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What would happen if P1 employees didn鈥檛 have a resource for learning our standard procedures?

Learning to understand, use, and change with process, procedure, and technology is critical to P1 operations running smoothly.

In a company of 1,000+ associates, there are two people making sure they do.

Those two people are Director of Organizational and Talent Development Sarah Garcia and Training Specialist Tennille Tegeler.

Between them, they handle two sides of the P1 training coin: office and field.

鈥淧roject management process and procedure鈥� is how Sarah describes the overview of what she handles, focusing on project managers (PMs) and project coordinators (PCs).

This means she has the critical role of not just teaching people how to use the software and systems implemented at P1, such as The Link, COINS ERP, and AutoDesk 天美直播 Cloud, but also helping determine what systems will best serve the company.

鈥淢y role is focused on developing process and procedures in our new systems, deciding on those systems, then training the PMs and PCs on how to use those systems,鈥� Sarah explained.

Pictured, above: Director of Organizational and Talent Development Sarah Garcia

Both Sarah and Tennille have to first understand the processes, procedures, and software themselves in order to teach it to others 鈥� an impressive feat considering how fast these things can change.

Sarah says her method of training has evolved from group sessions in the past - where several people were trained on the same topic - to individual sessions that take into account each person鈥檚 level of experience.

鈥淭he group sessions weren鈥檛 working because they all have such different levels of knowledge,鈥� Sarah said. 鈥淚 now coordinate with each new employee when they come on board.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 not going to teach a project manager with 20 years of industry experience the same way I teach a new project engineer just out of college.鈥�

Sarah says the one-on-one with new PMs works best, or, on the rare occasion there are several people starting with the same level of experience, they may be trained together.

Training typically consists of two-hour sessions once a week.

鈥淭he duration is dependent on the individual 鈥� it could take two months, or six months, depending on how similar their prior company鈥檚 procedures were to P1,鈥� Sarah explained.

Sarah also presents to the project management teams a couple times a year with two-hour sessions on needed or relevant topics.

This includes Lawrence and Lenexa mechanical and electrical teams, remote offices such as St. Joseph,
Las Vegas, Nebraska, and large job sites like Pryor, OK.

While Sarah focuses on office personnel, Tennille works with field personnel.

鈥淎nytime we have a new foreman, I work with them on using the iPad and learning the same process and procedures Sarah teaches the office,鈥� Tennille said.

Tennille also uses the one-to-one approach, often traveling so the foreman doesn鈥檛 have to leave the jobsite. She also attends foremen meetings where she will train on a specific relevant topic.

What if They Stay? A Commitment to Training

P1 Group Chairman of the Board Smitty Belcher had a philosophy many P1 associates remember well.

When asked 鈥渨hat if you spend all this time and money training people and they leave?鈥� he would always reply 鈥淲hat if I don鈥檛 train them and they stay?鈥�

When five separate companies merged to form P1 Group in 2001, no one was doing things the same way and the need to streamline process and procedure became apparent.

P1鈥檚 staunch commitment to properly training its people led to the development of P1 University in 2007.

Sarah, who had previously worked long hours as a Project Manager, was starting a family and looking for a different role at P1.

鈥淭he initiative to consolidate and ensure consistent training across the board was perfect timing,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always enjoyed teaching process and procedure鈥搉ot many people do鈥搕he need was there and so was I.鈥�

To say technology changes fast is an understatement, and Tennille says one of the biggest challenges she faces is the rapid updates that occur on devices used in the field.

This, coupled with people who have differing levels of technology savvy, means patience is truly a virtue.

鈥淓very time there鈥檚 a software update, or even password change, it鈥檚 important to have the patience and availability to spend time with each person who needs help,鈥� Tennille said.

鈥淭his includes transitioning people from the field to the office, where many people aren鈥檛 used to relying on computers and technology to do their jobs,鈥� she added.

Sarah says another challenge is finding out how to present and package information for a vast array of learning styles.

鈥淯nderstanding that not everyone learns things the same way, and may behave differently in a group setting, makes the one-on-one training even more effective.鈥�

Relationships Matter

鈥淭ennille is willing to do whatever it takes, whether it鈥檚 going to the job site or meeting at her office, to ensure training issues are handled and everyone feels confident they can do their job,鈥� Sarah said.

鈥淩egardless of the issue, when people feel like they know you and can trust you, they鈥檙e more likely to ask the questions they need answered,鈥� Tennille added.

鈥淥ne of the things I enjoy most about my job is getting to know every PM when they鈥檙e new, and being a
 person they can reach out to for support鈥� Sarah said.

Company tenure has helped too.

鈥淭ennille and I have been here long enough to really know the company, which makes it easier to help others get to know P1 process and procedure 鈥� we understand where they鈥檝e been,鈥� Sarah noted.

鈥淵ou can train people, but you can鈥檛 always measure if it鈥檚 being used or how well,鈥� she said.

鈥淲e probably get the most feedback from people coming from other companies in the industry. We often hear 鈥業 wish we had this level of training where I came from鈥�.鈥�

As with many support roles, the success of Operational Development isn鈥檛 easily quantifiable, which is why
patience, persistence, and relationships are so critical.

Thank you to Sarah and Tennille for being good at all three!