Training & Education
16 minVarious training and development program offerings are developed at the Group level which can then be specifically tailored to local needs.
Focus Area: People
These include, for example, a range of vocational training and dual studies, language and project management courses and opportunities for job rotation.
In addition to providing employees worldwide with access to a Learning Management System, which hosts a variety of e-learning modules, dormakaba offers our employees various continuous training and development programs, ranging from product, sales, safety and leadership topics.
The company supports the professional qualification of employees, and at many locations, also contributes to the financing of external training on an individual basis.
AS AMER has formulated clear expectations on leadership behavior and has outlined the different tools and learning resources that can be used to meet or exceed the expectations. There are 1.5 dedicated resources to learning and development, demonstrating the commitment the segment has in this area. The segment is also developing a segment-wide strategy that considers individual development needs and mandatory requirements by country (USA, Canada, Mexico and Brazil). In Canada, the company tracks all learning to be compliant with local regulations. Tuition and professional development reimbursement is offered. A focus of the training program is on project & change management, sales product training and leadership training including Leading for Success, Leading at the Speed of Trust, Leading Others Through Change, and Strength Finders.
Evaluation of the management approach
In AS AMER, evaluation of the management approach takes place through employee feedback. One challenge of the management approach has been carrying out annual performance review processes within the company’s HR web-based management system for some target groups, and through manual forms for others. However, progress has been made in aligning the various business entities and building awareness of the process. One key adjustment has been to develop a talent management focus group with management to gain further insight on their needs.
The Training & Education management approach in AS APAC enables staff to have the required competencies to safely and efficiently perform their tasks and, where appropriate, to support for career advancement. Further objectives include reduction of employee turnover, ensuring health and safety, and minimizing risk by cross-training through job rotations. Learning new languages is supported to help employees fit-in in a multinational environment.
South Asia has a competence-based framework across four silos in technical training, with two training managers dedicated to supporting implementation. As a part of this competency framework, we offer employees in product specification with sponsored certification programs through the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI) and by the Door & Hardware Institute, USA. Special emphasis is placed on employees with less than five years in the company, which constitutes about 65% of product specifiers. The average training time per employee per year in the general sales workforce is 5 working days.
In Singapore, direct supervisors are responsible for conducting a Training Needs Analysis with the support of HR. The operations team has several compulsory trainings covering, for example, safety and lean management. New hires undergo two weeks of training. All employees are eligible for a government-funded “SkillFuture” program to learn new skills as part of lifelong learning. 15 training sessions have been offered to staff in the reported financial year.
In China North Asia, new hires are offered a four-week onboarding program. GAI certification is also offered. Generally, most training is on-the-job. An annual training plan is developed for classroom training programs, with a set target of completion of 85%. As the facility in Suzhou (China) is certified to ISO 9001, the training management process, plan, records and evaluation are systemized. Average classroom trainings for shop floor employees are 14 hours per year per employee. Office employees average 16 hours per year.
Similarly, the subsidiary TLHM Co. Ltd. is also certified to ISO 9001. The subsidiary follows the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle as part of the certification. SWOT analyses, satisfaction questionnaires, quizzes for participants and tracking on subsequent promotion and performance are regularly done. Average training time is 13 hours per employee per year.
The facility in Taishan (China), which hosts the largest dormakaba employee base worldwide, has a talent development training program in place for all employees. In the 2017/18 financial year, focus was placed on training of management basics for workshop managers and supervisors, which included courses on daily management, daily communications, continuous improvements and lean production. 22 frontline managers benefited from this training. Training on the new ERP system was another focus. 55 staff members were trained as part of the roll-out of the system. In total, Taishan employees participated in 73 courses (in class or e-learning), with an average training time per employee of 1.5 hours over the course of the year.
Pacific has a full-time National Training Manager who is responsible for writing and delivering training packages to meet operational requirements. In the service organization, each service location has a nominated training champion. Managers set goals and targets for their teams. Team goals are preferred to foster greater collaboration within the respective team. Goals and targets generally vary in length from 3 to 12 months. Staff can access funding and support for external study programs, and traineeships are offered for service technicians.
Service technicians undergo between 8 and 12 hours of training per year, whereas sales representatives undergo between 4 and 16 hours training per year.
Evaluation of the management approach
The management approach is evaluated based on feedback after trainings. Another evaluation method is the pass/fail ratio of assessments of participants or employee turnover rates. Improved productivity rates, measured quarterly, are also used as a metric to evaluate successful training programs. For the facilities in Suzhou (China) and TLHM Co. Ltd., evaluation occurs as a matter of course through external audits for ISO 9001 certification. In the latter, further evaluation occurs in the education review meeting and is fed into the company-wide mid-term planning.
The Learning and Development department in Germany is responsible for training and development of AS DACH employees in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The processes are centrally organized and mapped in the Integrated Management System based on ISO 9001 requirements. The online learning platform is the central hub for all employees. It contains the current training programs. In future, the learning platform will also provide documentation and workflows for external and target group-specific trainings. Personality diagnostics and coaching are made available, as well as leadership, team and individual training modules.
In Germany, participants benefited from training on energy management, environment, business management, purchasing, IT, communication, quality management, law, conduct, sales, marketing, production and service. Further, 16 participants benefited from the management development program Leading for Success in the 2017/18 financial year.
Besides also offering the above, Swiss and Austrian sites offer occupational health and safety training in accordance with local labor law. Approximately 2 hours of training per employee per year and 24 hours of training per manager per year are offered. Additionally, Swiss entities offer financial support for external courses. The degree of support varies based on the relevance of the studies to the business.
