Marriott Proves Virtual Leadership Development Drives Measurable Behavior Change
Marriott International is the world’s largest hotel company, operating 36 brands across 9,300 properties in 144 countries, with $23.71bn in revenue and over 900,000 associates worldwide
When Marriott International set out to transform and democratize leadership development for their associates, the team knew they needed more than content — they needed true behavior change at scale.
Recognizing that today’s frontline leaders face complex labor challenges in an accelerating ‘experience economy’, the Marriott team set out to equip frontline managers with the skills, mindsets, and behaviors needed to thrive in a dynamic, people-first workplace.
After redesigning their entire leadership competency framework, the multinational company developed the “En Route” initiative with five core leadership programs, each designed to address a critical aspect of leadership development: Embark, Envision, Evolve, Elevate, and Engage. Not wanting to sacrifice quality or impact, Marriott partnered with NovoEd in 2023 to develop and deploy the programs on a learning platform that would combine an engaging learning experience with global scale.
The Marriott team knew that they needed to provide a flexible, fully online format, in almost every world language, that was engaging and collaborative while being easy to facilitate. The NovoEd talent development platform enabled them to design, launch, and manage cohort-based experiences that incorporated blended learning, virtual instructor-led modules, team-style “learning circles”, and learning in the space of work. An associate could practice and apply their learning and get peer and expert feedback in the platform, all in their own native language in a mobile-friendly learning environment.
Fast forward to May 2025: with more than 15,000 associates having completed the programs across 1,000 cohorts, the Marriott team has begun to measure the impact. The Marriott team has now analyzed over 3,000 learner survey responses before and after completing their leadership programs on NovoEd, and the results have revealed remarkable behavior change – confirming for the Marriott team that virtual programs can rival or even outperform in-person formats.
Learners self-assessed a variety of leadership behaviors at the beginning of each program, and then again after they had completed it. Here are some highlights showing the percent behavior change from the Embark, Envision, and Evolve programs:
| Embark (Intro To Leadership) Embark was designed for new and emerging leaders—often individual contributors stepping into people leadership for the first time. At headquarters and in the field, many managers are asked to lead without formal authority, motivate others, and advocate upward. Embark equips them with foundational tools to do just that. And it’s working. After completing Embark, learners reported on average: ● +11.11% “Everyone on my team is motivated to do their best work every day.” ● +10.28% “I know the best way to motivate each of my associates individually.” ● +9.65% “I know how to communicate challenges and opportunities to my leader in a way that will lead to the best outcome.” By focusing on real-world application — through peer feedback, learning circles, and reflective assignments — Embark empowers Marriott’s future leaders to not just manage tasks, but to inspire people. The increase in motivation and upward communication proves that even virtual learners can develop the confidence and skills to lead with clarity and purpose. — Envision (Leading Teams) Leadership in today’s environment must be grounded in awareness of how identity shapes experience. Envision was born from this truth—helping leaders reflect on their own biases, understand systems of exclusion, and lead with intention in diverse teams. The numbers tell a powerful story: ● +12.69% “I know what microaggressions can look like in the workplace.” ● +9.00% “I can explain what great leadership looks like.” ● +8.84% “I know all the stakeholders I need to consider when doing my work.” These results reflect more than learning — they show leaders thinking differently, noticing dynamics they may have once missed, and expanding their lens to include the often invisible stakeholders around them. And all of this is happening virtually, often with colleagues from around the world, modeling inclusive collaboration in real time. — Evolve (Leading Leaders) At the heart of high-performing teams is trust—and trust begins with emotional intelligence. Evolve was built for leaders navigating stress, interpersonal friction, and the emotional complexity of work. It helps them tune into their own emotions and manage conflict with grace. Here’s what changed after completing Evolve: ● +13.17% “I can implement healthy coping strategies when I feel my emotions taking over at work.” ● +12.30% “I can recognize when I’m experiencing an emotional takeover at work.” ● +8.18% “The next time I encounter a conflict, I will have a productive conversation to resolve the issue.” In short, Evolve is turning emotional awareness into action. Whether it’s a high-stress guest interaction or tension on a cross-functional project, Marriott leaders are now better equipped to self-regulate, reflect, and respond with intention—skills that directly fuel stronger teams and better guest experiences. |
Across these programs, one thing is clear: Marriott isn’t just delivering content—it’s developing people. And thanks to its partnership with NovoEd, it’s doing so virtually, at global scale, without compromising depth or connection.
“We’ve created virtual leadership programs that are collaborative, authentic, and impactful—and now we have the data to prove it, we’re proving that virtual can be just as, or even more, effective than in-person learning”
– Lauren Cochrane, Senior Manager, Leadership Development, Marriott International
These numbers reflect the kind of change that drives retention, trust, and performance. And for Marriott, it’s just the beginning.
