CASE STUDIES 

Manufacturing Change Project 

A leading food manufacturer builds the foundations for manufacturing change with the Skillogy PERFORMTM development programme for manager-leaders.

CLIENT

A leading food manufacturer, part of an international Group

INDUSTRY

Food production

ORGANISATION DATA

Part of a major group

Production site – 800 employees

Rotating 3-shift system with12 production lines

THE GOAL

To improve manufacturing process efficiency and output through a radical reorganisation of first line supervision, trained to lead and supervise well motivated shift teams.

The Objectives

  • remodel the supervisory role into the newly created position of line leader and recruit 24 applicants
  • restructure the manufacturing organisation to reduce the number of middle management positions and focus increased responsibility at the line leader interface with production
  • reduce manufacturing waste by 25%
  • reduce sickness and absenteeism from the current level of 20% to 5%
  • reduce production worker attrition rates by 50%

The Starting Point

This production unit occupies a site that has been modernised and refurbished over the years, since the first day that biscuit production took place there, some 90 years ago. The factory produces a range of household-named brands.

The business unit was faced with a number of issues within their manufacturing process and two of these were critical in achieving production targets. The first related to wastage through incorrect mixing, spillage, variable oven temperatures or breakage during the pack and wrap stage. The second related to problems associated with shift working due to high absenteeism and sickness levels, high employee turnover and low job satisfaction and motivation within the shift teams.

Courses taken in this case study

Change is an inevitable part of life. Nothing remains static and the way we respond to change varies from individual to individual. Approximately one half of the population resists it, while the other half welcomes it. This course examines the change management process and the ways in which an understanding of the causes of resistance can be turned to positive advantage.

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Management is about finding creative solutions to problems and identifying the appropriate course of action. Creativity and originality explores the power of the mind, in bringing things into being, from original thought or basic concepts. This course sets out to show how the power of imagination can build on original thoughts to create solutions and plans, which contribute to work performance.

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Time, like capital or human skills, is a resource that has to be managed effectively. It is also a limited resource. This course looks at your ability to manage job objectives, priorities and activities within the available time. Effective time management is critical when time is at a premium and workloads are on the increase. In essence, the aim is to achieve the right things, at the right quality, on time.

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This course examines the ability to plan and control the allocation of work within team members in order to maximise resources. Good delegation is based on clear objectives, regular reviews and solid feedback. It shows how delegation can provide a sound basis on which to improve productivity, engender ownership and responsibility, whilst fostering individual growth and development.

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Information encompasses every aspect of your job. Throughout the work process you use it, produce it, pass it on and communicate it. This course examines the ability to store and the retrieve the essential information required to carry out your job efficiently.

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An interesting aspect of job knowledge is that the majority of people believe they understand their job until they are asked to explain it. This course sets out to examine your professional, specialist or expert knowledge and understanding that are especially required in your job.

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Leaders and managers will not be effective, if they do not understand the theories and practices of motivation. What you believe about people, affects the way your team reacts to you and your leadership. This course looks at the inherent needs of people and how to improve productivity and motivate a workforce. The level of motivation displayed by a team reflects the skills of the leader.

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Objective setting is the foundation of good management. Without objectives, you will never be able to focus on achievement, nor manage the various aspects of your work and working relationships. This course covers your ability to think through and define the results you and your team wish to achieve, through an eight-step process, which is constantly subject to change and review.

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Estimates show that some 70% of your work time is spent in some aspect of communication. With so much practice and experience, it would appear that we are all experts, but that is not the case. This course looks at your ability to reach a shared or common understanding with another person and how you apply your verbal and written abilities as well as your capacity to listen and understand.

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What you achieve at work is dependent on the contributions you make to your team. This is the sum of the skills that you willingly give to others or you add towards a common goal or result. This course looks at the key areas of contribution that you are required to make in order to achieve team objectives and results.

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Personal organisation seems to have a considerable effect on feelings and moods. You have good and bad days. If you feel well organised, you have a positive sense of well-being and in control. This course looks at your ability to arrange and control all aspects of your work so that it flows smoothly and efficiently. This skill depends upon your inherent drives to control events and circumstances.

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Each team has a unique  ‘team  personality’ made up from the individuals that form it. It is this aspect that determines how effectively the team works together, the quality of their performance  and what they are capable of achieving. This course looks at how teams work together to achieve team objectives. Effective teams have a common ‘team spirit’ which directly impacts on their results.

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Time, like capital or human skills, is a resource that has to be managed effectively. It is also a limited resource. This course looks at your ability to manage job objectives, priorities and activities within the available time. Effective time management is criticalwhen time is at a premium and workloads are on the increase. In essence, the aim is to achieve the right things, at the right quality, on time.

