A continuous improvement culture has been shown to boost employee engagement. Employees who actively participate in the betterment of the company gain a sense of pride and accomplishment. It also creates opportunities for employees to form greater connections with one another by practicing new skills together.
The above structure represents the typical hierarchical reporting structure of many organisations and it is evident that the front-line or shop-floor workers make out the biggest bulk of the organisation. It is therefore a very wise business strategy to develop and empower the front-line, because the success of the business ultimately lies in the knowledge, skills and attitude of this group of people.
Also evident from the illustration is the importance of the front-line manager/supervisor, as this is the person who is in direct contact with the front-line workers on a daily basis and who also bridges the gap between the frontline and the corporate office. Your frontline managers/supervisors, set the tone for your workplace and they can also deeply impact the bottom line of all businesses. Organisations who take the initiative to invest in and empower their frontline managers and workers are more likely to rise above their competition.
Providing opportunities for ongoing training is valuable, not only for your frontline managers but for all employees.
The NQF2 Production Technology Learnership aims to equip the front-line with improvement skills, so that everyone in the business can contribute towards improving and growing the business.
NQF2 Production Technology consists of nine (9) modules, with module 1 as an introduction to the programme, while each of the other modules discusses a new aspect of improvement. They are:
Module 2. Pulling together
(Aims to empower everyone in the business through the creation of mini-businesses, which refers to working teams that take responsibility for a certain portion of the business, identifying its own customers and take responsibility for customer excellence, identify and measure performance areas that it’s responsible for)
Learnings as stated by the learners in preparations for their final presentations:
“We have learned about customer service, like being on time, doing things right the first time, reacting quickly. It’s about keeping our customers happy”.
“I have learned to work in groups, to listen to each other and not to discriminate, to respect and complement each other. I also learned how the structure of the company works, who reports to whom. Everyone is informed and roles are clear. I also understand processes a lot better now.“
Module 3. Safe Workplace Organisation
(Aims to emphasize the importance of a clean, organised, simplified, visual workplace, which leads to easier and safer work and improved productivity. It also discusses the work of health and safety representatives and how knowledge of Occupational Health and Safety strengthens people’s ability to identify and report on potential hazards and risks)
“Safety begins at home. There are hazards everywhere and you have to learn how to deal with them in your everyday life. Pay attention to your surroundings, think about what you are doing and stay out of danger”
Learner feedback
“I’ve learned what it means to establish a safe work environment. I’m responsible for my own safety, as well as my fellow workers’. I look at my workplace differently now and I see more hazards that I’ve never seen before. I understand safety signs better. You don’t work on a machine if you haven’t been trained. Always wear the right PPE, make sure that it’s in a good condition and neat. Use the right tools for the right jobs. Report all unsafe acts and conditions.”
Learner feedback
Module 4. Small Group Activities
(Aims at creating a culture of continuous improvement through the formation of small problem-solving groups, either from one mini-business, or from various levels and functions of the organisation, with varying group sizes and levels of formality. The aim is to implement a multitude of improvements.)
“Problems will be solved by recognising and using the wisdom, experience and knowledge of all employees and not just a selected few specialists and managers.”
“I’ve learned that you should agree on your objectives and work as a team to achieve them. We should work and improve on our relationships. I have a better understanding of my QCDSM graphs now. I’ve learned to be more productive and use my time to the best of my ability. Team members should be well-trained. Motivation is key.“
Learner feedback
Module 5. Lean Workflow
(Aims to reduce and eliminate delays in production by looking at workflows, identifying the where and why of delays, identifying and eliminating waste in work processes, identify opportunities for improvement and how to use different tools and techniques to achieve zero delays and a smooth and consistent workflow.)
“Everyone can contribute towards making work flow faster, smoother and without delays. It will make work easier. There will be less frustration”
“I’ve learned how to take stock. You have to count stock regularly to ensure that the company doesn’t run out of stock, which could lead to delays and unsatisfied customers. Companies can lose clients and even their business. Accuracy is key in knowing what you have and what you don’t have. This can also prevent overstocking, which is a waste of money and space”.
Learner feedback
Module 6. Skills Development
(Aims to help you to develop your skills in a planned and structured way. Skills development is imperative to the development of the front-line, so that they are able to participate in the improvement journey of the organisation. Skills need to change to meet the challenges of the ever-changing business environment. This module will help you to identify your skills shortages and also highlights where the focus should be in terms of development).
“I’ve learned that the skills matrix formed the basis of your development plan. I now know how to draw-up one and how to work out the skills level of my team. I also understand that there is no empowerment without development. Improvement efforts are supported by development”.
Learner feedback
Module 7. Cost and Efficiency Control
(Aims at creating a culture of conservation and creating awareness on how everyone can contribute to the conservation of energy and material. It teaches you to measure and improve your work efficiency.)
“I’ve learned that in your mini-business you have to determine what can be saved and how. Every employee should understand how he/she plays an important role in fostering a culture of saving and conservation. I understand the importance of budgeting and can now draw-up my own budget. I can calculate simple and compound interest and understand the difference between the two. I understand depreciation and percentages. I understand Pythagoras, area and perimeter. The working out of the sums stretched my brain, but it was fun’.
Learner feedback
Module 8. Quality Assurance
(Aims to assist with the improvement of processes to the point where they deliver exactly what is required. Implementation of the learnings of the module should lead to improved quality of products and a reduction of the amounts of variation in processes. It also teaches you to develop your suppliers and contractors, so that they can deliver high quality products and services to you, because their improved performance results in your improved performance.)
“I understand that the customer decides on quality. I understand our own quality processes better. I know that internal customer-supplier relationships have an impact on quality. I know how to use the CAPDo-cycle for improvements”.
Learner feedback
Module 9. Asset Care
(Focusses on improving the effectiveness of equipment, involves, where possible, operators in daily and routine preventive maintenance, or break down silos between operators and maintenance crews. It emphasizes the importance of shifting from fixing machines when they break down, to the involvement of everyone in reducing, preventing or predicting breakdowns.)
“I’ve learned what an asset is and why it is important to take care of it. I understand the impact on production when machines and equipment keep breaking down. I’ve learned about re-active and pro-active maintenance. I’ve learned that constant fire-fighting is not good for business”.
Learner feedback
Module 10. Understanding the impact of HIV/AIDS on the workplace
(Aims to develop a deeper understanding of HIV/AIDS as a disease, the main concepts and aspects of HIV/Aids, the regulatory framework for HIV/AIDS regarding the workplace and the impact of HIV/AIDS on the workplace.)
“I’ve learned that it’s important to treat people right that are suffering from diseases. I’ve learned that the employee and the employer have rights and responsibilities. I’ve learned more about the stages of the virus, the do’s, don’ts and the myths. I’ve learned that it’s important to know my own status and to protect myself”.
Learner feedback
It is evident from the learners’ feedback that a great deal of learning takes place during the course of the programme. What is of critical importance is that the environment is created at the workplace within which the learner can practice and implement their new-found skills and knowledge.
Businesses who systematically develop their whole workforce in a planned and structured way and who allow for the implementation of newly developed skills and knowledge in a systematic and consistent way, will see exponential improvement in the long run.
To read more about the NQF2 Production Technology learnership, click here.