Nourishing employee development at wagamama
Bursting into life in 1992, wagamama is a restaurant inspired by fast-paced japanese ramen bars, bringing the nourishing flavours of asia to the world
Pain
wagamama were looking for an LMS that could go beyond compliance training, save time, and offer meaningful development paths for employees
Gain
With their eloomi platform, wagamama have switched to a fully fledged L&D platform offering greater accessibility, engagement, and upskilling paths
Result
A new energized culture of learning. Plus, in 2025, wagamama plan to expand with skills training, talent management, and employee communication
Nourishing employee development at wagamama
wagamama’s journey began in 1992, inspired by Japanese ramen bars and the philosophy of ‘kaizen’ – the pursuit of ‘good change.’ From the bustling energy of open kitchens to the carefully crafted flavors of every bowl, kaizen defines wagamama’s commitment to constant improvement – not just for their food, but for their people.
Learning and growth are at the heart of wagamama’s culture. But delivering great training and development isn’t always easy. To be successful in a busy restaurant environment, any LMS for hospitality needs to accomplish three things: it needs to be accessible on the go, offer relevant training, and above all to be engaging.
These criteria made eloomi stand out as the top choice for wagamama to launch their new ‘Sodatsu’ training platform. Speaking to Jess Thilthorpe, Learning and Development Manager at wagamama, she describes how their previous LMS covered basics like compliance training, but that they were ready to achieve more:
We chose eloomi because it was simple, easy to use, and we could give our teams new opportunities to grow. At wagamama we believe you’ve got to nourish to flourish, so we’re excited to support everyone with new development paths.
Jess Thilthorpe
Learning and Development Manager
Today, wagamama teams are able to access training right from their mobile devices, from how to use a teppan to courses in project management. wagamama chefs, front-of-house teams, and HQ staff are able to access all new training and development through eloomi, and wagamama aren’t just stopping there.
The soul of Sodatsu: wagamama’s L&D philosophy
Sodatsu, meaning to raise, grow, or develop, is a perfect name for wagamama’s new learning platform. The plan is to support new development and upskilling opportunities for every member of staff, whilst also making training more accessible and easy to manage.
wagamama’s learning platform had a seamless LMS migration and launch, thanks to structured planning and support. Sodatsu is now available across wagamama’s 9000-strong workforce – all guided by a simple L&D philosophy that guides the wagamama vision:
- Learning and growth in work (and in life) is at the core of who we are
- We create engaging and playful learning experiences for all our people
- It’s your development journey to own but you won’t walk it alone
- We bring learning to where it happens, with every log in helping you grow and inch
These core principles play a key role in building a culture of learning and improvement at wagamama, but they also help explain just why eloomi stood out:
- Making learning accessible in the flow of work: The kitchen is at the heart of everything wagamama’s do, which is why training needs to fit around a high-pace work environment. With eloomi, training is bite-size and available on mobile, so employees can access courses from anywhere.
- Connecting teams and strengthening communication: eloomi fosters a sense of community across wagamama’s dispersed teams by enabling seamless communication. The platform’s messaging features and community feed allow employees to feel connected, share updates, and keep everybody in the loop.
- Designed to inspire and delight: The Sodatsu platform isn’t just functional; it’s also beautifully designed. With custom-branding that reflects wagamama’s unique identity, the platform feels intuitive, inviting, and a seamless part of the wagamama world.
wagamama’s dedication to creating a seamless and branded learning experience hasn’t gone unnoticed. In 2024, Sodatsu was named ‘Best Branded Platform’ by eloomi, earning accolades for its cohesive design and ability to embody wagamama’s ethos of growth and creativity within every interaction.
What’s next for L&D at wagamama
The launch of Sodatsu is just the beginning. In 2025, wagamama has ambitious plans to expand their use of the platform across three key areas:
- Upskilling and learning paths: In keeping with the goal of personal development and upskilling opportunities, wagamama will be expanding their training library and creating learning paths to support specific roles and development journeys.
- Employee communication: For the first time, wagamama will be launching their employee learning community, creating an online space for teams to share updates, messages, and stay in the loop as a team and organization.
- Talent development: Last, but not least, wagamama will be supporting employee growth through performance conversations, creating new room for coaching and development.
Through Sodatsu, wagamama are blending their kaizen philosophy with the capabilities of eloomi, creating a platform that’s accessible and engaging on the go (and we can’t wait to see where that journey takes them next!).
Key takeaways
- Launched their learning platform ‘Sodatsu’ to over 9000 employees across restaurant locations
- Fast and smooth LMS migration ensured a seamless switch over to their new learning platform
- With their new LMS wagamama can go beyond basic training, supporting all new upskilling and development opportunities
- Won eloomi’s ‘best branded platform’ 2024 award for engaging in-platform branding that celebrates the wagamama brand and creates a seamless learning experience
- Plans for launching skills training, employee communication tools, and talent development to nourish their teams for years to come
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