How Göteborgsvarvet succeeds in training over 3000 staff members

When you’re standing on Vasagatan on a sunny May day, watching a swirl of runners, cheering crowds, and volunteers in colorful vests, it’s easy to think that Göteborgsvarvet just “happens.” But behind the festivities lies a meticulously coordinated machine – a small core organization of around fifteen people and more than three thousand staff members and volunteers who make everything work in practice.

“Without our staff, we couldn't run the event – it’s as simple as that,” says Åsa Håkansson, project manager at Göteborgsvarvet.

Every year, an entire week in May is filled with races, expos, relays, kids’ runs, and surrounding activities. During the Göteborgsvarvet Week 2025, the organizer had over 75,000 participants, around 200,000 spectators, and more than 3,000 staff members and volunteers on site. At the same time, the financial surplus goes back into local sports clubs in Gothenburg, something Åsa describes as a central driving force.

“We were created by sports, for athletes. All surplus goes straight back into track and field in Gothenburg, and since 1980 the event has contributed over 200 million SEK to sports. Those numbers are staggering, but also something we’re extremely proud of.”

In the middle of this reality – where community clubs, volunteer engagement, and a strong brand meet – a growing need emerged: a smarter way to train and engage the staff.

A Huge Operation

On paper, one might think Göteborgsvarvet has direct contact with all 3,000 staff members. In practice, it looks different. The organization mainly works through about 170 assignments during the week, each with a lead staff member responsible for their own group.
“We can basically say we’re in contact with around 170 people – not all 3,000,” explains Nora Hedin, head of staff. “The lead staff members become our voice to the rest. It’s a huge strength, but also a challenge when it comes to delivering clear, consistent information.”

Staff members include both people connected to sports clubs and private individuals who want to volunteer. Staff members receive compensation that goes directly to their club, while volunteers participate without pay. Everyone, however, receives meals, snacks, a jacket, and a vest during their shifts. In recent years, interest in volunteering has grown so much that Göteborgsvarvet has launched a volunteer bank – a kind of “talent pool” – which already includes around 200 people.

The target group is extremely diverse. Some clubs have participated since 1980, others are brand new. There are students, working professionals, and retirees – all with very different levels of experience, both with events and digital tools.
“We have people from age 18 to as long as they want to stay involved,” says Nora. “Some know our brand inside out, others have never set foot at the event. Finding a way to reach everyone effectively is one of our biggest challenges.”

Three key questions emerged that Göteborgsvarvet needed to solve: how to deliver clear and consistent information, how to reach such a mixed audience – and how, despite only having direct contact with the lead staff members, they could still influence the experience out on the course.

From Outdated Solutions to a Modern Learning Platform

Göteborgsvarvet had used training platforms before, but they no longer felt fit for purpose.
“We had worked in other platforms that were starting to feel outdated,” Nora explains. “We wanted something more engaging, more modern – above all, something easy to use for our entire target group.”

They chose Learnifier. Nora started by evaluating the previous trainings: What parts were appreciated? What were staff members missing? Which elements were unclear? Each year, Göteborgsvarvet conducts a major survey where staff members can answer questions and leave comments.
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“We focused heavily on reading all the feedback,” she says. “Many staff members wrote things like ‘this is what I lacked before my assignment,’ and that’s perfect input for us.”

Together with colleagues and support from the Learnifier team, she set up a new structure. Instead of one long training, the content was divided into three shorter modules – all sharing the same structure to create familiarity.
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“It made it easier for staff members to absorb the information,” says Nora.

Three Trainings – Three Perspectives on the Same Mission

The first training focuses on Göteborgsvarvet as an organization and brand. Here, staff members get background, values, and an overview of how the event is built, as well as introductions to areas like safety, medical services, and sustainability.
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“These are topics many feel unsure about,” says Nora. “It’s important to demystify them and show how we work.”

The second training, “You as a Staff Member,” gathers all the practical information staff usually wonder about: how to get to the area, where to pick up meals, what to answer to common questions, and who to contact if needed.

The third training is about hospitality – how to meet people, communication tone, tricky situations, and how staff represent Göteborgsvarvet on site.
“Our staff are our most important ambassadors,” says Åsa. “Their interactions often determine how the race is experienced.”

Video That Drives Engagement

To make the trainings engaging, Nora mixed text, images, scenarios, and short videos. And the videos – filmed with a mobile phone – quickly became popular.
“I used to think video had to be a big production,” she says. “But a simple mobile clip with the right tone went a long way.”

Staff members felt the videos made the information more vivid and helped them “get to know” the project team better. Many highlighted the personal tone as something that made the training more accessible.

At the end of the trainings, Nora added a certificate and a discount code from a partner – something that turned out to increase motivation to complete the training.

2,858 Completed Trainings and a Noticeable Boost in Experience

The results speak for themselves. In the first round with the new training structure, 2,858 people completed the training – corresponding to a completion rate of just over 90 percent based on the estimated number of staff who received the links. Göteborgsvarvet is very pleased with this.
“Previously, we saw many people open the training but not finish it,” says Nora. “Now, many more go all the way through. It’s incredibly rewarding.”

Participant experience of hospitality has also improved. Post-race evaluations showed that satisfaction related to staff interactions was nearly 70 percent – a clear increase from previous years.
“When people know what’s expected, feel prepared, and feel confident, it shows out on the course,” she says.

The Comment Field – The Bridge Between the Office and 3,000 Staff Members

The comment field in Learnifier became one of the most valuable parts of the setup. Here, staff could give feedback, ask questions, and share experiences directly.
“We get direct contact with people we would never meet otherwise,” says Nora. “And I respond to everything. It creates a dialogue that improves the training year by year.”

The feedback has led to concrete improvements. One staff member requested subtitles on the videos – something Göteborgsvarvet now plans to implement next year.
“Small things like that make the training more accessible. And we might have missed it without the comment field.”

Small Steps – Big Difference

Looking back, Nora sees that the success was built step by step.
“Small improvements make a huge difference,” she says. “And the most important thing is to dare to start – the training evolves continuously from there.”

Åsa agrees:
“This has given us a whole new level of engagement. We’ve found a model that works for us – but we’re only getting started.”