions, e-learning, and learning on the job, allowing colleagues to learn in the way that suits them best.

Reports at every level
The platform now provides detailed reporting tools that support over 200 managers, L&D professionals, and HR staff. These reports make it easier to track progress and evaluate learning activity across teams and departments.

Scalable learning content
The updated system allows the L&D team to respond quickly and personally to market changes and evolving knowledge needs. Content can be scaled and adapted efficiently to meet new demands across the organisation.

Higher-quality training
Automated evaluations are carried out after every training and e-learning session. This approach helps ensure that quality remains high and that improvements are made where necessary.