As the snow falls softly outside Santa’s Workshop, inside, it’s a storm of epic proportions. After chaos started flooding the workshop in part 1, Santa, HR elf Agnes and Operations reindeer Blitzen are trying to sort things out. And there may be a solution.
Santa's workshop is still a mess. Conveyor belts are still grinding, and rogue toys are marching through the factory, causing more injuries than it’s worth.
Santa, with bags under his eyes that rival the ones he’ll be delivering on Christmas Eve, stares at an email on a cracked tablet screen. The sender? The Data Authority Penguins.
Known for their sharp suits and sharper spreadsheets, they’re waddling en route to the North Pole from the South Pole to inspect the naughty list hacking incident and enforce data protection laws. Since the Poles centralized public administration, thankfully, this would buy Santa time.
Agnes, the ever-determined HR Elf, peers over his shoulder. “Santa, this is bad. The Naughty List hack was just the beginning. If we don’t get our act together, the Data Authorities are going to ground Christmas for good.”
"If our mess with production on the floor isn't fixed there won't be anything for them to ground! We need a proper upskilling miracle!", Santa replies.
Elves are beginning to unite and prepare for a strike as they demand better work conditions and well-being to actually be efficient on the factory floor. 
Operations reindeer Blitzen, trying to keep morale up, claps his hooves together. “Alright, everyone! I know it’s chaos, but hear me out—eggnog party on me once we’re done! Extra cinnamon!”
The elves pause. For one glorious moment, it seems like Blitzen’s promise might unite the factory workers. That is until Agnes, the HR elf with clipboard and purpose, steps forward.
“Blitzen,” she says, adjusting her glasses and looking very much like someone who skipped the “fun” elective in Elf School. “Eggnog isn’t going to fix bad elf experience and production efficiency! What we’re dealing with here is bigger than holiday cheer. This is a lack of upskilling, operations training, and any basic safety protocols! Did you know the fire escape still says, ‘Find a snowbank and jump’?”
Blitzen blinks. “Snowbanks are effective, though.”
Enter ZZap: The "Solution" That Isn’t
Desperate for answers, Agnes reveals her big idea. “Don’t worry—I’ve already thought ahead. I signed us up for ZZap!”
“ZZap?” Blitzen asks, skeptical. “What’s that? A new game? A snack?”
“No,” Agnes replies, “It’s a tool. It promised a little bit of everything—HR support, elf engagement, compliance, and even something about creating a ‘holistic toy-making experience.’ I got a discount with an early sign-up code. We even got a million standard training videos elves can just take when they want it! Just like Netflix!”
Blitzen, impressed, nods. “Wow, Agnes. You’ve got this handled!”
Or so it seems.
The Zzap platform launches in the factory that same afternoon. But instead of solving their problems, the elves are subjected to... PowerPoints. Long, dull, soul-crushing PowerPoints. “Step One: Avoid glitter spills,” reads one slide in Comic Sans, accompanied by a stock photo of an unhappy penguin holding a mop.
Before Santa could spell "Netflix-for-learning", the elves are dozing off mid-shift, half-built toys piling up as they snore on the assembly line.
"This generic training is not fit for our context and daily work flow!", sighs Santa scratching his head.
Finding the Real Solution
After the ZZap fiasco, Agnes realizes they need a platform that truly addresses the elves’ needs—something modern, engaging, and capable of teaching safety, security, and operational excellence without putting the entire workshop to sleep.
In her research, Agnes finds a platform that not only provides interactive training but also allows for personalized learning journeys. “This,” she says to Santa, “is what we should’ve been using from the start.”
“God, please, not another heavy and complex "we do everything in HR" platform, right?” Santa asks, cautiously.
“No,” Agnes replies. “It has bite-sized modules, gamification, and real-time learning tools that the elves can use while on the job. It’s engaging, effective, and it won’t put anyone to sleep.”
Santa nods. “Agnes, if this saves Christmas, I’ll let you take the sleigh for a spin.”
Stay tuned for part 3 of the Christmas L & D Chronicles! Sign up for the newsletter here