Nortera

Nortera fulfills its mission of contributing to the well-being of populations through plant-based nutrition, boasting an annual sales figure of $1.15 billion. The company operates 13 processing plants in Canada and the United States, all dedicated to the preparation of canned and frozen vegetables.

In addition to producing for major distributor and retailer brands, Nortera also markets its own brands, including Arctic Gardens and Del Monte in Canada. The company employs some 3,000 people in North America.

During a meeting with Altrum, Oriane Tisseyre, Total Rewards Coordinator at Nortera, discovered that some of her managers had taken the Orange Program a few years earlier. Intrigued by the course, she asked former participants for their opinions. She soon found that the managers had not only enjoyed the training but were also continuing to apply the concepts they had learned three years prior.

As the company was always on the lookout for new training courses to enhance employee skills and standardize team knowledge, it seemed appropriate to launch a second cohort of the course.

In addition to the positive feedback and results recorded by the first cohort, the flexible structure of the Orange Program appealed to Oriane. The spread over several weeks, the short videos, and the practical tools were key elements in Nortera’s decision-making process. This approach allows participants to take action and apply lessons, aligning perfectly with the learning style favored by managers. What’s more, the bilingual nature of the course addressed an essential need for Nortera, given the location of its plants across Canada and the United States.

“Plant managers don’t have the time or inclination to sit down to theoretical training courses lasting more than an hour. The Orange Program, with videos of up to 25 minutes per week and hands-on activities, fitted in perfectly with their busy schedules and learning preferences. What’s more, as the training is spread over several weeks, they had plenty of time to put the concepts taught into practice,” says Oriane.

Notera decided to enroll 100 new N-1 managers from various departments in the Orange Program. Over a period of several weeks, participants learned how to integrate recognition into their daily routines. Through videos, challenges, and practical tools, the new Nortera cohort discovered the importance of recognizing their employees’ efforts and acquired concrete ways of putting their learning into practice.

The Orange Program successfully raised awareness of the importance of recognition, resulting in positive and lasting effects on team motivation. Several managers reported a significant improvement by increasing their recognition practices, which was well received by their employees. Even those who were already engaged in recognition activities noted enhancements in quality and personalization, thanks to the tools provided in the course. Some also anticipated positive effects in the medium to long term, even pointing to a cultural change underway, particularly among older employees.

As for Oriane, she observed a particularly high level of interest among plant managers, who found the training valuable and enjoyable. Several managers have made significant changes in their behavior, now practicing recognition during their floor rounds and team meetings. Others have integrated this practice into their onboarding process, taking the time to ask their new employee about his or her recognition preferences. Moreover, many managers now set themselves several reminders on their calendar to make sure they recognize their teams’ efforts on a regular basis.

Finally, Nortera’s internal surveys showed an increase in recognition scores following the Orange Program.

“The Orange Program was an enriching experience, both professionally and personally. The recognition challenges were particularly interesting and helped me gain a better understanding of myself and discover new ways of interacting with my colleagues.” – David, Financial Director

“This training pushed me to think about the importance of recognition. I now take the time to get to know each member of my team individually and acknowledge their work even in the busiest times.” – Benoît, Logistics Manager

“Before the course, I was already regularly recognizing my team members. The videos and tools offered helped me improve my ability to recognize them effectively, to have a greater positive impact with them.” Laurence, Human Resources Manager

Following the Orange Program, Nortera identified questions within its team concerning recognition policies. These discussions highlighted the need for clear guidelines and policies to frame recognition practices within the company.

Currently, the HR team is actively engaged in creating these policies, reviewing, and improving its internal processes. The ultimate goal is to roll out these new guidelines to the entire company, ensuring that they become part of employees’ daily lives.

Once this objective is accomplished, Nortera plans to enroll managers and supervisors from other levels in the Orange Program to stimulate recognition awareness.

”In my opinion, recognition is a key element in employee retention, and this training provides managers with simple but effective ways of practicing it. There are so many things that can cause an employee to leave their job, but if the relationship with their manager and colleagues is good, then the chances of them deciding to stay with the company are better. In the end, this training is not very costly and can completely transform employee relationships and experience”

– Oriane Tisseyre, Total Rewards Coordinator at Nortera