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When the leaders at Clarence Thomas Ltd. Home Center (CTL) in Fish Bay, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, made the decision to invest in their employees by offering online training, they had no idea how popular the program would become.
Initially, the program was started by CTL Home Center’s marketing and IT manager David Thomas, but he quickly realized it was critical to have a dedicated staff member to manage it.
He turned to human resources assistant Xaveria Fredericks to lead the program, which they call CTL University, and it has since become a key driver for staffwide training and employee growth.
Hardware Retailing spoke with Thomas and Fredericks to discover what makes training successful in their operation. They offered their tips on how other retailers can mimic their success, whether they’re in a training slump or have decided to start a training program for the first time.
Read these three key tips from leaders at CTL Home Center below.
Empower Employees to Learn
During an associate’s shift, they train for roughly 20 minutes, but many have taken it upon themselves to continue their progress outside the operation.
“It’s not unusual for them to do work on their own time,” Fredericks says. “It’s not expected, but it proves to us that they really enjoy the opportunity to train.”
Designate a Training Manager
“When we first started using NRHA’s online training, I was leading it in addition to my other responsibilities in the company,” Thomas says. “I knew we needed someone who could really focus on running the program.”
Thomas selected Fredericks to run the training program because she is thorough and diligent about follow-through.
Create a Program
Fredericks says scheduling learning times ensures the salesfloor is covered and everyone gets a chance to learn, new and seasoned employees alike.
“A longtime employee who was already great completed the entire course,” Fredericks says. “You can see the difference in his workflow and attitude since graduating.”
To learn more about how to access the educational resources used at CTL Home Center, visit nrha.org/training/online-training. For an additional example of a retailer that has had success by utilizing NRHA’s online resources, read this article about HomCo Lumber & Hardware in Flagstaff, Arizona.
