Staff Training: Training Passports

For about 10 years now, Training Passports have been an integral part of Zingerman's staff training. They have become one of the most effective and useful tools in the ongoing campaign to bring new hires up to speed as quickly as possible and to facilitate the ongoing learning of seasoned staff and managers. "What exactly is a Training Passport?" you may well ask, and "Why would I want to have one?" Good questions that I will do my best to answer here.

What is Zingerman's Training Passport?
Zingerman's Training Passport is a pocket-sized document, with a cover and several inside pages, that is designed to resemble a passport of the international travel variety. The original idea was to present each new hire with a "passport to learning" that would guide him/her through learning the skills and knowledge needed to be successful as a Zingerman's employee. The passports for new hires include both organization-wide training requirements (e.g., Welcome to Zingerman's Orientation Class, our internal Art of Giving Great Service class, etc.) as well as position-specific expectations such as demonstrating accuracy on the cash register or being able to take apart, clean, and reassemble a slicer. Passports for more experienced staff may prepare them for a new position (supervisor, manager) or reflect their desire to learn more about a specific aspect of the business (food, finance, customer service, safety).

In a nutshell, an employee's Training Passport documents the answers to Zingerman's 4 Training Plan Questions in one handy, compact, portable document:
• What is expected of the trainee — and by when?
• How will the information be made available/what are the training resources?
• How will we know the expectations are/are not being met?
• What are the rewards/consequences for meeting/not meeting the expectations?

1. What is expected of the trainee — and by when?
The standard orientation period at Zingerman's is 60 days, so we've organized the training expectations into those that are to be met by Day 1, Day 7, Day 30 and Day 60. Categories of expectations include Customer Service, Product Knowledge, Organizational History/Culture, and Department Operations. Standard Day 1 expectations include knowing what "on time" means in your department, demonstrating how to punch in and out correctly, and being able to explain the procedure for calling in sick. Day 7, Day 30 and Day 60 expectations typically include increasing levels of product knowledge, attendance at specified classes, and various skills specific to your home department.

2. How will the information be made available?
Although classes are a key aspect of training at Zingerman's, most of an employee's training is actually done on-shift. For each expectation in the passport, one or more resources are listed: a class, a handout, "on-shift training" or, in some cases, a specific person who is the source of the information needed.

3. How will we know the expectations are/are not being met?
Our Training Passport is THE record of how an employee is progressing through training. New hires receive their passports on their first day of work (if not earlier) and are expected to: a) hold on to them and b) get each task/class signed off as it is completed. When the passport is completely "signed off," the employee turns it in to his/her manager, who in turn passes it to our HR department along with the paperwork necessary to move the employee out of orientation. If a passport gets lost (or inadvertently washed because it was left in a pants pocket), it is up to the trainee to get a new copy from his/her manager and then go back to everyone who signed off on completed expectations to get their signatures once again. For this reason, most staff members treat their passports like gold.

4. What are the rewards/consequences for meeting/not meeting the expectations?
The majority of our benefits, including eligibility for health insurance, participation in our 401K plan and staff shopping discounts, do not kick in until an employee has successfully completed orientation, so the biggest reward for completing the initial Training Passport is becoming eligible for those benefits. In addition, many departments tie wage increase into completion of the initial Training Passport. The consequence of not completing the passport is lack of access to benefits, no opportunity for wage increases and, if basic skills necessary to do the job are not demonstrated, possible termination.

So, why might you want to try Training Passports in your organization? The most powerful arguments for using Training Passports come from our staff. Here are a few of the replies I received when I recently sent an all-staff e-mail asking for stories/feedback on the passport system:

"I was hired before training passports were created, but I remember wishing that I'd had one. My training on the deli floor was haphazard and spotty at best. When my manager had a free moment, she'd take me aside and have me taste something. I was never sure what was the most useful or important information to learn. I got through it, obviously, but I do remember thinking of it as a trial by fire." — Lynn, donations coordinator, with Zingerman's for 11 years.

"When I first saw my passport, I thought, 'Wow, this is cool. I actually know what I need to do!'"
— Jim, accountant, with Zingerman's for two years.

"For one who tends to procrastinate, and also one who likes to check things off a list, the passport is a great tool: it is an effective training to-do list that puts clear expectations and the responsibility for learning onto the trainee. It was extremely helpful to me. Also, my second passport was one that I customized with a variety of classes that would help me both at work and in life. The fact that I got to choose some of the classes to suit my position was empowering."
— Amy, accounting assistant, with Zingerman's for one year.

"Being asked to schedule all my own classes and assignments and still make time to get my work done meant getting a really quick and firm grasp on how I should be structuring my work days."
— Pete, marketing manager, with Zingerman's for one year.

"First weeks at a new job are always confusing. You don't know anyone and you don't know what you're supposed to be doing or if you're doing things the right way. The passport was my beacon! It introduced me gently to the culture. It outlined clear expectations on what I should do to start my career at Zingerman's."
— Billie, Web specialist, with Zingerman's for one-and-a-half years.

"The one thing I can say about the passport requirement is that I thought it was a unique way of involving new employees, essentially empowering them to venture out amongst the businesses and make connections on their own. Zingerman's is a very socially oriented company, and the passport is a good way of introducing new hires to the way things are run."
— Vanessa, baker, with Zingerman's for six months.

"I do think the greatest thing about passports is that in the beginning you go to classes and get your passport signed off. Then, if you tackle another passport that certifies you to teach a class, you become the one signing off passports for the new hires. It comes full circle and is an amazing feeling to know you are contributing to someone else's education."
— Joanie, restaurant manager, with Zingerman's for three-and-a-half years.

"When I first worked at the Deli many years ago, I thought the passport was silly since I was only going to work at the Deli for four months (through Christmas). So the whole idea of learning so much and getting it checked off for half the time I'd be there seemed pointless, especially since as a CIA graduate I felt I already knew quite a bit. It was Ari who sat me down and welcomed me into his experience, and so I changed my mind enough to actually do the passport. Now the fun part of this story is that after I left, I never ran into this attention and dedication to orientation that I had experienced — albeit reluctantly — with Zingerman's. So it really was that attention and Ari's welcome that drew me back years later after I had worked in hotels, restaurants, clubs and other pastry shops. Now I present the passport to new hires as a welcoming tool: 'We want to teach you about Zingerman's and this will help answer a lot of questions that you might have. You'll meet a lot of people and see how fun and different we are.'"
— Charlie, pastry manager, with Zingerman's for three-and-a-half years.

If you'd like a sample of a Zingerman's Training Passport, please visit www.zingtrain.com and check out the "free samples."
Maggie Bayless is the managing partner of ZingTrain, which is the consulting arm of Zingerman's, the specialty food retailer in Ann Arbor, Mich. If you have specific topics you would like to see addressed, please send your suggestions to Maggie at mbayless@zingermans.com.