Employers will be able to improve the skills of their key supervisors at no cost under a $200,000 grant awarded to Associated Industries of Massachusetts today by the state Workforce Training Fund Program (WTFP).

AIM’s supervisory/leadership training series was among 10 initiatives to win grants under the WTFP Regional Training Capacity Pilot Program.

The grants, announced this afternoon at UPS in Watertown, are designed to meet regional demands for training that may not have the scope or scale to merit a standard Workforce Training Grant. The awards will also help larger organizations that want to offer leadership education to limited populations of new hires, a leadership bench player or newly promoted supervisor.

“A large segment of leadership teams are comprised of home-grown, high potential people who have shown technical ability, but who have not had the chance to learn the human relations and decision making skills that are important to helping others succeed,” said Gary MacDonald, Executive Vice President of AIM.

“AIM’s Supervisory Skills program focuses on these complementary skill sets, resulting in better retention of talent, a more engaged and adaptive workforce, and improved productivity and bottom-line results.”

MacDonald said companies face a multitude of internal and external issues that can be resolved, minimized or avoided by good supervisory and leadership practices:

• Retention and turnover
• Legal compliance and understanding of obligations under the law
• Hiring the right person
• Effective communication practices
• Delegation and prioritization
• Identifying and solving problems
• Becoming an agent for and a leader of organizational change
• Generating ideas and innovation
• Developing and working in teams with multicultural & multigenerational members
• Increasing employee performance
• Understanding leadership responsibilities and accountabilities.

AIM plans to run its Supervisory Skills program multiple times during 2015 in five locations ” Bridgewater, Burlington, Fitchburg, Holyoke and Marlborough.  The program content is applicable to any industry.

The Regional Training Capacity Pilot Program awarded grants to other organizations for computer skills, English for Speakers of other Languages, Manufacturing Skills and Process Improvement. The 10 grants total a $2 million state investment in work force training.

“We are very interested in helping small businesses access the fund either individually or through collaborations with other businesses with similar needs.” said Nancy Snyder, President and CEO of Commonwealth Corporation, which administers the funds for the Office of Labor and Workforce Development.  “This program allows small businesses that may not otherwise apply for a grant on their own to quickly gain access to training on topics in highest demand.”

AIM delivers hundreds of supervisory skills training sessions each year in seminar and private settings. The staff of 10 instructors averages several decades of management and human resources experience across a variety of industries.

“The grant provides employers with a unique opportunity to improve productivity, build leadership and address legal compliance concerns at no out-of-pocket cost,” said Lori Bourgoin, Vice President of Educational Programs at AIM.

“Nothing drives workforce engagement, productivity and retention more than front-line leadership.  Well trained supervisors determine whether employees support change or resist, grow into the business or tune out.”

Please contact Bourgoin (lbourgoin@aimnet.org) at AIM for more information.