For information on training and education activities in the AS DACH manufacturing facilities located in Asia, refer to the AS APAC section.
Evaluation of the management approach
Employees are encouraged to fill out a feedback form after participating in a training. An evaluation of the feedback is the basis for the planning and implementation of improvement measures. Based on audits related to ISO 9001 certification, Switzerland will take corrective action by maintaining better records of training hours in future.
AS EMEA has a segment-wide approach to training and education, with a focus on sales and leadership development under the responsibility of a segment-level Learning and Development manager. The same management-level training courses and initiatives are delivered throughout EMEA, ensuring that a consistent methodology, content and standard of training is delivered throughout the segment. At least one management course is delivered in each region on an annual basis. On average, managers receive 12 hours of training per year. In the 2017/18 financial year, 84 managers participated in classroom trainings on leadership development. Another 32 managers were trained on how to lead virtual teams. In addition, 16 sales employees were trained on consultative selling skills. 22 new joiners in regions CEERT participated in a training on the dormakaba mission, ambition, strategy and brand. Over 125 product training sessions were held across EMEA including numerous online training courses. Further trainings were offered on HR processes, construction industry regulations, health and safety, pricing and ISO certification, for example.
Individual Development Plans (IDPs) are defined annually in the MEA region and in France. CEERT has developed a Key Talent Identification system where 44 people have been identified as Key Talents in different countries. The program includes assessment, development dialogues, and IDPs.
Belgium has committed to provide a minimal of 16 hours of training per employee per year. In 2017/18, the average training time was 17 hours. A large focus has been on onboarding 34 new joiners, as well as in launching a so-called “back-up” program. As part of this, management appointed a back-up colleague for every job function and then organized classroom and on-the-job training to ensure business continuity.
Evaluation of the management approach
Effectiveness of the training programs is assessed by testing participants knowledge after the training. In region CEERT, a sales survey across the sales population was conducted which included questions about sufficiency of existing product trainings and identifications of knowledge gaps. The results are taken in consideration during planning further products training.
Senior management in Key & Wall Solutions updates analysis and development plans twice a year for talented potentials, based on performance review results and additional individual assessments. This may include project assignment, exchanges abroad, and dedicated in-class or individual training plans.
In Italy, a training plan is developed on an annual basis as required by ISO 9001 and OSHAS 18001 standards. This includes ‘on-the job’ and in-class activities, and their completion is tracked. Beginning in 2018, governmental regulations mandate 24 hours of training per employee within three years. The facility goes beyond this and offers at least 24 hours of training for every employee on a two-year average.
Effectiveness of training initiatives is evaluated based on the ISO 9001, ISO 14001 or OSHAS 18001 requirements. It involves an initial skills assessment and a final one, to identify the improvement. Similarly, the effectiveness of training may be measured by tests (in class or following training) and by the enhancement in skills evaluation.
As an ISO 9001 certified entity, Key Systems (KS) North America in Rocky Mount, North Carolina (USA) also develops an annual training plan accordingly. New-hires receive a performance evaluation after 90 days of employment to ensure they are qualified to perform the job for which they are hired. All employees receive an annual performance evaluation from their direct manager. Employees who do not meet performance expectations are provided with a development plan, or may be placed on a performance improvement plan.
KS North America also has an Educational Assistance program for continuing postsecondary education in programs aligned to an employee’s current or future career path. This benefit is not required by any legislation, and supports our preference for promotion from within. At least three employees participated in this during the fiscal year.
Besides on-the-job training, KS South America offers trainings on how to create a constructive work culture, including conflict management and adherence to dormakaba values. Training on work safety and ergonomics are also offered. The training concept is currently being integrated in the ongoing development of an ISO 9001 certification.
KS India and South East Asia offers opportunities for vocational training, from basic technical skills to behavioral skills and organization development programs, with an internal training center available for all employees. The annual training plan is elaborated based on needs analysis according to the ISO 9001 management system. The average annual training is 12 - 16 hours per employee (including apprentices and contractors). In addition, vocational classes are offered to the local community as part of its community engagement.
Evaluation of the management approach
Training effectiveness is measured against audits, stakeholder feedback and KPIs. If a negative trend is identified in ISO audits, management meets to review the root cause and determine possible remediation needed, which may include increased communication and/or modifying the training program. Voluntary feedback surveys (directly after the training and 100 days later) also provide input for planning continuous improvement.
Modernfold, the USA-based entity in Movable Walls, considers an educated workforce an integral part in creating customer satisfaction. Training and education is also seen as critical to driving employee engagement. Managers and employees discuss development informally at least quarterly and on a formal basis at performance reviews. Management maintains a quarterly review of talent management, including succession planning, development, needs and risk assessment. Production supervisors receive approximately 16 hours of training per year. Office and management employees have at least 8 hours of training in class, on-the-job or e-learning.
Besides on-the-job training and onboarding programs, EMEA offers technical training (e.g., on new machines or regulations, etc.). In the 2017/18 financial year, a leadership skills training program has been launched.
APAC (Malaysia) dedicates a yearly budget for training, which is distributed based on a training needs analysis. Besides the mandatory health and safety training, vocational sessions for shop-floor employees are offered.
Evaluation of the management approach
Through employee feedback, one major challenge in the management approach was found. Being a lean organization, at times it can be difficult for employees to find time to take training courses. Therefore, Modernfold is reviewing on-line resources to provide employees access to training and education around the clock, which will improve employee performance.