Nokian Tyres Partners with Chattanooga State to Strengthen Leadership Culture

24 employees participated in Chattanooga State’s leadership development program

DAYTON, Tenn. – Brok Gould joined Nokian Tyres in late 2023 because he saw a chance to develop his skills. Little did he know how quickly that would happen.

“That was one of the biggest reasons I wanted to come here,” said Gould, who works as a production team lead at the company’s North American factory in Dayton, Tennessee. “I felt like since it was a newer place, there might be opportunities to grow.”

In less than a year, Gould earned promotion to a shift leadership role, received a pay raise and acquired new responsibilities. And most recently, he honed his leadership skills in a training class offered by Chattanooga State Community College to budding Nokian Tyres leaders. The company paid for 24 employees to participate in an exclusive leadership development class held onsite at the factory.

“[The fact that] they’re taking the initiative to help me expand [my skills] makes me more confident in my career here at Nokian Tyres,” Gould said.

Warehouse Lead Jonathan Hall agrees. The leader at Nokian Tyres’ new finished goods warehouse has worked at the factory for nearly five years. The opening of the 350,000-square-foot warehouse this summer has made life busier for Hall, and he believes the training class helped prepare him for the challenges that come with leading a team through transition.

“A day in my life is busy, but that’s what we want,” said Hall. “This is my first time being in a leadership role, so I wanted to take all the opportunities to learn. I learned so much that I can use, at work and outside of work.”

Chattanooga State tailored the leadership development program to the unique needs and challenges of Nokian Tyres, which has grown its workforce from a 60-member launch team to more than 500 employees since opening the Dayton Factory in 2019. The 24-hour class covered topics such as mentorship, change management and conflict resolution.

“Growing leaders from within an organization is critically important for succession planning, maintaining a strong workplace culture and providing growth opportunities for employees,” said Chattanooga State President Rebecca Ashford. “Chattanooga State is proud to partner with Nokian Tyres to provide leadership training for its front-line supervisors and strengthen its workforce. We appreciate the opportunity to work with this outstanding employer.”

The class taught leaders to tailor their approaches to meet the unique learning styles of each employee, rather than employing a one-size-fits-all method.

“It made it easier to understand how to adjust to help people,” Gould said, “and to understand how they can work well with each other depending on what kind of worker they are.”

“It boosted my confidence that when one of my [team members] has a problem, I can tackle it on their level,” said Hall.

Nokian Tyres opened its Dayton Factory in October 2019 and began commercial production the following January. It added 125 team members last year and completed a capital expansion this year that increased capacity. The company makes all-season and all-weather tires in Dayton and exclusively distributes them to North American customers.

The tiremaker has won awards for the operations and culture at its Southeast Tennessee campus. According to company leadership, success starts with giving its team members tools to thrive.

“We recognize the vital role of leadership development in our organization,” said Nokian Tyres North America Human Resources Director Blake Markham. “As our team grows in number, we are eager to provide growth opportunities that will serve our employees’ career goals and help us meet our ambitions in North America.”

According to Gould and Hall, those efforts are making an impact.

“Nokian Tyres is committed to making your job better and giving you solutions you need,” Gould said. “I just feel like they care.”

“They make you feel like family,” said Hall. “I enjoy coming to work. It’s great that Nokian Tyres cares for us not just as employees, but as individuals.”

Source: Nokian Tyres