By Matthew Spieler
Volume 26/Number 20; February 18/25, 2013
Dalton—When it comes to internal training, some companies talk about it while others implement actual guidelines. Training magazine’s 13th annual Top 125 ranking of employer-sponsored training and development programs highlights the companies that walk the walk. For the third consecutive year, Mohawk Industries garnered a Top 10 spot, coming in at No. 8. This was also the eighth straight year the magazine recognized the mill.
In addition to Mohawk, Shaw Industries and Tandus were acknowledged for having some of the best training programs in the country. In 2005, Shaw became the first flooring company to be included on the list and has been ranked every year since. Shaw was also named by Selling Power magazine as one of the 50 Best Companies to Sell for Now, an honor it has received every year since 2001, the first year the magazine created its rankings.
Tandus continued its commitment to excellence, as it has achieved a Top 125 ranking every year since 2007 with the exception of 2009, when the company did not participate.
The three flooring mills join an impressive list of ranked companies, including Verizon, which came in at No. 1, Capital One (No. 20), McDonald’s (No. 24), U.S. Navy (No. 30), Best Buy (No. 31), Sprint (No. 60), UPS (No. 71), AAA Auto Club (No. 81), TD Bank (No. 103) and Dell (No. 118).
Regarding the 125 companies on the list, Lorri Freifeld, Training’s editor-in-chief said, “Their close alignment between training and corporate strategic goals led to strong financial performance, increased employee engagement, and a learning-centric culture.”
Mike Zoellner, Mohawk’s vice president of marketing services, said the company considers training to “be a priority,” and being ranked by Training, the leading business publication for learning and development professionals, “recognizes our dedication to excellence and reinforces our commitment to continually improve.”
Amanda Arnwine, Mohawk’s corporate learning director, added, “Our training is aligned with the company’s business goals, which are aligned with our commitments to our customers. At Mohawk, learning centers around finding ways to do the job better, faster and more meaningfully for our customers.”
Danny Crutchfield, Shaw’s director of training and organizational development, told FCNews the company “takes great pride in serving our internal associates and our customers in a deeper and more meaningful partnership than traditional corporate universities [through our Shaw Learning Academy (SLA)]. SLA differentiates itself by providing not only off-the-shelf training modules, but innovative customized solutions that take training to a higher level of results. By delivering more than just a training event, it utilizes blended learning to provide ongoing development for every level of the company.”
Brad Cummings, senior vice president of human resources at Tandus, said “While we have plenty of room for improvement, we are honored to have been counted among this great group of companies. Because learning and development is important to our employees, and ultimately to the customers we serve, it is an important part of our culture. It is nice to be recognized for our efforts and approach in this area.”
(Editor’s note: Visit fcnews.net for bonus coverage, including Training’s comments on each mills’ programs as well as explanations from the companies on these initiatives.)