The company also excels in professional employee training through courses provided by Daytona State College ( DSC ). Thus far , the DSC programs have educated employees in :
• Skills for Supervising
• Microsoft Excel and OneNote , and
• Creation of Values and Principles to Align People in Continuous Improvement Thinking
“ The programs show employees that Sandvik is willing to invest in them ,” Whitten says .
Frank Mercer , director of DSC ’ s Center for Business and Industry , wholeheartedly agrees . “ The employees get a sense of being valued ,” he says . “ It ’ s a great morale builder . A productivity builder .”
Mercer explains two sessions in supervisory skills that DSC conducted for Sandvik , each with 8-12 supervisors in a 32-hour class that concluded with a graduation ceremony and certificates of completion . “ It is quite a commitment to invest in the employees ,” he stresses .
Mercer says the program also is an environment for supervisors to communicate and better understand each other ’ s issues . “ The classroom is a safe environment for discussion . One that you often can ’ t have in a meeting ,” he says . “ There is a lot of cross-pollination .”
Mercer emphasizes such programs also benefit employee retention and morale . “ Every HR study will show that when a company invests in its employees , it shows benefits . The employees get a sense of being valued . The investment pays dividends .”
Davies and Whitten are examples . Whitten started at SPC as an operator in 1995 and gradually worked her way up to the current HR management position .
And Sandvik financed both her and Davies ’ college education .
“ When I came here , I started as an engineer ,” says Davies . “ As my job evolved , I found I had a weakness in the business area . So Sandvik paid for my MBA ( Master of Business Administration ).”
Whitten notes that SPC makes an effort to promote from within . “ All positions are posted internally to give existing employees an opportunity to apply . This allows us to see who is interested in moving to another position within the organization .”
Another unique way for Sandvik to display employee appreciation and promote diversity is an annual day-long “ Taste of SPC ” festival . It ’ s a multicultural company event that encourages employees with international roots to share with other workers the specialties of their families ’ native countries . The employees are invited to set up tables in the company ’ s common area , promoting their heritage with traditional food samples and decorative items from their family ’ s native country .
“ The Taste of SPC festival is a great way for employees to showcase how unique each and every one of us truly is and how much value that brings to the organization ,” Whitten says . “ It creates a feeling of belonging , inclusion and purpose for all employees .”
David Castagnacci served for 31 years as the Executive Director of the Volusia County Association for Responsible Development ( VCARD ), a non-profit association of planning and development professionals . Prior to that , he was a news reporter and New Smyrna Beach Bureau Chief for the Daytona Beach News-Journal .
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