AN ORGANIZATION MAINTAINING 2,000+ LANE-MILES OF ROAD, ROADWAYS AND BRIDGES, wishes to increase collaboration between unionized staff and supervision, and develop a culture of mutual respect and continuous performance improvement. Work is highly visible, requires flexible scheduling, resource coordination, quick response to safety hazards, collaboration with multiple agencies and 40+ municipalities. Skills range from general labor to specialized equipment operation.
Lead assessment, design and implementation team comprised of Division labor, management and internal partners through seven-month transformation from a top-down and reactive culture, to one that is inclusive and proactive.
Operating & Financial Opportunities Realized
- No issues reported to HR since implementation began (4 months) Disciplinary activity and grievances previously reported as 18% of supervisor’s time
- Increased planning and proactive communication by management
- Staff ideas for improvement are vetted by peers Facilitated forum where operational issues and ideas are researched and collaboratively resolved
- Recovered 10% work time lost due to slow shift start up, unclear communication
- Communication and morale significantly improved at all levels:
- Foremen report “90% reduction in stress-level during morning start-up”
- Consistent direction, better understanding about assignments and roles
- Setting the next day’s line-up early each day to allow better preparation
- Fewer changes to work throughout the day
Key elements of the work included
- Define roles for supervisors, foremen, lead workers, dispatchers – facilitated delineation of roles and established expectations that empowered foremen to manage near term objectives and refocus supervisors toward longer-term tactics
- Review current processes and practices and identify changes to improve daily/weekly workflow, scheduling and routines – added team communication and coordination meetings, in-field check-ins, real-time work completion visibility and next day’s assignment communication
- Implement work order system with 100% documented of work orders – to accurately track and quantify workload and priorities
- Establish standard operating procedures – >80% of staff participated in documenting standard operating procedures for >90% of work tasks/types
- Design and deliver management skills development program tailored to support culture and process changes – workshops and individual coaching
- Design and implement a training and on-boarding program, “train-the-trainer”; management directed, peer delivered, prioritized on skills inventory and project plans
- Redesign Dispatch operation- develop new operating model including mission, functions, standards, key processes
- Establish multi-level team to review and address process improvement ideas submitted by staff