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Transforming leadership involves having a transforming approach to your work and life. Leaders operate from a set of core beliefs about people, that motivates them to perform and engage in the organisation. This transforming improves personal development and the productivity of all involved. This course explores seven key areas to help you become more effective as a leader.

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Strategy and Planning

Before the Skillogy PERFORM™ programme had been considered as a solution to the problems, a senior management task force had been engaged in preparing a major change plan, aimed at addressing the key manufacturing issues.

Fundamental to the success of the manufacturing change strategy was the need to restructure the manufacturing organisation and first line supervision was considered as the starting point.

The task force looked at the requirements of the role of the supervisor in terms of what was required to address current issues, as well as developing high levels of productivity within shift teams to achieve output and quality targets.

The decision was taken to completely redesign the role into leaders of semi-autonomous shift teams, with team members trained to carry out rotational activities between the mixing floor, bake and pack and wrap.

The Skillogy PERFORM™ programme was presented to the senior management group and was selected from a shortlist of three final companies. The programme was selected because it met the following criteria:

  • The Model of Abilities™ was a very effective blended learning solution that provided a comprehensive selection of integrated performance skills specific to needs
  • the programme focused on applied management practice and provided an ideal solution, through its flexible approach, to accommodating the varied working patterns of the new line leaders
  • the structure of the programme enabled the task group to set measurable objectives for ROI measurement and to track and monitor learner development

The manufacturing change task group had taken the decision that, as a precursor to the introduction of the new line leader role, to advertise the 24 supervisory positions and to appointment new job holders from both new applicants and those that had previously held the supervisory positions. By this means they could select those specifically suited to the new role.

Process and Roll-Out

The implementation process was divided into two stages. Stage one was primarily the responsibility of the senior management task force. The key elements of this stage involved:

  • identification of competencies and design of the line leader position from the transition and level 1 grouping
  • restructuring of the manufacturing organisation
  • structure of the Skillogy PERFORM™ programme and roll-out timetable
  • establishing the key objectives of the programme
  • selection of suitable candidates for the line leader role

The Skillogy learning consultant was involved in structuring the blended learning elements and planning the timetable. The second stage focused primarily on the implementation of the Skillogy PERFORM™ programme. This involved:

  • identifying the key performance skills to develop the line leader competencies
  • planning the launch announcement, delivered by the General Manager of the business unit
  • preparing and scheduling the introductory workshop.

As part of the blended learning process, the learning consultant prepared, in conjunction with local training managers, a number of case studies and projects that would be included in individual learning plans, specific to the objectives of manufacturing process improvement.

Fourteen performance skills were selected to form the backbone of the programme, run as an eighteen month programme. The development programme provided a combination of self-managed, on-line learning (ideally suited to fit in with shift patterns), self-regulated learning cohorts designed to provide peer group support as well as facilitated workshops delivered by the learning consultant.

SKILL COMPOSITION

The performance skills were selected on the basis that they had to meet the three key areas of development for the new role:

  • Structure and process
  • Productivity and output
  • Leadership and motivation

The following fourteen performance skills were selected:

From the SELF performance area –

  • Personal Communication
  • Personal Contributions
  • Personal Organisation
  • Time Management

From the MANGER performance area –

  • Change Management
  • Decision Management
  • Delegation Management
  • Information Management
  • Job Knowledge
  • Objective Setting
  • Teamwork

From the LEADER performance area –

  • Creativity and Originality (problem solving)
  • Motivating People
  • Transforming Leadership

All of the 30 courses in the ability model have been designed, written and developed around the characteristics that were identified from the research project undertaken in 1996 by James Noon and Michael Bolam, as underpinning management and leadership performance.

Many of the performance skills share common characteristics and it is this aspect of the model that provides its effectiveness in changing behaviour and improving performance. It is also this aspect that makes the model unique and differentiates it from other approaches to management development. The performance skills combined into ‘clusters’ to address the three key developmental requirements for the line leader role.

Structure

The development structure involved:
ASSESS – LEARN – APPLY – REVIEW

The support structure involved:
LAUNCH – INTRODUCTION – LEARNING SETS/COHORTS – FACILITATED WORKSHOPS – REGULAR REVIEW SESSIONS

The tracking and monitoring structure involved:
INDIVIDUAL – TEAM – ORGANISATION LEVELS

Overall Results Manufacturing Change

The delivery of the modules covered an eighteen month period but the programme was designed to make extended learning, a continuous process.

The programme was rated a considerable success. In the opinion of senior management, no other training programme had ever had such an impact in terms of its effectiveness in producing results against objectives set.

Participants in the programme favoured the blended learning approach and the practical nature of the knowledge delivery.

