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 A
mandate to improve
by Tom Hammel
We hear it again and again; consultants and Lean leaders
talking about creating systems of Lean processes and standard
work hammer on the need to create cultures of improvement as
well. Numerous industry authorities have made this exact observation
about Detroit’s troubled auto makers. They claim the true reason Detroit
is failing to compete with Toyota and Honda in the auto market is that
Lean tools by themselves are not enough — Lean culture must follow.
While this is a handy — and therefore overly simplistic — summation of a
highly complex global issue, there is truth in it.
What “Lean culture” means from one organization to
another has many aspects, but one clear component is the empowerment of
employees at every level to take charge of their own spheres of
operation and “buy into” continuous improvement as a way of life. In
other words, it’s not your brain; it’s your heart that makes the
difference between success or failure.
The newest Human Resources buzzword mirrors this.
Employee “satisfaction” is being supplanted by employee “engagement” as
the new challenge for HR professionals. Engagement is the measure of
energy and passion employees have for their work. HR experts break
engagement into three levels, summarized by the concepts “Stay, Say and
Strive.” First, employees must be satisfied enough to “stay” with the
company. Secondly, when employees elect to stay, they “say” good things
about the company. The third step, when employees are truly engaged,
they “strive” to improve the company and do things help it succeed.
In the field of manufacturing and industrial maintenance,
some companies are hardwiring “engagement” right into their main grids.
S•K Hand Tool Corp., our cover story this issue, provides an excellent
example. S•K not only mandates that each employee make a minimum of 10
improvement suggestions per year, it has also created a maintenance
position specifically to bring the best ones to life. This team member
has carte blanche to seek out potential improvements into physical
machines, accessories and processes that will increase safety and
efficiency plant-wide. Filled by the same employee for eight years now
(our MRO Pro this issue), this position has resulted in numerous
improvements that have streamlined S•K’s manufacturing processes,
improved worker safety and working conditions and realized unforeseen
benefits as well.
It’s a timely lesson. Read the story. Then let me know
what you think, at
thammel@milomediapub.com.
This article appeared in the
April/May 2006 issue of
MRO Today magazine. Copyright 2006.
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