summer 2009 - blended on-the-job training

56 | IGA GROCERGRAM Quarterly

The IGA Coca-Cola Institute is a valuable advocate of retailers committed to

building their business through training and people development. Working on the

recommendations of the users, IGA licensed distribution companies (LDCs) and

the training professionals that make up the IGA Coca-Cola Institute Advisory

Board, the Institute is continually developing relevant, timely new courses that

meet users’ specific needs. Due in part to the Institute’s substantial resources

and communicative learning process, new users are enrolling in its online

courses from countries all across the globe. Read on to learn more about exciting

developments from the Institute’s last quarter!

The Institute in Dubai: Choithram The IGA Coca-Cola Institute would like to welcome

one of its newest users to the world of online training:

Mohamed Kiyas, retail development manager in

charge of training with T. Choithram & Sons in the

United Arab Emirates, recently began using the IGA

Coca-Cola Institute’s online training as a method to

increase people development within the company.

T. Choithram & Sons, an international

wholesaler founded in 1944 in Sierra Leone,

was established in the United Arab Emirates in

1974. Today, the company has grown to become

one of the UAE’s most prominent supermarket chains, with more than

28 stores throughout the seven Emirates.

The ª Wall of Success:º A New Training Program at Dyer' s IGALast December, Dyer’s IGA in Wamego, Kan., began implementing a brand-new

IGA Coca-Cola Institute training program. Now, the walls of the store are decked

with framed course-completion certificates.

“That’s so our customers can see some of the things we’re doing internally in the store,”

says co-owner David Alvarez. “It’s important for them to see we’re trying new things.”

Alvarez and the management at Dyer’s IGA had initially focused on customer

service training. Associates were required to attend scheduled training days, during

which they completed the Institute course Customer Service and Professionalism I,

and later, Customer Service and Professionalism II.

TRAINING EXCELLENCE

Building Business With The IGA Coca-Cola Institute

For more on the

IGA Coca-Cola

Institute, visit

www.igainstitute.com

IGA09Summer_IGAInst.indd 1 7/30/09 11:54:59 PM

Only these two courses are mandatory at Dyer’s IGA;

however, several full-time associates have chosen to complete

additional courses. “Some of my employees ask to do more,”

said Alvarez. “I have a produce manager—he’s been our

produce manager for 17 years—he’s done 10 courses already and said, ‘Man, I didn’t

know about some of this!’ He wants to learn as much as he can.”

Alvarez says he has experienced the benefits of the Institute firsthand. While

perusing the Human Resources section of the online Resource Center, he downloaded

the Institute’s “Structured Interview Guide.”

“I think it’s wonderful. It helped me out immensely with interviewing. It has a set

of questions that really make an applicant think a little more; you get a sense of what

kind of person they are.”

Now that the Dyer’s IGA training program has established itself, Alvarez is

researching the next course he would like his staff to complete. “I noticed there was a

new course added, Welcome to IGA. We’re probably going to do that one. It’s just a great

benefit to our store.”

SUMMER 2009 | 57

Online Training Best Practices Seminar: Houchens IndustriesIn Bowling Green, Ky., the regional managers of Houchens Industries, Jeff Grinstead and Tim Sturgill, organized a seminar,

Online Training Best Practices. More than 120 associates from a variety of different store formats attended the three-day

seminar between May 12-14.

Houchens has experienced unprecedented growth since 1988, when the company was purchased by the Employee

Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). According to the ESOP Association, Houchens is the largest 100 percent employee-owned

company in the United States.

The objective of Houchens' Online Training Best Practices seminar was to discuss the interacting components of a

blended-training program, as well as to describe the successful implementation practices of an online program geared

toward larger retail groups.

Dr. Paulo Goelzer, president of the IGA Coca-Cola Institute, says, ª This ̀train the trainer' session provides guidance

and practical advice for managers who are improving store operations through people development. This is especially

