It’s 9 am on a Monday. Calls are coming in, emails are going out, and your top product specialist is closing the deal with one of the biggest names in the dietary supplement industry. It’s difficult to do anything except WORK.
But it’s the start of the year and you know what that means…ANNUAL TRAINING.
The law mandates annual training to ensure a safe and friendly work environment, from sexual harassment prevention to general misconduct. Training sets the stage for the future and to what extent companies use their resources to educate their employees holds depends on how successful of a company they wish to become. Makers Nutrition finds it vital to instruct, establish and enforce standards and expectations for all team members.
What We've Learned
Time is precious and we know it is not to be wasted. Our training time is used to strictly lay down the rules, allow questions to be answered and inform new employees of what is not only expected from them, but what will not be tolerated at Makers Nutrition. Our two-part sexual harassment prevention training, which includes bullying and hostile work environment sections, has channeled the conversation, normalized it even, so employees understand they are in a bias-free, safe space that values all walks of life. To practice what we preach, Makers Nutrition employs people of all different backgrounds and ages, and we come together to carry out our mission as the #1 choice provider for vitamin and supplement companies. We attest to our method’s effectiveness because of the top talent we’ve attracted, winning Inc. Best Workplace and BIG Best Place to Work two years in a row, the countless products we’ve sent to market, but most importantly, the recognition of respect and appropriate conduct for which we hold all parties responsible.
How We've Changed
Each year, Makers Nutrition administers internal employee satisfaction surveys to collect anonymous feedback from our team. It is our way to keep the company honest, professional, and serving our clients to the best of our ability. As we continue to modify and add to our annual training, we have seen a spike in overall positive survey responses. Morale has increased significantly and our employees are highly aware of how words and actions affect people. They also know human resources and management will step in immediately should an issue arise, though we hope one never does.
Perhaps most meaningful, allowing questions to be asked in a room full of different people from their different backgrounds has created a greater sense of empathy we didn’t see coming. Opening the conversation has raised points that in turn opened eyes and ears to the impact words and actions have on people of both sexes. Each year, we all enter the room individually, but exit a more unified and understanding group.
Employee Performance
We advise all companies to take training just as seriously as we do because of the progress we’ve made as a unit. Most proudly, we have experienced employee performance improvements throughout all departments. We believe this change is due in part to the fact that our team members now know, more than ever, that their role matters here. Our training is a reminder of the potential impact each of us can make, though whether that impact is good or bad is a choice. Today, employees are conscious of the consequences, should they decide to make a negative mark on our cohesive community that we’ve worked so hard to achieve. And we refuse to compromise.
Training for Success
You see, we strive to stand on top of the nutraceutical industry, outpacing competition and providing exceptional customer care—the kind that solidifies lasting business relationships with our clients. In addition to sexual harassment prevention, our staff undergoes thorough cGMP training to guarantee Makers Nutrition is more than qualified to produce high quality products for supplement brands. We know what training does for employees and our how it has helped us grow into the company we are today. We hold ourselves accountable and responsible as a corporate entity. We strive for a more understanding, respectful and engaged workplace…shouldn’t you?
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