SFM Group

Did you know that training grants are available right now in the State of Michigan? Awards are right now averaging around $40,000 per company or $1,400 per person. And the best part? They're easy to apply for! SFM Group and our extended network of training providers have compiled a list of eligible trainings that you can take advantage of. Here's the list: 1. GD&T Training 2. Blueprint Reading 3. Lean Six Sigma 4. Leadership Training 5. Operator Technical Training 6. On-The-Job Training for New Hires 7. Apprentices Training 8. CAD 9. ISO 9000 & IATF 16949 10. And more! Don't miss out on this opportunity to boost your workers' skills and advance their careers. Reach out to work with us to identify a training plan and to get started today.

A wonderful experience working with Habitat for Habitat for Humanity of Mason County, MI to facilitate their annual strategic planning session. Being able to support an organization that provides such a needed service in the community is a blessing. The board members worked together to create a strong plan for growing their organizations impact within the community. It was a positive experience working with like-minded people towards a common goal. Thank you, Habitat for Humanity of Mason County, MI, for the opportunity to allow SFM Group help make a difference! #HabitatforHumanity #strategicplanning #communityimpact #SFMGroup

Training videos can be a game-changer when it comes to orienting new trainees to a skill. According to industry experts, they can even cut learning time by up to 50%! But, as with most things, there's more to it than that. Experience is key when it comes to learning a new skill or process. While training videos are an excellent starting point, they should be just that - a starting point. To truly retain new information, trainees need to experience the learning process hands-on. So, what's the best way to learn a new skill? Our experience has shown that the most effective progression is to: 1. Watch and learn from a training video. 2. Train with a certified trainer on the job (train-the-trainer). 3. Incorporate standard work or a training checklist. 4. Allow the trainee to experience it personally - get hands-on. 5. Closely monitor until the skill has been learned. By following this process, trainees can learn new skills more efficiently and effectively. What are your thoughts on this? Have you found any other methods that work well for training new employees? Share your experience in the comments below! #training #learning #skilldevelopment

The 5th Annual State of Community Breakfast was held on Thursday at Lincoln Hills Golf Club, providing an economic outlook for Mason County that will include work on housing initiatives. Ryan Kilpatrick, a consultant who is working with community leaders on housing, offered a wealth of information that helped tell the story of how and why a housing crisis exists, laying the foundation for achievable next steps we can take as a community. Thank you to our event sponsors, Safe Harbor Credit Union, West Shore Bank, Ludington Daily News, FloraCraft® and Mason Oceana Manistee Board of Realtors. #ChamberAlliance

Over the last 2 years, I've been trained to the accounting tasks in our company SFM Group. However, this is my first year doing the end of year accounting tasks (things like FUTA, SUTA, sending 1099s, etc.) It got me to thinking, QuickBooks has a lot of really good tools that are helpful for keeping these tasks straight and providing filing instructions. Even with all that help, things can still get jumbled and confusing. This has made me realize that Standard Operating Procedures are more than just for the shop floor, but can also be so helpful for office and transactional spaces as well! Last year we reduced the time it took to complete accounting tasks from 40 hours a week to just around 20! If your standard tasks have you feeling overwhelmed, confused, or like there is never enough time, I encourage you to reach out to our consulting team. It will do wonders for your productivity and get you back on top of your daily work.