important in an organization like Houchens, which values open communication

with all its employees and owners.º

Grinstead saw the seminar as an opportunity for growth. ª Our managers left

the meeting excited about the opportunity to use the IGA Institute as a tool to

further develop their work force through a blended-training program that

touches virtually every retail position in our stores,º he says. ª The number of

associates that have enrolled in online classes has increased dramatically since

we completed the seminar. We are looking forward to having better-informed

and better-trained associates to help our company overcome the many challenges

that we will continue to face as we experience future growth.º


*HQHUD

O�

.QRZ

OHG

JH

��7REDFFR�

��&RPSOLDQFH��1HZ�

��<RUN�&HUWLILHG

/HYHO��,QWURGXFWRU\

6SHFLDOW\

��6WDU�

��$VVHVVPHQW�

��3URJUDP�7XWRULDO

��1HZ�<RUN�)RRG�

��6DIHW\�DQG�

��6DQLWDWLRQ��

��)3��

/HYHO��6XSHUYLVRU\

��&DVKLHU

��&RXUWHV\�&OHUN

��)UR]HQ�)RRGV�DQG�'DLU\�

��&OHUN

��*URFHU\�6WRFNHU

��%DNHU\�&OHUN

��'HOL�&OHUN

��)ORUDO�&OHUN

��0HDW�:UDSSHU

��3URGXFH�&OHUN)XQFWL

RQV

��$VVLVWDQW�%DNHU\�

��0DQDJHU

��$VVLVWDQW�'HOL�0DQDJHU

��&KHHVH�6SHFLDOLVW

��0HDW�$SSUHQWLFH��$Q�

��,QWURGXFWLRQ

��%HHU�&RQQRLVVHXU�

��&XUULFXOXP

��1RQ�$OFRKROLF�

��%HYHUDJHV�'HSDUWPHQW

��1RQ�$OFRKROLF�

��%HYHUDJHV�'HSDUWPHQW��

��6RIW�'ULQNV

��/RRN�RI�6XFFHVV�

��,QLWLDWLYH�3URJUDP�

��&XUULFXOXP

)XQFWL

RQV

3HULVKDEOHV)URQW�(QG

3HULVKDEOHV)URQW�(QG

��)RRG�6DIHW\�DQG�6DQLWDWLRQ�&XUULFXOXP

��/RVV�3UHYHQWLRQ

��3URPRWLRQV�DQG�0HUFKDQGLVLQJ

*HQHUD

O�

.QRZ

OHG

JH

/HYHO��'HSDUWPHQW�0DQDJHPHQW

/HYHO��6WRUH�0DQDJHPHQW

��:HOFRPH�WR�:HE�%DVHG�7UDLQLQJ�IRU�0DQDJHUV

��&DWHJRU\�0DQDJHPHQW

��)RRG�5HWDLOLQJ�7RGD\

��6H[XDO�+DUDVVPHQW

*HQHUD

O�

.QRZ

OHG

JH

��0DQDJHPHQW�%HVW�3UDFWLFHV

��0DQDJLQJ�3HRSOH

��5HWHQWLRQ�DQG�7XUQRYHU

��6KRSSLQJ�2FFDVLRQV

��7KH�)XWXUH�RI�)RRG�DQG�+HDOWK*HQHUD

O�

.QRZ

OHG

JH

6SHFLDOW\

��:HOFRPH�WR�:HE�%DVHG�7UDLQLQJ

��&XVWRPHU�6HUYLFH�DQG�3URIHVVLRQDOLVP�,

��&XVWRPHU�6HUYLFH�DQG�3URIHVVLRQDOLVP�,,

��)RRG�6DIHW\�DQG�6DQLWDWLRQ�%DVLFV

��,QWURGXFWLRQ�WR�)RRG�DQG�+HDOWK

��:HOFRPH�WR�,*$

*URFHU\

*URFHU\

TRAINING EXCELLENCE

Curriculum Recommendations

The Institute' s new curriculum

recommendations help managers

navigate the course offerings to better

match their organization' s training

needs. The Institute recommends

that all online-training students first

enroll in Welcome to Web-Based Training.

Then, based on their position in the

store, students should enroll in the

appropriate General Knowledge

courses, which are divided into

Introductory, Supervisory, Department

and Store Management levels.

After General Knowledge courses

are completed, students should take

individualized courses based on their

position, such as Cashier, Grocery

Stocker or Assistant Deli Manager.

Updated CoursesIntroduction to Food and Health

The consumer population is becoming

increasingly concerned with healthier diets, and

food retail associates need to understand the

impact food has on health. For this reason, the

Institute’s Introduction to Food and Health

course has been restructured, reorganized and brought up to speed on the latest

nutritional findings. The course now utilizes vivid visuals as well as new subject

matter on gluten-free diets, super foods and vegetarianism to help associates

further develop their understanding of healthy living.

Cashier

Cashiers are an integral part of the supermarket

team, so the Institute has updated and revitalized

its Cashier course to include appealing visuals, an

easy-to-follow structure and new test questions.

The updated Cashier course integrates training

activities with fresh instructional text to develop

an associate’s knowledge of the checkout system,

product identification, tender, shrink, bagging

orders and maintaining the front end.



New CoursesWelcome to IGAThis course gives new IGA associates insight into what

makes their IGA store a destination for consumers.

By understanding the appeal of the IGA Brand, new

associates also learn how they can contribute to IGA’s

tradition of service excellence, as well as how IGA

supports independent grocers with programs and tools

to help make a difference in their communities.

