Incentive - December 2007 - (Page 18)

COVER STORY easy to get complacent,” Burkett says. “But the work we do affects lives. The voice of the customer program is a reminder of that.” Significantly, these moving observations come from a front-line employee, not management, perhaps because the initiative itself was employee driven. It underscores just how potent an effective program of employee engagement can be. Bottom-line Impact Sharma says since the initiative began in January 2006, his division has seen a 19 percent improvement in annual operating profit. Increased interdepartmental teamwork has resulted in a 400 percent reduction in the error rate in one area, and an 18 percent improvement in productivity in another. The Oakland facility’s engagement program, Winning Workplace, currently is maintaining an employee satisfaction rating of more than 85 percent, with some initiatives topping 92 percent. In addition, employee knowledge levels Raj Sharma stops to converse with employees during one of his walk-arounds meetings and other gatherings, training programs in meeting effectiveness were established, and a guide was produced on facilitating them. Now, with consistent standards, meetings are efficient and there is increased departmental and personal accountability. The program includes tools and processes outlined in a resource guide. • Employee-driven communications team. This group produces weekly newsletters, feeding off the departmental huddles. No company communications specialists are part of the team. Rather, the five team members get five to eight hours a week each to produce their newsletters, while handling other communication responsibilities. • Leadership learning and development. Eager to make a difference, the employees asked for a core curriculum on leadership expertise at all levels, to provide a formal and consistent method for developing, improving and maintaining world-class leadership skills. • Voice of the customer. The volunteer teams observed that while repairing engines they didn’t really know their major aviation company customers or their needs. As a result of this employee-driven initiative, representatives from various customer companies are now invited onto the shop floor individually. Employees receive the customers at the door, conduct a tour of the facility, and introduce them to the entire shop to talk about their guests’ products and requirements. “It’s necessary for the troops to know the needs of the customers,” says Maurice Carter, a bearing technician lead and program team member, in explaining why he and his fellow workers proposed this initiative. “We work on airplane engines, but individual employees work on different parts, and don’t necessarily know what the customer uses it for. It could be for a medevac helicopter, for example, but for most of us it’s just a component. “But when the customer gives his presentation, it draws us closer to him,” Carter adds. “It allows you to know that your quality is key to the rescue of someone who may be stranded in a remote area, who relies on your ability to make sure that engine starts and continues to run in any adverse circumstance. Your quality and focus becomes critical.” Brad Burkett, a machine programmer and one of Carter’s fellow team members, agrees. “I’ve worked here for ten years, and it’s Employee-driven communications help keep employees like airflow technician Allie Wright engaged of such areas as customer needs, financial results, products, competition and the marketplace have improved by as much as 30 percent. “Before we participated, the program was explained to us,” says Carter, the bearing technician lead. “And just listening to the fact that the company was asking employees to participate, that says a 18 | Incentive | December 2007 | incentivemag.com http://incentivemag.com

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Incentive - December 2007 Contents Editor’s Note: Revved Up In the News Cover Story: Rolls-Royce Empowers Its Own Case Study: Booz Allen Hamilton Beating Your Best Incentive Primer: Add Value to Your Event Keeping Safety In Mind Incentive Interview Potentials Here and Now Research: Corporate Gifts Facts Report Tabletop Awards: Travel Gift Cards Travel News Viva Puerto Vallarta Indigenous Spas Advertiser Index Off the Cuff: Ambassador Christoph Bubb Luxury Brands Special Supplement

Incentive - December 2007

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