England Logistics encourages its employees to help each other with their path to success. The organization’s new Peer-to-Peer Training Program focuses on helping its full truckload new hire employees to network with subject matter experts in the crucial first days of employment. The aim was to create a platform that encourages growth and retention within England Logistics, as the first of the company’s core values is Career. England Logistics CEO Jason Beardall’s hope is to provide a fulfilling career complete with progression and growth built into every position at the organization—not simply a job.
Program Details
England Logistics slow-rolled the Peer-to-Peer Training Program to help initiate conversations between successful senior employees who are subject matter experts and newer employees. Each of these subject matter experts created a presentation alongside a Learning and Development (L&D) specialist to help facilitate areas of training. This not only allowed the newer employees to network with more tenured employees but also gave senior employees an opportunity to hone their presentation skills.
L&D created a few different training modes, such as, “Building Rapport with a Customer,” “Persistence to Senior Account Manager,” and “Betting on Yourself.” All these trainings help with the challenges of working in sales. It not only allows the new hire class to obtain crucial skills for dealing with problems that arise once they are on their own, but also helps subject matter experts learn new skills for meeting their customers in person.
Weekly one-on-one accountability meetings between the employee and their manager help keep the employee’s career trajectory on track. These meetings encourage open communication and feedback between both parties to make sure objectives are achieved.
Employees also complete career development plans each year with an annual review. During the review, the employee and direct supervisor can discuss missed opportunities throughout the year, and things the employee could have done better, or the direct supervisor could have supported more.
Results
The Peer-to-Peer Training Program was designed specifically to impact headcount within the company, and to allow new hires to experience day-to-day operations through the eyes of a subject matter expert. This initiative has helped England Logistics attain 77 percent of its yearly account manager (AM)/business development manager (BDM) headcount goal..
Furthermore, the first subject matter expert invited into training was promoted to account executive, joining a senior account executive team. He mentioned that working with the new hires has helped him achieve more success and target his weaknesses so he can improve. He noted that presenting in class has not only improved his presentation skills, but also made conversations with existing and new customers more productive. Recently, he has noticed more new hires reaching out to him for advice and guidance during their first days on the floor.
Another subject matter expert had a goal to attain a management position. The Peer-to-Peer Training Program gave him freedom to try new things and develop and practice crucial coaching and leadership skills. After his presentation, many new hires reached out to him for help with navigating their first weeks on the floor. They asked him for advice on e-mails they are sending or about how to approach different customer objections on the phone.