Supermarket Safety IThis is the first course in an upcoming two-course

safety curriculum that aims to help stores develop

safety and health practices. When stores are not

strongly committed to safety, accidents happen, theft

occurs, consumers are lost, profits fall and insurance

prices rise. Supermarket Safety I offers practical advice

and focuses on ways to decrease these problems at the

associate level by implementing programs directed at

cleanliness, sanitation, theft prevention and emergency

preparedness.

SUMMER 2009 | 59

People Development Session: Laurel Grocery CompanyOn June 10, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Laurel Grocery Company organized a training session with more

than 50 retailers and counselors. The session, developed in partnership with the IGA Coca-Cola

Institute, intended to give retailers the knowledge and new skills they need to better develop their

people and improve store performance. Retailers from Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana learned about

career development programs and the important link between training and business success.

Dr. Paulo Goelzer facilitated the session and believes that opportunities like this help busy

owners and managers think about a personnel-development system.

Brett Stonerock, Laurel' s strategic marketing manager, organized the session. ª Training is a vital key to being a successful

independent retailer in today' s competitive market. Employees will feel better about their jobs, and managers will have an

educated staff to improve their service to their customers,º he says. ª You are only as good as your weakest player.º

Debra Opolski, a retailer from Roselawn IGA, also attended the session. ª I have been using the online tools for five

years and think that the more training we have and the more we can learn, the better able we are to help our customers

make informed, healthy choicesº she says.

Dan DeFabis, Laurel' s vice president, wants to improve the performance of retailers and believes people make the

difference. DeFabis closed the session by issuing the following challenge: From June 10 to Sept. 15, the store with the

most course completions per employee will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the Institute' s International Supermarket

Management Class in Atlanta. Additionally, the counselor with the highest number of course completions will accompany

the winning retailer.


TRAINING EXCELLENCE

International Supermarket Management Class (ISMC)October 5-9, 2009

Atlanta, GA

NOW…simultaneously translated into Spanish!

During this five-day immersion class, students will hear

from a faculty of 15 industry experts about issues that affect

business. Students will also learn management skills that

improve operations, financials and people performance.

This unique program is more than a classroom experience;

it presents the opportunity to learn from and network with

people who are meeting today’s food

retail challenges, experience new and

innovative store formats through

visits to local supermarkets and

participate in an optional Web-based

certification program.

New this year: The ISMC is now

fully bilingual, with simultaneous

translation in Spanish and Spanish

class materials. Thirteen Spanish-

translated online courses are currently

available for the blended program, and an average

of two new courses are being translated every month.

Take advantage of the Institute’s “Early Bird” rates;

register before Sept. 18, and save $300 off tuition!

Top Stores - Second Quarter 2009 Courses Store Location LDC

342 Real Value IGA Supermarket Grenada -

215 Granite Falls IGA Granite Falls, WA Unified Grocers

196 Consolidated Foods IGA St. Lucia Affiliated Foods Midwest - Norfolk

106 IGA Crossroads #773 Bowling Green, KY Houchens Industries, Inc.

150 Cargills IGA Sri Lanka -

138 Mega J' s IGA St. Lucia -

128 Super J IGA-Sunny Acres St. Lucia -

116 Super J IGA-Boulevard St. Lucia -

114 Super J IGA-Waterfronts St. Lucia -

103 StoneRidge Meat & Country Market Wautoma, WI SUPERVALU INC.

97 Super J IGA-Rodney Heights St. Lucia -

81 Quality Foods Schofield, WI SUPERVALU INC.

81 Super J IGA-Rodney Bay St. Lucia Houchens Industries, Inc.

72 IGA Crossroads #776 Bowling Green, KY W. Lee Flowers & Co., Inc.

71 Manning IGA Manning, SC Affiliated Foods Midwest

67 Pierce' s IGA Marketplace West Baraboo, WI Bozzuto' s, Inc.

58 Lake Region IGA Hawley, PA Bozzuto' s, Inc.

58 Milam' s Market IGA #5 Stuart, FL SUPERVALU INC.

52 Super J IGA-La Clery St. Lucia -

51 Houchens IGA #34 Bowling Green, KY Houchens Industries, Inc.

51 Wadesboro IGA Foodliner Inc. Wadesboro, NC Merchants Distributors, Inc.60 | IGA GROCERGRAM Quarterly

How To Register For ISMC:

Online: www.igainstitute.com

Email: [email protected]

Call: 773-695-2611 or 800-324-5442

Mail: IGA Coca-Cola Institute8745 West Higgins Road, Suite 350Chicago, IL 60631Fax: 773-693-9178

Agenda:

• Developing a High Performance Culture

• Leadership and Self-Assessment

• Team Building

• Category Management

• Importance of New Products and Trends

• Positioning for Retail Success

• Effective Events and Advertising

• Merchandising Magic

• Selling to and Managing Multiple Generations

• Supermarket Finance

• Retail Shrink Management

• Bakery Department

• Deli Department and Cheese Merchandising

• Meat Department

• Produce Department

• Pet Care Category

Other Activities:

