The Human Resources department has created a training program for new managers. Accelerate is a program for managers from across the cooperative who have been in their position for less than two years. Beginning in March, participants will attend a monthly two-day session for four months.
Employee Development Manager Kelli Farris says Accelerate is a great opportunity to boost the company’s investment in its people and kickstart a more robust approach to employee training following pandemic restrictions.
“Coming out of COVID, we talked with leaders throughout the company to gauge their employees’ training needs,” she says. “Through these conversations, we identified three tracks: employee development, manager development, and leadership development. Accelerate is designed to give our new managers tools to be successful at the start of their experience.”
While the first Accelerate classes will begin in March, the supervisors of the planned participants gathered at the Home Office in February to discuss ways to equip the new managers with the tools and support needed to ensure they can successfully apply what they learn from Accelerate in their everyday work.
The training sessions will cover various topics, including team building and cooperative basics, people management, key business measures, and effective leadership.
A second class of Accelerate participants is planned for the latter half of 2023.