How Merritt Trailers Fought Turnover by Investing in Manager Training
“Turning the Corner’s forward-thinking, innovative approach resonated with me because it’s exactly what we’re trying to do in our business.
Together, we asked: How do we become more innovative in what we do, and not just continue to do things because that’s the way they’ve always been done?”
— Taylor Merritt, 3rd generation family member
Chairman and CEO, Merritt Trailers
About Merritt Trailers
Merritt Trailers is best known for one thing: legendary toughness. It’s why the family-owned and operated business has been successfully meeting the needs of agricultural and transportation markets since 1951—and shows no signs of slowing down.
A cohort of managers from Merritt Trailers participated in TTC’s Fast Track Management Series in the summer of 2021.
The challenge
Before working with TTC, Chairman and CEO Taylor Merritt and his team had accepted their turnover rate as a symptom of the environment they work and operate in. In addition to the considerable investment in training employees, for Merritt Trailers and the manufacturing industry in general, turnover causes inefficiencies that directly impact profitability.
Turnover continued to be an expensive and disruptive issue, so they looked to Turning the Corner for help.
Our approach
Our team helped Merritt Trailers question their longstanding assumption that turnover was normal and encouraged them to ask: “can we prove ourselves wrong?”
It took an out-of-the-box approach to get there: more investment, but more reward. Merritt Trailers enrolled 6 of their managers into Fast Track Management, our training program that empowers new managers with the skills they need to lead with confidence.
Like any other skill, management skills are learned—they don’t just come with a promotion. By giving new managers the tools they needed to succeed, Merritt Trailers also gave them the incentive to grow and lead teams of individuals who would do the same.
The results
After their managers attended the training, Merritt saw a notable decrease in their turnover rate. Moreover, it was a strategy that aligned with their future goals.
“It’s an investment in our team and our managers,” Taylor Merritt said. “To help them walk down the path of not just being ‘managers,’ but a group of leaders within the organization who can execute and achieve what we’ve laid out for ourselves.”
Our Fast Track Management Training Program is offered in Spring and Fall. The next cohort starts April 7, 2022; space is limited.
Does your growing company need help implementing HR processes, creating scalable strategies, or training team members? That’s just the start of what we can do together— learn more about our range of services and contact us today!