Creating Ops-Specific Training and Retention Program

The Problem

Operational performance was being limited by a familiar pattern:

  • Inconsistent onboarding

  • High early-tenure attrition

  • Frontline leaders promoted for technical skill, not people leadership

  • Training that was generic, outdated, or disconnected from daily work

The result was predictable - variable performance, avoidable errors, and disengaged teams.

The challenge was not hiring more people. It was developing the people we already had.

The Constraints

  • Multiple facilities and roles with different operational demands

  • Hourly, exempt, non-exempt, and contract labor

  • Limited tolerance for productivity loss during training

  • Managers already stretched thin

  • A need to show ROI, not just “engagement”

Any solution had to improve results and retention.

The Approach

Rather than adopting off-the-shelf training, I designed an operations-specific development program built around how work actually gets done.

1. Role-Based Onboarding

  • Defined clear expectations for each role in the first 30, 60, and 90 days

  • Focused training on the few actions that mattered most to safety, quality, and service

  • Removed unnecessary content that diluted accountability

2. Manager Enablement

  • Trained supervisors on coaching, feedback, and performance conversations

  • Standardized performance reviews tied directly to operational KPIs

  • Shifted leaders from “problem solvers” to “people developers”

3. Measurable Performance Standards

  • Linked training completion to real operational outcomes

  • Used simple scorecards to track progress and gaps

  • Made expectations visible and non-negotiable

4. Engagement and Retention

  • Created structured onboarding, performance appraisals, and development paths

  • Launched monthly town halls to increase transparency and trust

  • Built feedback loops so teams felt heard—not managed

The Execution

The program was rolled out across operations with consistent messaging and leadership sponsorship.

Training became part of the operating rhythm - not an event. Managers were held accountable for development just as they were for productivity and cost.

The Results

  • Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) improved by 80%

  • Improved retention and faster time-to-productivity

  • More consistent execution across sites and shifts

  • Stronger bench of frontline leaders

  • Higher engagement without sacrificing operational performance

The Key Lesson

Retention problems are usually system problems, not people problems. When expectations are clear, training is relevant, and leaders are equipped to coach - not just direct - performance improves and people stay. If you want better ops results, start by building better operators.