The programme has been put in place in order to support the Foremen and Managers who are expected to lead by example. The programme focusses on:

• Goal alignment and helping one another in their teams.
• The importance and understanding of ethics in the workplace.
• Leadership, the role of team values, and how this contributes to a respectful workplace.
• Creating an understanding of the impact of conflict and how to manage it.
• Improving communication in the workplace between all levels.
• Better feedback skills at all levels for continuous improvement.

The programme also supports their continuous improvement drive by incorporating some fundamental elements of the 20 Keys, such as Key 2, where well-functioning mini-businesses are critical for communication, achieving goals, and making improvements.

National Chicks aims to create a positive, friendly work atmosphere where everyone feels respected and valued.

Each group will have five-day sessions, and after each session, the delegates will reflect on their learning and share their experiences.

To read more about ODI’s Skills Programmes, click here.

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The purpose of this 5-day course is to create an effective organisation structure, with goal alignment at all levels. This sets the foundation for small groups, who get together to solve problems.

Performance Areas covered include:

• Mini-business and mini-business areas.
• Visual management.
• Continuous improvement.
• Empowering your team.
• Problem solving and decision making.
• Standard operating procedure (SOP).
• Skill versatility.

Part of the Astral Group, National Chicks is the largest completely integrated supplier of day old chicks to the independent market of broiler growers. They are also the only supplier of chicks that is involved in every aspect of the supply chain, from the production of the Grandparent stock which produces the correct genetic breeding stock to ensure optimal performance, to the complete control of all the parent flocks and the entire supply chain that produces a great chick that is completely traceable.

Doing a full learnership is always a good idea, as there are so many benefits attached to it, HOWEVER, there certainly are times when a shorter intervention is required, to obtain some quicker gains for the organisation. The Skills Programmes offered by ODI have been carefully selected to offer such interventions, to ensure maximum benefits.

To contact ODI, click here.

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• quality,
• cost effectiveness,
• delivery,
• safety (and bio-security) and
• morale of people, over a number of years.

A first progress review was done at the end of January 2019, and after a very thorough and strict progress review, a few gaps to be closed, were discussed. Within days of the review, Manoj supplied some supplementary information on closing the gaps, and a final review date was set for 12 April 2019.

It was with great anticipation that I visited on 12 April 2019.  I was again met by the whole team and introduced the review approach for the day.

Usually I choose a site at random on the day for an in-depth review, but decided on a different approach, and asked Team Leaders to volunteer their sites. A quick response resulted, with Team Leaders all volunteering. My random choice fell upon Ireen Maboya – Team Leader at a Laying Site. However, two more Team Leaders also wanted to participate, so I included them as they had all their implementation evidence ready – neatly organised in files.

A few hours were spent assessing the Keys which the Team Leaders are responsible for, having time spent with Farm management on their Keys, as well as evaluating the overall QCDSM KPIs. Apart from assessing the 12 Keys (out of the 20 Keys for the Farms Model) against best practices and requirements for the Excellence Award, the performance with key performance indicators was evaluated, over a period of 5 years, to see whether standards were met and sustained.

A review was also done with the maintenance function in their workplace, which delivered a pleasant surprise, as all the issues pointed out in January 2019 had been addressed at a very high standard – one of the best farm maintenance workshops, mini-business area, and team functioning I have seen!

In the afternoon, the team was called together for feedback. It was a real pleasure for me to announce that National Chicks, Boschkop and Klipkop Rearing and Laying farms joined the exclusive club of Astral Foods Farms achieving the 20 Keys Excellence Award.

I also decided to give a special award to the Maintenance Team for a Level 3.5 Workplace, which did not look possible in January 2019, as it was such a short period of time before the next review. Piet, an elder and leader in the team, is living proof that you are never too old to learn a few new tricks, as he enthusiastically took up implementation of the 20 Keys in the team!

During my feedback, I mentioned a few things, apart from achieving the Excellence Award requirements, in terms of Keys’ levels and KPI performance, that stood out for me, like the eagerness of Team Leaders to learn and take notes when we discussed issues, and the support from the managers.”

Said one of the managers “The review in January, and the one today, were very thorough and tough; we really feel like we deserve this.”

Author: Johan Benadie, Director at ODI.

To read more about ODI’s Continuous Operations Improvement System, click here.

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National Chicks, Boschkop Farm (part of the Astral Foods group) is competing for the 20 Keys Excellence Award. This International Award, awarded jointly by PDI Japan and ODI South Africa is a tough one to achieve. It focuses on having a high level of performance and maturity in terms of the organisations’:

• processes,
• systems,
• people and
• technology, and also
• sustainable, proven, performance with quality, cost effectiveness, delivery, safety (and bio-security) and morale of people, over a number of years.

When Nikki Moodley, Astral Foods Operations Improvement Executive recently invited me to do a gap analysis in terms of the Excellence Award requirements, I knew that the standard at the farm had to be high. Nikki has extensive 20 Keys implementation and facilitation experience, and does regular reviews herself, so I trust her judgment.

Nevertheless, I thought that it would still be some time before they could achieve the award, as it is quite a large farm in terms of the number of chicken breeding and laying sites. What a pleasant surprise awaited me! The whole management team, Manoj Singh, National Chicks Breeding and Laying Manager Gauteng, and all the foremen and site supervisors were at the opening session at the farm’s central offices (see the picture below, with Manoj and Nikki standing on the left). I had to comment on how neatly they were all dressed, and felt quite honoured that I was received as a very important visitor (people often duck and dive when progress reviews are done!).

After discussing the approach for the day, and which site will be visited (only one site as part of very strict bio-security measures at the farm), I was challenged by the group to ask them questions about the 20 Keys (which doesn’t happen very often!). Being challenged by a very confident looking group, I opted for the more difficult questions about the various Keys that they are implementing (there are 12 in the 20 Keys customised Farm System). The questions were met with insightful and enthusiastic answers, with everyone participating.

After the opening session, a number of hours were spent at a site, with the site supervisor and her team, looking at and discussing operations improvement, progress, and next steps. The real test with a 20 Keys implementation is at first-line team level; those people who are the closest to the day-to-day operations issues regarding:

• quality,
• cost effectiveness,
• delivery,
• safety,
• bio-security and
• morale.

After a very thorough and strict progress review, testing whether the principles of operations improvement are embedded within the people, processes, systems and technology, and looking at quality, cost effectiveness and delivery performance over recent years, only a few, minor gaps to be closed, were discussed, with the level of bio-security outstanding. This is no doubt due to the good support that Nikki provided, as well as the support from Dave Stock, Chief Operating Officer National Chicks.

Within days of the review, Manoj supplied some supplementary information on closing the gaps, and a final review date has been scheduled for early April 2019. Watch this space!

Author: Johan Benadie: Director at ODI

To read more about ODI’s Continuous Operations Improvement System, click here.

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