Michael Hess
The importance of job training and education have never been greater—no matter what industry you work in. From enhancing employee performance and improving company culture to keeping your organization competitive, training and education lead to streamlined processes and better business growth. Research from the Career Optimism Index found that that 68 percent of workers say they would stay with their employer throughout their career if the employer made an effort to upskill them, while 65 percent of workers said they would stay throughout their career if their employer made an effort to reskill them. So, while the right program takes time and effort to properly train and educate employees, it pays off in the long run. Here are a few of the ways training and education benefits companies that show they are NOT a waste of time in the waste management industry.
They Address Areas for Growth
We’re human. We learn by doing and making mistakes. And every person has strengths and weaknesses. The good news is that there’s always room for improvement. A training program will give employees the opportunity to strengthen their skills and grow. It will also illuminate areas for growth and improvement. With proper training and development, weaknesses will turn into strengths, and you’ll set everyone up for success.
They Reduce Turnover and Promote a Healthy Company Culture
Employee turnover equals time and money for any company. By training your employees from the get-go, you create a foundation for consistency, confidence and continued learning. You level the playing field and instill your company’s values, best practices and strategies for everyone to be successful. That means fewer mistakes and less frustration. Put yourselves in their shoes. We’ve all experienced a first day on the job, and training is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s expected. After you find the right people, it’s important to make sure your employees are happy, feel valued and are aligned with your business approach. If you foster an internal structure where employees feel appreciated and encouraged, the results will emulate externally to create strong and memorable customer experiences. When your team is feeling appreciated, they are inspired to do great work. By having a consistent training and education program, you’ll develop a team of experts that are aligned with the company’s objectives and who will be happy in their roles.
They Improve Performance and Enhance Satisfaction
Training and education give your employees the knowledge and skills they need to do the job. That enhances their confidence, which can lead to better performance. Training will get them there. Educational opportunities will get them there. They’ll know the ins and outs of their roles and responsibilities and be able to leverage the information they’ve grasped in training to help with strategy and performance growth. Your most valuable employees are ambitious, and by providing them with training opportunities they need to maximize their skills, they’ll be able to accomplish hard-to-reach goals.
They Demonstrate Value in the Waste Industry
Providing a good customer experience goes beyond knowing your customers by name and offering occasional assistance. It is about thinking differently and providing expertise at a level that is personalized to each customer. Getting to know the inner workings of a customer’s business and their goals goes a long way and is key to fostering a long-term relationship over time. This should be the heart of a company’s training and education.
It’s all about tailoring your approach to waste and recycling management by offering services customized to fit every customer’s unique business needs. And that same approach can fit your team. Value is derived from the initial touch point with the customer and then driven through consistent touchpoints about program performance. A high level of personalization coupled with training and education, advanced technology and rich program data enable customers to save money and focus more time on business matters.
Michael Hess is founder and chief executive officer of Waste Harmonics, a Rochester, New York-based company that provides customized waste and recycling management solutions for businesses across North America. Michael leads Waste Harmonics’ team of waste/recycling, technology, logistics and customer service experts who manage waste and recycling services—which deliver significant costs savings—for single- and multi-location businesses in a wide range of categories, including retail, grocery, restaurant, travel center, logistics, distribution and shipping. Prior to founding Waste Harmonics, Hess served as vice president of U.S. operations for Capital Environmental Resource Inc., a solid waste collection and disposal company with $120 million in revenue and operations in the Northeastern U.S. and Canada. During his tenure at Capital Environment, Hess served as an integral part of the acquisition, startup and integration of 11 solid-waste companies for more than two and a half years. Michael acquired Waste Harmonics from Capital Environment in 2001 and has since grown the business from a solely Northeastern U.S. focus to serving customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more information, call (585) 924-9640, e-mail [email protected] or visit wasteharmonics.com.
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