LEAD Awards 2018: Interview with Rick Santos, Toromont Cat
Developing Future Business Leaders
Posted on 05-31-2018, Read Time: - Min
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Category: Best Executive Coaching Program
LEAD AWARD RANK: 4
Category: Best First Time Manager Program
LEAD AWARD RANK: 3
Organization: Toromont Cat
Program: From Nunavut to Newfoundland, Toromont Cat’s Management Trainee Program
Program Director: Maria Vomiero (HR Director)
Visit: www.toromontcat.com
Developing Future Business Leaders
Our editorial team interviewed Rick Santos from Toromont Cat at the LEAD2018 Awards this past February. Here are some excerpts from the exclusive interview.
What is the overall objective of your program?
- An organizational strategy to grow business results through enhanced General Management and Technical expertise across the dealership.
- Robust and sustainable succession plans for all key positions across the Toromont Cat dealership.
- Enhanced employee loyalty through Toromont Cat’s philosophy of developing and promoting employees from within the Company.
Who do you impact with your program?
This program is an effective collaboration between Human Resources and Business Leaders. Program expenses are shared 50 / 50 by Human Resources and business operations.
Human Resources lead the Recruitment effort to identify best-fit candidates to move into next steps of the selection process. Candidates are then interviewed through a unique all-day process with HR and Business Leaders for an in-depth assessment of capability and organizational fit. Business leaders and HR collaborate on the hiring decision and the Trainees are assigned to their first rotation.
Business Leaders and HR collaborate to orient, onboard and develop Trainees in an accelerated format for success. This can happen individual or in group settings (depending on the number hires at any given time). Trainees are automatically enrolled into key Company Leadership Programs (e.g. Situational Leadership, 4DX, Predictive Index, Sales Pro). Business Leaders are also assigned as mentors to meet regularly with the Trainee for their success.
Trainees will be developed into future Business Leaders and/or other key positions within the Company.
What are the lessons you’ve learned this year from facilitating your program?
Trainees continue to produce improved business outcomes and financial results which is raising the demand from the business. As a result, more Business Leaders are recognizing the value of this program and regularly request Trainees for their respective areas. This has led to an increase in hiring for 2018 and pressure to ensure a strong Trainee pipeline.
Some emphasis is needed to hire and develop Trainees into unique and specific geographies (e.g. outside more popular urban areas). Many trainees will prefer to work urban centres, however effective forecasting, targeted hiring and development planning within specific geographies should lead to the likely outcome of a Trainee graduating and working in non-urban centres for which they are hired.
How do you measure the return on investment and success of the program?
Toromont has had an impressive and consistent return on investment:
- Service operations led by former Trainees average +8% higher profit than others.
- A comparison of two operations replaced with former Trainees showed an $800,000 gain over 7 months.
- Two branches (same VP and area) one led by former Trainee and the other not over 4 years; Trainee branch had service revenue +156% vs. 29%.
What lies ahead for the program and how will it continue to succeed?
As Toromont looks ahead, we are focusing more so on hiring for Diversity with an emphasis on Women in Leadership, Women in non-traditional roles, and members of Aboriginal / Indigenous groups.
Toromont will expand this program into our newly acquired Toromont Cat locations. The Company has recently doubled in size through acquisition and implementing this program into our new locations will be a priority as we integrate our broader HR teams and Business Leaders.
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