EMPOWERMENT
Set up Self Directed Work Teams
Research shows that the concept of Self-Directed Work Teams originated during the ‘Lean Manufacturing Phase’ in Japan during the late 50’s. The lean teams talked about shop floor management in a safe environment. Getting Started (Genba Camri). The safe environment was called a green area. Today consultants have created a number of concepts, namely: ‘Mission Directed Work Teams’, ’Super Teams’, ‘Invocoms’ and so on. Fantus Technologies has gone back to basics and calls the concept ‘Self Directed Work Teams’ in green areas. The idea is to form teams at the three natural organisational levels within a business.
The three levels are:
Level 1 - shop floor.
These teams focus on the shop floor with the interaction on the team leaders and/or supervisors.
Level 2 - Middle Management.
These teams are usually made up of a group of Supervisors reporting to a manager. This is the most important group in any organisation. They manage/control the personnel on the shop floor as well as pass on information and formulate actions with the managers. This team is commonly known as “the pattie in the hamburger”.
Level 3 - Site manager and HODs.
This is the strategic team. This team is usually empowered to make the decisions.
SDWTs function as mini businesses within the organisation. They determine their own mission and objectives and they usually measure themselves against standard Key Performance Indicators on a daily basis. The objective is to be as transparent as possible. Open communication is also important. All deviations from plan or target need to be highlighted so that action can be taken. The team manages all actions that are within their control. They pass on actions out of their control via the team leader/ supervisor to the next level in the SDWT process. This will ensure that Senior and Middle managers operate at their desired level. Teams review around their team boards. The ideal is for the teams to have a green area room where they can meet. An open wall in a factory will also suffice.
The following comprises a list of activities that lead up to a successful SDWT:
- What is the Organisation all about? What is its core business?
- Determine Company Vision, Values and Goals
- Establish the Mini Work Teams in the natural working areas
- Agree to a Team Name
- Who is in the team?
- Appoint a Team Leader
- The Supervisor, Foreman, etc could be the team leader at the start-up of the team.
- Agree to the team charter ( Mission Statement)
- Performance Management in the team – set goals and measure against them
- Quality / Customer Service
- Throughput / Speed
- Cost / Gains Losses
- People
- Involve Customers and Suppliers
- Meet Daily for Green Areas Review
- 2 minutes – Attendance
- 4 minutes – Feedback from Team Leader
- 4 minutes – Production related issues from the floor
- 5 minutes - Hot Seat Change over on the line
- Set up parking bays
- Action Plans
- Skills Matrix
- Attendance Register
- Taking performance and information to the next level ( Level 2 and Level 3 Reviews)
- Issues ‘out of our control’
- Actions developed
- Up-Down communication
- Feedback
- Transparency
- Weekly Feedback and Review Meetings
- Steercom Meeting
- Weekly feedback sessions by the teams and team leaders
- Follow up on innovations
- Management by walkabout
- Problem Solving, Suggestions & Innovations
- Develop problem solving methods
- Follow up on suggestions
- Champion innovations
- Performance Management
- Reward innovation
- Monitor team performance and reward best teams
- Monitor green area boards and audit
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