The best learning and development organizations support business initiatives tactically "and" help drive strategic change. Verizon did just that, earning it the No. 1 spot for the first time on the Training Top 125. Verizon and the other 2012 Top 125 winners continued to invest in training, collectively dedicating a mean of 4.52 percent of their…

Top companies realize how vital training is to their success and continue to invest in it, even in trying times. This article presents "Training" magazine's 11th annual ranking of the top companies with employee-sponsored workforce training and development. First-time No. 1 winner Farmers Insurance puts such a premium on learning that its new…

Dissatisfaction with managers is a major cause of employee turnover The Charles Schwab Corporation surveys employees annually and holds employee focus groups and online town meetings. The information is used for the coaching and training of department heads. (JOW)

In today's ever-expanding U.S. economy, unemployment levels are at 30-year lows and the job market continues to swell. Every industry is fighting a labor shortage and bemoaning the costs of employee turnover. Companies with extensive training and career development are most likely to retain employees. (JOW)

For flooring manufacturer Mohawk Industries, it is not enough to teach employees how to be great. The long-time Training Top 125 contender focused last year on helping employees to blaze their own learning paths while meeting organization imperatives. That meant improving the technology that supports employee performance, as well as creating new…

No or poor orientation can reduce new employees' effectiveness and contribute to dissatisfaction and turnover, costing the company money. The orientation programs of large companies such as Disney, Texas Instruments, and Corning Glass are successful due to high expectations, supervisor and senior management involvement, anxiety reduction, and…

Sometimes it's a relief when a leader leaves. What large organization, after all, doesn't have its "seasoned" corner office dragon who predates everyone, and who no one can figure out how to get rid of? But more often, companies are proud of their leaders, especially the ones they took pains to develop over a decade or two. After years of…

Points out the value of mentoring programs as a way to recruit and retain employees and increase their value to the company. Discusses why some mentoring programs fail: employees do not understand why they are participating or there is little time and support for the program. (JOW)

Although there are important human resource basics, such as competitive pay and benefits and career growth opportunities, retention of information technology (IT) workers is less about money than it is about respectful treatment. Retention involves designing interesting jobs, giving recognition, providing regular feedback, and being flexible about…