Citing Suffolk Construction's innovative training programs for its employees, Training Magazine has named the company to its annual "Training Top 125" list. The report, which is the only one of its kind in the nation, ranks companies "unsurpassed in harnessing human capital" based on the amount they invest in employee development, the scope of the development programs they offer, and how closely development efforts are linked to business goals and objectives.
This year, Suffolk outranked notable companies such as Sprint, UPS, Bank of America, FedEx, and AAA. This is the fifth year in a row Suffolk has been ranked on this respected list, and the third straight year that Suffolk has placed first or second among construction companies.
"Suffolk's inclusion on this list reinforces our belief that the best investment we can make as a company is in our people," said Suffolk CEO John Fish. "Our commitment to providing on-the-job training to each of our employees results in a better product for our clients, a safer work environment, and a greater level of job satisfaction—which means we can keep great employees."
David First, Suffolk's vice president of learning and development, accepted the award on behalf of the company, which was presented during a black tie gala held during the Training 2012 Conference and Expo at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
First, whose leadership has been instrumental to Suffolk's success in this area, was also included in a Training Magazine feature on best practices for training and development in conjunction with the release of the list.
The ranking highlights the success of Suffolk's just-in-time approach to on-the-job training, which delivers training to employees right when they know they will need it. Suffolk also works with its instructional design team, in collaboration with subject matter experts (SMEs), to provide a menu of training options for every project. Delivery is executed by a team of SMEs who have been trained by Suffolk's corporate learning team. Suffolk, which has provided iPads to all of its employees, utilizes Facetime technology to train employees when SMEs are not available to visit jobsites.
Suffolk was also cited for its project start-up team training, which replaces traditional classroom instruction with detailed practical on-the-job experiential learning techniques to deliver necessary policy and procedures training, as well as best practice and technical training, on each project. Topics include safety/crisis management, insurance procedures, risk management, quality management and various technology training.
"This training has allowed us to ensure that every project is following our Standard Operating Procedures," said First. "We can clearly see that providing customized, project-specific training to teams at their job sites can be a huge asset."
Suffolk Construction is one of the most successful privately held building contractors in the country, providing preconstruction, construction management, design-build, and general contracting services to clients in the healthcare, science and technology, education, federal government, and commercial sectors. Suffolk is based in Boston and has a strong national presence with main offices throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic,Southeast, and West Coast. Suffolk is committed to delivering its "build smart" approach to construction management on every project. The company's project teams provide clients comprehensive planning services, innovative solutions and technologies, and proven processes, such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), to deliver the most complex building construction projects on schedule and on budget, with minimal risk. Suffolk is a community-conscious organization dedicated to environmentally friendly and sustainable business practices, and is committed to making a positive impact in its local communities through grassroots volunteer work,employee fundraising, and corporate giving.