Blend: TikTok meets workplace training for deskless workers

The UK hospitality industry employs 3.5 million deskless workers, yet a shortage of trained staff is costing the sector £25 billion annually in unmet customer demand. Onboarding typically requires 140 hours of basic training over a 90-day period, which coincides with the highest risk of staff drop out. With turnover rates close to 150%, businesses face recurring costs of up to £25,000 every three months. Rising employment costs, including increases to the National Minimum Wage and Employer National Insurance, have intensified pressure on employers to train, engage, and retain staff more effectively, particularly among Gen Z and non-native English speakers.

We Are Blend have created a microlearning platform designed for a modern, mobile-first, shift-based workforce. The platform combines user-generated video training content with an AI-enabled Learning Management System to make learning accessible, engaging, and tailored to individual needs. Their project with Ufi will develop a global skills marketplace on the platform offering TikTok-style video courses for core compliance training including Food Safety and Health and Safety, alongside a wider library of practical skills content, all available in multiple languages.

By using video, AI translation, and gamification, the platform is well placed to meet the needs of diverse learners and enhance training retention and accessibility. The solution responds directly to pressing sector challenges and is highly scalable, with potential applications beyond hospitality.