Specific mention was made regarding the flexibility of the programme and how this greatly assisted in balancing learning with workplace commitments and demands.

Return on Investment showed a 1200% improvement over the two year sampling period, representing a financial gain of £1,200,000

Performance metrics were taken at 24 months, when the following results were calculated:

  • production output had averaged 97% of target due to a reduction in machinery downtime and improvements in shift rotas
  • manufacturing waste had reduced by 50%
  • manufacturing process improvements: innovative ideas initiated through team briefings and discussions were introduced and implemented through production engineering, resulting in manufacturing process improvements
  • productivity improvements: measurable increases in productivity were gained at all levels, based on calculations taken from action plans and log samples at individual levels, team production output reports and manufacturing performance reports at organisation levels.
  • knowledge retention and application: the key underpinning skills for the roles were developed effectively with comparative changes in knowledge gained averaging 50% across all 24 line leaders (comparing average baseline scores of 25% at the start of the programme to 75% at the final assessment review stage.
  • sickness, absenteeism and attrition: significant reductions were made from an average of 40% to a level of 8%
  • motivation and retention: job rotation was introduced among shift teams. Employee Attitude Surveys taken at before and after sampling points indicated that there had been an 80% improvement in key response areas, especially in employee involvement, communication, job enrichment, satisfaction ratings and motivation
  • information and communication: the flows were improved
  • further development: the programme was extended into other functions and management populations, both at this business unit and within other European group operations.

Skillogy PERFORM™ Human-Centric Skill Courses By Performance Area

All courses recognised by CMI

 SELF

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to manage oneself and one’s relationships with others in a mature and constructive manner. Research indicates that EI is closely related to workplace success at all levels of the organisation. In this course we look at six key aspects of EI in order to help develop your skills and abilities in managing yourself and your relationships in the workplace.

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Estimates show that some 70% of your work time is spent in some aspect of communication. With so much practice and experience, it would appear that we are all experts, but that is not the case. This course looks at your ability to reach a shared or common understanding with another person and how you apply your verbal and written abilities as well as your capacity to listen and understand.

.

What you achieve at work is dependent on the contributions you make to your team. This is the sum of the skills that you willingly give to others or you add towards a common goal or result. This course looks at the key areas of contribution that you are required to make in order to achieve team objectives and results.

.

Personal organisation seems to have a considerable effect on feelings and moods. You have good and bad days. If you feel well organised, you have a positive sense of well-being and in control. This course looks at your ability to arrange and control all aspects of your work so that it flows smoothly and efficiently. This skill depends upon your inherent drives to control events and circumstances.

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Managing priorities often causes a potential source of conflict. The correct work behaviour is summarised as ‘what you do second is equally important to what you do first’. This routine is achieved if time is controlled in terms of priority management. This course looks at your ability to focus on priority of job objectives and conflict between priority of importance and priority of time.

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Work stress has been described as the ‘wear and tear’ caused by your working life. In recent times, stress at work has seen a rapidly rising trend. This course looks at your ability to avoid work stress and to control and manage it. Excessive and continuous work stress problems stem from excessive workloads and impractical deadlines, relationships with colleagues and future job insecurity.

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Your ability to think is probably your greatest asset at work.  Everything  you say and do will be touched by what is going on in your mind. Performance and achievements are a direct function of your thinking abilities. This course looks at mental agility, conceptual and analytical thinking, in allowing you to conceive and form ideas, in a practical sense and draw the right conclusions.

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Time, like capital or human skills, is a resource that has to be managed effectively. It is also a limited resource. This course looks at your ability to manage job objectives, priorities and activities within the available time. Effective time management is criticalwhen time is at a premium and workloads are on the increase. In essence, the aim is to achieve the right things, at the right quality, on time.

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Wellness is not a new concept. The ancient Greeks believed that a truly healthy person possessed a keen intellect, a well-developed will and a disciplined body. Their ideal of excellence of any kind, was considered a noble state of human functioning, representing the merging of body, mind and spirit. This course focuses on making you aware of and making choices towards a more successful life.

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Your work personality brings together all those parts of you that have an influence on your performance at work. This course examines those qualities of your personality that you consistently demonstrate in your work and by which you become known by your colleagues. The main issue is whether you possess and use those positive qualities normally associated with good performance.

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MANAGER

Change is an inevitable part of life. Nothing remains static and the way we respond to change varies from individual to individual. Approximately one half of the population resists it, while the other half welcomes it. This course examines the change management process and the ways in which an understanding of the causes of resistance can be turned to positive advantage.

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This course looks at the step-by-step process of decision making from problem definition to implementation. It highlights the importance of qualitative information in decision judgement and the impact of unstructured decisions. It emphasises that judgement takes a higher priority when the impact of the decision is greater, more complex or the potential risk is higher.

