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…

Preparing employees for the immediate work in front of them is a challenge. While most companies are still mastering effectively training their own workforce, some, such as "Training" magazine Top 10 Hall of Famer The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, have set up for-profit academies open to the public. When Ritz-Carlton won the national Malcolm…

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…

Even in an industry where rapid change is the status quo, it takes a special kind of company to handle the training challenges posed by a major corporate acquisition and massive product rollout. No one has ever accused Verizon of thinking small-scale when it comes to training initiatives, but over the last year, the telecommunications giant…

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…

The youngest workforce generation seems to crave games and simulations, and even older workers are coming to enjoy them. But what do new trends in these areas mean for the company, the learners, and the organization's strategic goals? In this article, two experts in the field, Clarissa Graffeo and David Metcalf of the Mixed Emerging Technology…

Discusses the advantages and limitations of a one-person training department in a small organization. Suggests that going it alone is seldom easy, but gives some thoughts and ideas on how to match trainer's skills most effectively with the organization's needs. (WL)

The problems of meeting diverse needs, keeping training relevant, maintaining quality, minimizing administrative loads of course leaders, and keeping costs reasonable are discussed in this article dealing with the General Electric (GE) formen/supervisor program (FSP). Evaluation criteria for FSP course leaders and instructional modules are…

Five organizations report promising payoffs from the scheme in which training becomes an adjunct to the selection and placement process. (WL)

Presents guidelines for starting a training department including reasons why corporations decide to establish one. Includes examples from many companies. (JOW)

Leonard Nadler, who created George Washington University's doctoral program in human resources development (HRD) in 1962, discusses definitions of HRD and its growth as a discipline. (JOW)

Because organizations need to be broader based and cross-functional, workers must have broader expertise as well as deep specialized skills. Cross-training and teamwork are essential. (SK)

Looks at the best and worst workplace training ideas of the 20th century. Includes ideas that haven't happened, those that went from bad to good, ones that got lost in the shuffle, ideas to take into the next century, and those that are best discarded. (JOW)

Provides empirical evidence that significant investment in work force development leads to increased shareholder value. Suggests that management should heed the evidence when considering cutting training and development budgets. Profiles 11 companies' stock performance and discusses their training and development initiatives. (JOW)

Limitations of accounting or budgeting practices can confuse a company's long-term investment in training and development. Companies disciplined enough to invest in their people can achieve significant long-term returns. (JOW)