Supervisory Training That Made a Difference
Twenty-five of them met in two separate groups once a week for 10 weeks. One group met on Wednesday's and the other on Fridays. All of them work for Schneider Logistics Transloading and Distribution in Elwood, Illinois. In the beginning, few said more than good morning or good afternoon to each other, but that soon changed.
Schneider Logistics is a third party logistics provider headquartered in Wisconsin. Earlier this year, Schneider Logistics contacted Joliet Junior College (JJC) to help them train their first line supervisors. "We wanted to enhance the skills of our existing supervisory staff," said Ilene Klein, Training and Development Manager for Schneider Logistics. "I talked to Amy Murphy at Joliet Junior College and we agreed that we needed to include some effective communications training." The solution was JJC's Frontline Supervisory training program.
"Ilene was referred to us through the Will County Workforce Investment Board (WIB)," said Amy Murphy, director of Corporate and Community Services for JJC. "After discussing Schneider's needs, Ilene and I determined that two of our Frontline modules would be perfect for them. Our Frontline program has a long history of success and I knew it would be the best solution for Schneider." Murphy also helped Schneider receive a WIB grant to cover the cost of training.
The program began in February with Unit 1: First Line Supervision. This module deals with the supervisor's role in management, the supervisor's environment, planning, goal setting, organizing, delegating, and human behavior and leadership skills.
The second module was Unit 2: Effective Employee Communications. It addresses the techniques, strategies, and legal aspects of the workplace. Topics include interviewing, performance reviews, training, disciplinary discussions, and counseling.
"We ended the training with a Myers-Briggs personality test and a discussion of how it impacts them as supervisors and their interaction with employees," said Bruce Kuzmanich, contract training manager for JJC's Corporate and Community Services division. "The discussions lead to some interesting revelations that increased interactions and ultimately helped them work better as a team."
"The supervisors really liked the interaction with each other and they really enjoyed the JJC instructors," said Klein. "They were able to get to know each other better and think like a team. I hated to have it end - great learning experience."
Creating a Catalyst for Interaction
The Frontline program uses group dynamics, class discussions, and good-natured fun to teach the complex concepts supervisors must deal with daily. Most students enjoy the experience.
"This is a very great way to teach in the workplace," said Vernisha Ulmer, Traffic Area Manager for Schneider Logistics. "I think a lot of companies should have classes like this. This class gave me knowledge at work and at home and I was able to use this teaching with my associates."
Another participant, Area Manager, Janette Laws-Cotton, said, “We should do this annually as a refresher course to ensure that we continue to use the skills that we have learned as a manager."
Area Manager, Wendi Murray agrees. “The group interaction made our unit more of a team. We now have a better understanding of one another."
Change Can Happen
While it may be too early to determine the effects of this training on Schneider Logistics, there have been some positive signs of improvement. "We are already getting feedback from folks out on the floor that things are changing for the better," said Klein.
"If the people reporting to these newly-trained supervisors see improvement," said Murphy, "we can be sure the training has made an impact and that makes it worthwhile."
To learn more about Frontline training or other programs at Joliet Junior College, call Amy Murphy at 815-280-1418. She can also be reached by e-mail at amurphy@jjc.edu.