• Store Tour

• Networking Dinner

• Cheese Sampling

• Interactive Sessions


Top Students - Second Quarter 2009

Courses Employee Store Location LDC

41 Kim Hampton IGA Crossroads #776 Bowling Green, KY Houchens Industries, Inc.

32 Sylvester Marius Consolidated Foods IGA St. Lucia -

29 W. Ajith Prasantha Perera Cargills IGA Sri Lanka -

28 Tim Forshee Houchens IGA #34 Bowling Green, KY Houchens Industries, Inc.

28 Natalie Mc Burnie Real Value IGA Supermarket Grenada -

27 Camilla Hinds Super J IGA-Boulevard St. Lucia -

25 Betty Lewis Real Value IGA Supermarket Grenada -

25 Julia Bubb Real Value IGA Supermarket Grenada -

23 Debra Soland Baltimore IGA Express Baltimore, OH Laurel Grocery Co.

23 Patricia Ottley Real Value IGA Supermarket Grenada -

23 Deborah Philp Super J IGA-Boulevard St. Lucia -

22 Kaveendra Thilakratne Cargills IGA Sri Lanka -

22 Raymund James Super J IGA-Boulevard St. Lucia -

21 Brenda Lionel Mega J' s IGA St. Lucia -

20 Dan Groskreutz Fred' s IGA Montgomery, MN Affiliated Foods Midwest

20 Tamica Paul Real Value IGA Supermarket Grenada -

20 Tracey Marryshow Joseph Real Value IGA Supermarket Grenada -

20 Merlinda Pilgrim Super J IGA-Sunny Acres St. Lucia -

19 Sadia Joseph Mega J' s IGA St. Lucia -

18 Dianne Thomas Real Value IGA Supermarket Grenada -

SUMMER 2009 | 61

ª My Tipsº Winners!The IGA Coca-Cola Institute is thrilled to announce the winners for 2009' s second ª My Tipsº drawing. The drawing

is simple: Every quarter, the Institute randomly recognizes four people who have identified a possible need for

improvement in the Institute' s online classes. The winners are awarded $100 in IGA VISA gift cards.

This quarter' s winners are Lalith Pushpakumara of Cargills Ceylon Ltd. IGA in Sri Lanka; Linda Wyant of Carlie C' s

IGA in Lillington, N.C.; Lizzie Baker of Granite Falls IGA in Granite Falls, Wash.; and Verne Edward of Super J IGA

(Consolidated Foods) in St. Lucia, West Indies.

Thank you Lalith, Linda, Lizzie, Verne and all the other contributors who shared their input.

As always, keep the tips coming!!!

Lalith Pushpakumara Linda Wyant Lizzie Baker Verne Edward


INSTITUTE INSIGHTS

On-the-job training (OJT) is one-on-

one training in which an experienced

craftsperson shows a novice how to do

a task. Because of its simplicity, this

informal procedure is commonly used

in today’s workplace. OJT is cheap and

straightforward, and trainees can easily

understand how to apply the lessons

they learn. Peers and managers

can offer OJT, and it can

be customized to fit

the experiences and

abilities of the learner.

On the downside,

experienced

associates are unable

to accomplish any

productive work

while performing OJT.

Additionally, the

experienced craftsperson

in charge of the lesson

may not have the

necessary teaching

skills to successfully

train novices. He or

she may pass on bad

habits or consider

training a time

imposition. For these

reasons (and like any other

training approach), OJT

needs to be carefully designed in

order to be effective.

Blended training is a form of learning

that combines different methods, such

as online, OJT and classroom training.

“The magic is in the mix,” meaning

training becomes about 25 percent

more efficient by combining different

delivery methods. Even if only a single

additional method is added to a training

program, it will still have a significant

impact on learning results.

Independent retailers can use the

Internet to train large numbers of

students. Online training also improves

efficiency by enabling more instruction,

delivered to more people and at a lower

cost. Courses can be divided into

smaller instructional chunks,

giving students more

flexibility by selecting

training components

that precisely meet

their individual

requirements.

By updating

online training

content the moment

information changes,

organizations are

able to meet the needs

of dispersed people

who rely on accurate

content in order

to do their jobs.

Technology delivers

consistent training

to all who need it

and ensures that no

critical content falls

through the cracks.

Recession is a powerful

stimulus for changing set

behaviors. If you are rethinking

your training in order to improve

customer service and productivity, then

it is time to think about developing your

people through blended training.

Dr. Paulo Goelzer, CEO of the IGA Coca-Cola Institute, is a regular contributor to the magazine and also a member of the IGA Grocergram Quarterly editorial board.

Blended On-the-Job Training

by

Paulo Goelzer,Ph.D.



summer 2009 - blended on-the-job training

Documents