I’m Helping Build a Culture of Learning at R.S. Hughes

May 28, 2025

Contributed by Quitzia Barroche, Manager, Learning & Development, 2.5 years

In today’s fast-paced business world, learning is more than a perk—it’s a strategic advantage. Learn how Quitzia Barroche is building a culture of education through a focused L&D framework that closes skill gaps, boosts consistency and drives business success.

Laying the Foundation for Learning

When I started at R.S. Hughes in late 2022, there was no formal Learning & Development (L&D) framework. Since then, I’ve been building a structured foundation to support growth and success.

As the company continues to grow and evolve, our L&D strategy must do the same. A successful approach isn’t just about offering training—it’s about aligning learning with business goals. That means understanding where we are, where we want to go and what capabilities we need to build.

One of the biggest opportunities I saw was closing skills gaps. This requires clear goals and targeted plans, grounded in a deep understanding of how employees learn best. Just as important is leadership support. When department heads actively partner with L&D—ideally through dedicated champions—the results are more impactful.

Content matters, but so does delivery. Training should be relevant, engaging and accessible, with consistent methods across departments.

Currently, much of our training focuses on quality, compliance and procedural knowledge. While essential, these programs vary by manager and are often manual and decentralized.

Learning and Development Manager Quitzia Barroche has launched a company-wide Learning Management System at R.S. Hughes. — **Culture of Learning:** Since joining R.S. Hughes in late 2022, Learning & Development Manager Quitzia Barroche has built a structured L&D strategy, launched a company-wide Learning Management System, and helped cultivate a culture of continuous learning across the organization.

Rolling Out the LMS

Without a centralized Learning Management System (LMS), it’s difficult to track participation or measure progress consistently. By refining how we design, deliver and evaluate learning, we can better support our people—and the long-term success of R.S. Hughes.

That is why our first major initiative was to launch our LMS. In September 2023, we rolled out LMS365 RSH learning hub, chosen for its seamless integration with Microsoft Teams and SharePoint and its cost-effectiveness.

This platform transformed how we approach training. Employees and managers can now access courses online and monitor progress through a user-friendly dashboard.

I’m incredibly proud of this milestone. The LMS represents a big step toward continuous learning. It centralizes training, making learning consistent and accessible across teams. It streamlines delivery, supports skill development and compliance, scales as we grow and automates manual tasks—saving time and reducing costs. Most importantly, it gives us the data insights we need to improve.

Learning and Development Manager Quitzia Barroche is partnering with internal teams to empower employees with the knowledge and skills to thrive. — **A Fountain of Knowledge:** Quitzia Barroche (left to right) with her husband Christophe, daughter Anahi, and son Alexis at the Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy. Barroche partners with teams across R.S. Hughes to refine programs, optimize content, design training paths and empower employees with the knowledge and skills to thrive.

The Power of Consistency

Business partners across departments have been working to create uniformity and efficiency by standardizing processes and creating SOPs.

I’ve collaborated with many teams to support training standardization—refining content, defining learning objectives and creating engaging, user-friendly courses with content creation tools.

Now, with an LMS, standardized procedures and consistent training material, every employee—regardless of location, role or experience—can receive high-quality training and follow the same processes. This saves managers time, improves retention and reduces risk, all while aligning with organizational goals and boosting performance.

Key Training Initiatives

Over 18 months, R.S. Hughes has launched training across departments to boost consistency and skills. Operations focused on SOPs and performance; Supply Chain on inventory and PO policies; Sales on pricing, onboarding, and tools; SupplySight on sales training; Customer Care on service protocols; HR on recruitment and compliance; Data Science on Power BI; and Mexico Operations on localized training in service, safety and soft skills.

R.S. Hughes Learning and Development Manager Quitzia Barroche has introduced a flurry of new training initiatives since joining the company two and a half years ago. — **Choreographing Success:** Learning & Development Manager Quitzia Barroche (left to right) with her mother-in-law Michele Barroche, daughter Anahi Barroche, and father-in-law Jean-Paul Barroche at the annual Coomer Ballet Performance. Barroche has helped introduce a flurry of new training initiatives throughout R.S. Hughes.

Expanding Learning Opportunities

Beyond our LMS, we’ve invested in OpenSesame, a marketplace offering high-quality training courses. We recently integrated it with LMS365, allowing us to personalize learning paths with a broader catalog of soft and hard skills.

For example, if a manager needs conflict resolution training, I can quickly source and publish relevant content into LMS365—from quick videos to full courses. This flexibility enhances our internal offerings and ensures every employee has access to top-tier learning content.

Looking Ahead

With a structured L&D framework, a scalable LMS and an expanding training library, we’re actively fostering a culture of continuous growth.

I’m truly excited to continue partnering with teams across R.S. Hughes to refine programs, optimize content, design training paths and empower employees with the knowledge and skills to thrive.