Training leaders
Training magazine is a business read that addresses several issues in the business world. One of its activities includes rewarding outstanding performances in companies as far as training is concerned. Business ethics dictate that the employer should take upon themselves the responsibility of developing the talent of employees. Organizations across the country encourage employees to be their best by training and motivating them. As it is in many other fields, some go the extra mile and archive excellent yields. Training magazine dedicated to motivating the motivators by rewarding their efforts. Each year the top 125 trainers receive recognition from training magazines. The event condenses into an evening Gala were participants socialize and receive their awards. This year, the game got sponsored by Adobe, Seiko, Pelucida, Brella, among others. Each sponsor contributed to the success of the event in a unique way. The event commenced at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, located in Orlando.
Adobe, the revolutionary software company, gave out unique gifts for the attendees of the gala. Pelucida got creative and provided the crystal awards. Seiko, the watch company, was in charge of timekeeping and ensured a smooth transition of activities. The company also offered keepsake watches and a congratulatory clock for the number one winner. Brella leads the production of the event to be as luxurious and captivating as it should be. Organizations that get featured by the magazine must not be in the training industry. Each contender eligible for the awards must be using outside resources for employee training (Weinstein, 2010). The 125 companies highlighted in 2019 trained a mean of 38,704 employees per organization. These determined firms are focused on developing talent not only for their business but also for the employees’ sakes. Nearly 631 courses taught to the hardworking individuals at an average training budget of 25 million.
This year’s winner and best trainer overall award went to Dollar General Corporation, LLC. This company name is not new to trainer magazine top 125. The firm has featured several times in the contest. Dollar General is a discount retailer dealing in all manner of goods. The store was founded some 80 years ago and continues to meet consumer needs. With a staff body of more than 135,000 people, the corporation is a significant contributor to the nation’s employment rate. The previous two years have seen it appear in the top five twice. By the year 2018, Dollar General had laid plans to set up 900 new shops across the country. The increase in stores would increase the number of jobs created by 7,000 more positions. They deploy their strategy focused on attracting talent and developing employees through advanced onboarding, open communication and training. Every level of the organization gets punctuated with an innovative, practical approach to training.
The company got chosen as the best trainer for a good reason. Dollar General provides approximately 1.7 million hours of training to team members each year. As a result, these esteemed workers develop their talents and specific skills to grow their careers to greener pastures. The main focus in Dollar General’s operations is the customer; every activity in the company got directed toward improving customer satisfaction. Employees are empowered through thorough training to equip them with the necessary knowledge to serve with best-in-class standards. Cross-functional and comprehensive reviews on customer feedback surveys get used to developing the company’s training program. It ran in two phases based on examined interactions among employees and customers. Analyzed market data also provide much-needed information to guide the plans.
The first phase of the training program highlighted three main areas for employees to perfect. They got divided into groups of six to eight to enhance small-group dynamics. The areas taught included how to retain and attract good leaders, how to create life-long customers for the firm, and how to overcome barriers in the customer service practice. The teams comprised of diverse members of the organization ranging from human resource directors and vice presidents. They extended to district managers for a better exchange of ideas. The second phase of the training got conducted at the firm’s annual leadership meeting. Here, Dollar general invested in a four-hour simulation to help put the knowledge from stage one into action. Managers have a pivotal role to play in the success of the organization. As such, the firm has redesigned the store manager training (SMT) routine. The improvements saw the promotion of nearly 1,100 best performing store managers to Certified Store Training Managers (CSTMs). The new method provided 53 percent more training hours for leaders than the previous. Heeding to the DG voice has also helped the company in its training efforts. The Dollar General voice was initiated in 2017 and sought to create stronger bonds among employees (Shreve, 2018).
The company’s determination to train employees and bring out the best in them allows them to grow. When workers are confident in the firm’s support for their well-being, they work from the heart. An equal measure of passion gets passed on to the customers who interact with the inspired employees. Good employee-customer relations are in line with the company’s goals and help keep up a competitive advantage. Satisfied customers come back, and bring a friend along to share the fulfilling experience. Besides, when employees are well taken care of, they become loyal to the firm. Employee loyalty is especially significant as retaining talent and reducing turnover promote the firm’s image (Mahoney, 2017). All in all, investing in Human capital has paid off for Dollar General.
References
Weinstein, M. (2010). Are You LinkedIn? Professional connections can win you a job. It turns out they also can win your employees a top-notch learning organization. Here’s how four Training Top 125 winners are making the most out of social networking. Training, 30.
Shreve, M. A. (2018). Development of a Recipe Book for Customers Who Shop at Dollar General® Stores.
Riley, S. M., Michael, S. C., & Mahoney, J. T. (2017). Human capital matters: Market valuation of firm investments in training and the role of complementary assets. Strategic Management Journal, 38(9), 1895-1914.