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The Importance of Workforce Development... continued from previous page
Expert Presentations

You don’t always have to do the heavy lifting yourself when it comes to training. What better
way to train your employees in specific topics than to bring in the experts?

Many of your local vendors can conduct excellent training. In addition, consider contacting
a groups like Monsen Engineering, Allen Instruments, or even Frontier Precision, who have
training materials ready to go for their own employees and would gladly be hired to share it
with your team.

Many vendors have many resources and skilled presenters, some of whom are even licensed
land surveyors.
One surveying company that has about 50 employees and 10 field crews has regularly hired an outside safety consultant to start
conducting monthly safety meetings. It’s worked out well for them and ensures that topics are relevant and fresh. Special topics have
included confined space work and other topics.

Internal presentations
Another equally effective idea is to assign employees to do presentations.

This has the benefit of sharing internal knowledge and improving employee
communication skills at the same time. When you set up such programs to be
safe and non-threatening, it can result in great content and participation.

About 10 years ago, one survey company set up a program where on the first
Tuesday of every month, employees could come to work one hour early and learn
from an employee in another department. They noticed that employees were
excited and energized because they could now do their jobs better. For instance,
the company’s surveyors pretty much knew how to layout a septic system, or
knew why you needed to get more topo on some roads. But to hear it from an
engineer with a different perspective changed their mindset.

You’d be surprised how much knowledge you already have internally that isn’t tapped into to its fullest potential. And when you ask
someone like an engineer or project manager to share their insights, they get to enjoy being put on a pedestal for a moment and feel like
a valued expert.
Another company started a program called “Paycheck Problems.” Every payday, they have a meeting where they’ve assigned one
employee to discuss a surveying problem. It happens like clockwork every two weeks and creates an atmosphere that values training,
learning, and problem-solving abilities.
A former BLM employee described how they would hold regular cadastral technical sessions. One week every month, they would bring
everybody into the office together and everyone would put together some sort of presentation on either a job they’ve worked on that
had a particular specialty or even do a mini-research project digging into the manual or past court cases.

Life Skill Training
It is also important to remember that your employees are people. They have interests and
concerns that are not strictly survey related. It can be fun and helpful to also provide training
on company benefits or even life skills.
One Surveyor recalled how their favorite former employer held trainings on topics like
personal finance, how to buy a diamond engagement ring, and how to change the oil and
properly maintain your car.
Other companies have annual trainings with their benefits administrators to refresh
employees on their benefits package and go over any updates. Financial presenters explain
the benefits of a 401k and urge everyone to contribute to get the free employer match.

Such topics provide holistic value to employees that help them beyond the office environment and aid in their personal growth. Such
gestures also show that you care, and are wanting to invest in them as human beings.

Mentoring Mondays
Another done-for-you training opportunity that all surveyors should know about is the Mentoring
Mondays program. It’s exactly what it sounds like: every Monday, attendees from anywhere in the
country can join a Zoom call and hear a presentation from an expert on a topic related to surveying.

26 The Nevada Traverse Vol.49, No.2, 2022