Bemis Associates: Learning by doing
PHOTO/COURTESY
Bemis Associates, which manufactures heat seal film adhesives, coatings and tapes for activewear, rainwear, military, tent, hazmat and other applications, does not hesitate to put trainees in positions that exceed their comfort levels.
And then, it supports them.
The company, headquartered in Shirley, has offices across the globe, and the applications of its products range widely. It invests heavily in training, focusing on employee development.
Eileen Madigan, the company's U.S. organizational development manager, is a certified public accountant by trade, and a strong believer in experiential learning, who was given the opportunity to become the HR manager on a learn-as-you-go basis.
Madigan said that while the company supports the pursuit of advanced degrees, experiential learning can give skills that would not be found in a formal education program.
“We also believe in putting someone in a situation with which they are uncomfortable,” Madigan said. “Some might fear to put a junior person in charge because they might make a mistake. We feel it's a learning process both ways.”
The result is a voluntary turnover rate near zero, Madigan said.
Bemis offers standard education reimbursement up to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service limit of $5,250 per year for books and courses deemed useful by the employee's manager, on condition of maintaining a C average for undergraduate courses and a B for graduate courses.
Carly Penniman earned her MBA at Fitchburg State University in 14 months in 2013 while at Bemis and was promoted from staff accountant to senior staff accountant a month ago. The company wants to make sure that people can perform at a higher level before awarding promotions, Penniman said.
Performance management is done on a continuous basis, and it's expected that staffers will be able to generate an established goal plan, in which managers and the staff collaborate for mutually aligned goals. Shifting priorities are taken into account as goals are updated.
The company has a full-time training manager who provides and facilitates leadership, project management, sales training and more. Employees have self-training options on the ADP portal, offsite instructor-led training through New Horizons, and training through trade show participation and membership with trade organizations.
Bemis' individual development plan targets areas in which employees want to be trained, which can include project management, sales, or technology training. Beyond that, though, the company asks any employee with direct reports to identify items that can be handed off to them through training. The goal: improving the management team by freeing them from work-intensive functions.
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