Wed June 14 07:30 am 2023 in category Company news
Mentorship Program Drives Culture, Quality as Nokian Tyres' Dayton Factory Grows
More than 80 mentors are helping equip Nokian Tyres’ growing workforce for success
DAYTON, Tenn. – As Nokian Tyres fosters growth at its award-winning production campus in Dayton, Tennessee, it must also maintain a life-driven culture and uphold strict quality standards. The key: a popular mentorship program that has turned team members into leaders.
By 2024, Nokian Tyres’ North American factory will produce as many as four million all-season and all-weather tires for drivers in U.S. and Canada. The company is hiring 125 team members and doubling capacity at the facility to meet rising demand for its safe, sustainable tires. And veteran team members are eager to help new hires learn about the company’s high quality and safety standards.
More than 80 mentors have been nominated to train their new colleagues, encourage their career development and serve as a resource during the company’s intensive months-long training program. In turn, the experience offers mentors a chance to develop their leadership skills.
“We want to retain and recognize people who stand out,” said Nokian Tyres Production Trainer Collin Beam. “New employees feel there’s a vested interest in their success by having the best possible training experience. Our mentors are the best trainers – they’re above average in quality, safety and attitude.”
Employees who exceed expectations as they gain experience are invited to serve as mentors for new team members. Nokian Tyres installs one mentor per shift at each production area to support trainees’ acclimation to the complex tire manufacturing process. The mentorship opportunity serves as a motivating factor for burgeoning standout performers at the company who want to bolster their leadership credentials.
“It’s rewarding to see positive outcomes as employees become mentors, excel and grow as the company is growing,” said Production Trainer Kevin Browning. “A bunch of opportunities open up for mentors to advance their careers.”
The mentorship program isn’t a one-size-fits-all training regimen. Instead, on-the-job training is tailored to the needs and preferences of each new worker.
“At orientation we have a questionnaire that calibrates the learning style of the new employee,” said Browning. “When we take that folder to the mentors, they have an understanding of how to set the employee up for success. The new employees really appreciate that.”
In its three-plus years of operations in Dayton, Nokian Tyres has earned recognition for the factory’s safety, and sustainability efforts. The tiremaker earned Company of the Year honors from the Chattanooga Regional Manufacturers Association. It was the first Rhea County business to receive the prestigious Tennessee Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award for Sustainable Performance. And its world-class processes have led to ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 certifications.
But Browning and Beam agree that the factory’s biggest differentiator is its culture, which drives production progress by fueling personal growth.
“From the top down, this place cares about its employees,” said Browning. “You can talk to the plant manager just as freely as you can with your co-worker. There’s not an ‘us’ and ‘them’ like you often hear in manufacturing. Sustaining that culture is the key.”
“Everything here is so positive,” Beam said. “We started out with 50 people, and we were very close. Keeping that same culture alive today with the amount of people in the plant now is truly amazing.”
For more information or to apply for jobs at the Dayton Factory, visit NokianTires.com/DaytonFactory.