Nearly five decades after Shepley Wood Products began as a local Cape Cod lumberyard, the company has entered a new chapter under the QXO name, one of North America’s largest distributors of building products. Known for supplying lumber, windows, doors, decking, siding, trim, and other construction materials out of its West Barnes Stable facilities, QXO serves professional builders, contractors, and remodelers throughout the region. Beyond supplying the materials that help build homes and communities, QXO is investing in the people behind that work, helping Massachusetts's workers strengthen their skills and grow professionally.
Through several Workforce Training Fund Program recent grants totaling nearly $200,000, QXO is providing employees with training to expand their knowledge in a wide range of areas, including customer service, leadership development, artificial intelligence and productivity, workplace ESOL, process improvement, shop math, and shop best practices.
Victoria Zimmerman, Senior Regional HR Manager at QXO, shares what led the organization to pursue funding from the Workforce Training Fund Program to supply their training needs “We were navigating leadership transitions and significant changes in both our workforce and the market following COVID. We recognized the need to evolve across several key areas, particularly technology, sales, and leadership development,” said Zimmerman. “Having previously leveraged the grant to build impactful and comprehensive training programs with trusted training providers, we were excited for the opportunity to utilize it once again to support our continued growth.”
With the support from the Workforce Training Fund Program, QXO has strengthened key areas of its operation while supporting employee development and performance. “We have seen significant improvements in communication and collaboration across departments. Employees are making more effective use of our technology and systems, and we have observed positive changes in customer interactions,” said Zimmerman. “Additionally, our leadership team has become more collaborative, working across functions, supporting one another, and engaging in constructive conversations. A favorite of mine – seeing a salesperson look in the mirror when they answer the phone! A smile can be heard through tone and delivery.”
The training has also strengthened QXO’s workplace culture. Zimmerman mentions, “Employees often remember who was in their training group and the conversations they had, even years later. That speaks to the lasting impact and collaborative value these experiences create, particularly when participants come from different departments and backgrounds. The connections formed and lessons learned during training continue to surface in everyday interactions.”
QXO employee and training participant, Nick Pina, who serves as the outside lumber Sales Representative, gives his perspective on the training. “I went through some executive coaching and DISC training. This helped me refine myself to be more focused on goals that I needed to get into the role I am in now,” said Pina. “The main thing I took away would be learning and reading people’s personalities and the ways that would be better used to deal with them. The DISC training that we went through helps you determine what kind of personality you are working with, and you can maneuver your way into a better working relationship if you can figure that out early.”
Pina has also applied those lessons directly to his work with customers and colleagues. “People like to be listened to, not just heard. My customers and coworkers can deal with me and feel like they are on a personal level,” said Pina. “I treat everyone how I would want to be treated: that’s a basic rule of thumb that should be instilled in everyone”
Pina’s involvement eventually extended beyond participating in training. Drawing from his experience working directly with customers, he helped Zimmerman develop a customer service training program delivered to four employee groups over four weeks. “Customer service is the thing that separates you from being a good company and a great company,” said Pina. “People want what they want when they want it. You need to be able to gain the trust of people so that they can understand when we can do it and what’s realistic.”
Through the Workforce Training Fund Program, QXO has strengthened employee skills, cross-department collaboration, leadership development, and its close-knit workplace culture. “The impact on our employees at every level has been invaluable,” said Zimmerman, “We believe organizational success depends on employees possessing both strong human skills and technical knowledge, and we are committed to supporting their continued growth in both areas. We are sincerely grateful for the opportunity to expand our training and development programs.”