BWA manufacturing members meet regularly for Plant Tour Focus Groups with the theme of Continuous Improvement dictated by the host company. Read on to see how BWA members take this format to the next level!
On May 29, 2013, South Bruce Flooring hosted May’s Plant Tour Focus Group. Employee Engagement is an ongoing challenge for all companies in business, especially manufacturing operations.
The format for this exercise began with Dennis McGlynn providing an overview of South Bruce Flooring’s business model and their processes, and how the various workstations layout in their value stream. The problem for the group:
“How do you motivate your workforce to become “team players” and cut out the turnover of personnel? How can we get them engaged and motivated to participate in what the company is trying to achieve?”
To prepare for this event members were asked to consider: Are your employees engaged? What do you do pro-actively to engage and motivate your employees? Is it working? What has worked and not worked for you? What have you done in the past?
Following some background information, the members had a short tour of the work areas:
Members tour South Bruce Flooring’s workstations.
BWA members tour South Bruce Flooring’s work areas.
These are some of the discussion themes and brainstorming on Employee Engagement shared by members during the debrief session:
- Orientation strategies for entry-level jobs
- Pro-active communication strategies with employees
- Money- not the main motivator: Employee involvement strategies
- Exit interviews from departing employees: feedback
- Production target strategies with incentives: various strategies
- Job rotation techniques to enhance job satisfaction
- “Tool box” meetings: pre-shift daily
- “Gemba” walks and meetings: strategies to implement
- Job Design: Ergonomic Opportunities: Ergo analysis
- Incentive programs: advantages/disadvantages
- Outreach to local schools to target good “fit” for employees
- Use of connected headsets for communication in noisy work areas
- “Hire for attitude and build the talent” as a strategy
- Interview techniques to screen for good employees
- Retention strategies: What are you doing to create loyalty?
- Social activities and their regularity
This is just an example of the collective learning and sharing that takes place during these BWA Plant Tour Focus Groups.
If you would like more information about this event, and about becoming a member of the Bluewater Wood Alliance, please contact BWA Manager Mike Baker: manager@bluewaterwoodalliance.com
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