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Time, like capital or human skills, is a resource that has to be managed effectively. It is also a limited resource. This course looks at your ability to manage job objectives, priorities and activities within the available time. Effective time management is critical when time is at a premium and workloads are on the increase. In essence, the aim is to achieve the right things, at the right quality, on time.

.

This course examines the ability to plan and control the allocation of work within team members in order to maximise resources. Good delegation is based on clear objectives, regular reviews and solid feedback. It shows how delegation can provide a sound basis on which to improve productivity, engender ownership and responsibility, whilst fostering individual growth and development.

.

People are a vital element in any organisation and managing and leading people is criticallyimportant for every manager. This course describes the key people management skills that contribute fully to individual performance improvement and organisational effectiveness.

.

Information encompasses every aspect of your job. Throughout the work process you use it, produce it, pass it on and communicate it. This course examines the ability to store and the retrieve the essential information required to carry out your job efficiently.

.

An interesting aspect of job knowledge is that the majority of people believe they understand their job until they are asked to explain it. This course sets out to examine your professional, specialist or expert knowledge and understanding that are especially required in your job.

.

Objective setting is the foundation of good management. Without objectives, you will never be able to focus on achievement, nor manage the various aspects of your work and working relationships. This course covers your ability to think through and define the results you and your team wish to achieve, through an eight-step process, which is constantly subject to change and review.

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Project Management is a combination of steps and techniques for keeping the budget and schedule in line. This course follows the five stages of the project cycle, which provides a clear process and system for project tracking. A successful project manager demonstrates team building skills and develops a thorough knowledge of the team’s strengths and the project’s needs.

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Each team has a unique  ‘team  personality’ made up from the individuals that form it. It is this aspect that determines how effectively the team works together, the quality of their performance  and what they are capable of achieving. This course looks at how teams work together to achieve team objectives. Effective teams have a common ‘team spirit’ which directly impacts on their results.

.

LEADER

Management is about finding creative solutions to problems and identifying the appropriate course of action. Creativity and originality explores the power of the mind, in bringing things into being, from original thought or basic concepts. This course sets out to show how the power of imagination can build on original thoughts to create solutions and plans, which contribute to work performance.

.

Ethical leadership involves the way that managers and leaders carry out their decision-making in terms of moral issues and choices. This course examines the role of the ethical leader and the influence that he or she can exert in terms of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and improving an organisation’s ethical climate.

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Innovation is a special and highly regarded ability in people at work. The organisations that are the most successful at innovation, will gain leadership in their market. This course focuses on the role of the corporate innovator, in larger scale project development and highlights the importance of building innovative teams, in order to maintain a competitive edge.

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A manager can spend 50% of their work time in meetings, of one type or another. This course looks at your ability to plan and control meetings and make effective use of your time. Meetings involve planning, preparation, selection of participants, adherence to issues and time schedules. Meetings involve the maintenance of teamwork, supporting relationships and superior work performance.

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Leaders and managers will not be effective, if they do not understand the theories and practices of motivation. What you believe about people, affects the way your team reacts to you and your leadership. This course looks at the inherent needs of people and how to improve productivity and motivate a workforce. The level of motivation displayed by a team reflects the skills of the leader.

.

In achieving optimum performance and long-term success, all organisations have to respond and adapt. Similarly, all jobs are conditioned by plans that require change. This course addresses your ability to have the knowledge and understanding of your organisation’s objectives, strategies, plans and the external environment in relation to political, social, financial and market competitive forces.

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Personal character is the sum of your moral and ethical qualities. It is these same qualities that provide the foundation for your working relationships. This course helps you to reflect on your work behaviour and integrity. Without this, it is impossible to lead and manage a team with any degree of success. Nor is it possible to survive in an organisation, which is not dedicated to ethical standards.

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Much of what you achieve depends on your ability to persuade other people. In many respects, persuasion is the highest form of communication. This course looks at the ability of persuasion and negotiation, in producing successful outcomes and moving towards a convergence of opinion and understanding. Negotiation depends on your attitudes in approach and devoting time to planning.

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Managers and leaders use power every day. Using power effectively, is an important skill and by developing influencing techniques, can lead to increased team effectiveness. This course describes the sources of power and strategies and assesses your abilities in line with these. Power contributes to organisational goals, respect human rights and conform to standards of equality and justice.

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Transforming leadership involves having a transforming approach to your work and life. Leaders operate from a set of core beliefs about people, that motivates them to perform and engage in the organisation. This transforming improves personal development and the productivity of all involved. This course explores seven key areas to help you become more effective as a leader.

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