How does your Company Communicate Requirements to Employees

B

Bill Pflanz

#11
Claes Gefvenberg said:
Requirements like in customer requirements are transfered via our process for determination of requirements related to the product, and order entry system to work orders.
All written procedures as well as quite a lot of general info can can be accessed via intranet by the entire staff.
/Claes
Claes,

I audited a small company where the quality manager had spent a lot of time putting customer requirements into the company intranet system. After he explained the system, one of my audit tasks was to review the shipping department.

After listening to the shipping employee describe their general process for making sure the products were shipped out correctly, I asked how she knew when to ship the product. She calmly reached out and pulled a piece of paper that was taped on the computer monitor and said that the shipping date was noted on it. Technically, I guess she did get the customer requirement "off the computer" but I decided maybe I should write it up as a nonconformance.

Apparently, they had not trained the employees where to look in the intranet for the information. Making information "available" whether by email, bulletin board or by computer is not the same thing as communicating the information.

Bill Pflanz
 
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RoxaneB

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
#12
Bill Pflanz said:
Apparently, they had not trained the employees where to look in the intranet for the information. Making information "available" whether by email, bulletin board or by computer is not the same thing as communicating the information.
Your scenario is completely valid and very realistic, Bill. And yes, having the information available does not necessarily equate to communicating it. But one must also consider the maturity of the system in place the culture of the organization. Why did she use her taped note instead of going online? Maybe she hadn't been trained. I concede that. But in other places, answers like "It's faster, easier" or "I don't like the way the computer presents the information to me" could have been given. That requires a different resolution. It wasn't that the information was not being communicated, but simply improper tools provided to translate the information in a language/format the user understood efficiently.

Still, though, you do have a point. I guess with where I am now, and the cuture of this company, I take for granted that our people are very vocal if the tools ain't workin' for them. And boy oh boy, if something comes out and they aren't trained on it....there are times I wish I had an office with a door on it! :)
 
#13
Bill Pflanz said:
Apparently, they had not trained the employees where to look in the intranet for the information. Making information "available" whether by email, bulletin board or by computer is not the same thing as communicating the information.
Amen to that. We did train them, however. All of them. Besides, requirements related to the ordered product is transferred to work orders, and there is no getting away from them. We cannot run our production without them.

/Claes
 
#14
Improving Internal Communication

Just read a very thorough article on this in the latest issue of Quality Digest (May 2004).

As ISO Coordinator, I'm trying to determine ways for our company to fulfill this requirement. You wouldn't think it would be such an issue with just 50 employees; however I find that a significant number of problems can be attributed to communication - or lack there of!

Anyone have some helpful hints for a small company with limited intranet usage?

Sue
 

RoxaneB

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
#15
Sue said:
Just read a very thorough article on this in the latest issue of Quality Digest (May 2004).

As ISO Coordinator, I'm trying to determine ways for our company to fulfill this requirement. You wouldn't think it would be such an issue with just 50 employees; however I find that a significant number of problems can be attributed to communication - or lack there of!

Anyone have some helpful hints for a small company with limited intranet usage?

Sue


Here's a few thoughts...some are more involved and detailed than others...and some might even be able to be combined!...

  • Bulletin boards in a common area (i.e., where most, if not all, employees will pass)
  • Monthy newsletter
  • Monthly communication meetings - include a snack for attendees, show something like your Quality Policy near the beginning or Vision and quiz people on the end (have them right their answer down on a piece of paper, name optionally, all those that get it correct and provided a name, get a prize like a company pen or something)
  • Customer Appreciation Day - start off small by inviting local Customers and having your employees do the presentations on how product is made. BBQ if the weather is nice for everyone! Tours! A true win-win day!
 
M

mitsu11

#16
I was in a similar situation: ISO Coordinator at a small company (<50).

In addition to some of the previously mentioned items, I talked daily with the quality inspector, who was all over the floor all day long. For product/production process related items, telling her things was like wildfire. I also think it built up her ego (empowerment), because she felt like she was intimately involved with the decisions. She was! I got great feedback from floor employees and her, as well as spreading the word from above.
 
N

Nomad

#17
Thanks to all for the great input.

Hello everyone,
Let me start by saying sorry for not a reply sooner (Things have been chaotic recently).
I would like to thank everyone for their great input. We (Top Management and myself) are going to use a bulliten board system in each department. It will have the CAN, Internal Audit information (results of previous audits, when the next audit is scheduled, etc.), On-time delivery rating, ABVS score, Customer communications, and Pareto charts of the defects for that department.
The Supervisors for each department will hold brief update meetings with the employees when things are added.

We are also developing a "Lessons Learned Book" for each product. As problems occur during manufacturing, notes are made of the type of problem and the solution. These notes are to be kepted and used in the planning phase for the next contract for that item or similar item.

We are still debating on whether or not the Employee Suggestion Box on the bulliten board or leave it in a central location.

Again, :thanx: for all your suggestions. The Cove is a great resource to have.
Jerry
 
#18
Nomad said:
We are also developing a "Lessons Learned Book" for each product. As problems occur during manufacturing, notes are made of the type of problem and the solution. These notes are to be kepted and used in the planning phase for the next contract for that item or similar item.
That sounds like a good idea.

Nomad said:
We are still debating on whether or not the Employee Suggestion Box on the bulliten board or leave it in a central location.
There are pros and cons, of course. One reason to put it on the board is that both the board and the suggestion box are likley to benefit from more attention.

/Claes
 

RoxaneB

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
#19
Nomad said:
We are also developing a "Lessons Learned Book" for each product. As problems occur during manufacturing, notes are made of the type of problem and the solution. These notes are to be kepted and used in the planning phase for the next contract for that item or similar item.
We have something very similar and maintained electronically. Every time we make a particular product, its "history" is called up and we can find out what steps to take to set up the line properly to avoid generating nonconforming product.

Nomad said:
We are still debating on whether or not the Employee Suggestion Box on the bulliten board or leave it in a central location.
Again, this is something else we maintain online. It is "visible" however as it is reviewed by all departments at least once a month and we have now made it a Key Indicator for people to track the number of Suggestions assigned to them > 60 days open. We've noticed that number is starting to climb (as presented at a recent Management Review) and the action was for each department to monitor this item.
 
Last edited:
N

Nomad

#20
Just had our Surveillance Audit.

Hello Everybody, :bigwave:
Just wanted to say :thanx: for all your input.
We had our surveillance audit this week and our Auditor liked what we are doing with the "Communication Center" boards.
We ended up with 1 (one) Minor finding. It was against section 6.2.1/6.2.2 Competence, awareness, and training. The majority of our job descriptions do not have the minimum requiements needed (for education, training, skills, and experience) listed on them. They list the job specific functions that the employee must become proficient in, and demonstrate that proficiency to the Department Supervisor.

Overall, the audit went well. Our registrar is happy and my bosses are pleased. Guess that means I can celebrate :beerdive:

I do have related questions. Our job descriptions are "departmentally controlled" by our Human Resources Dept. They do not have form numbers and are not on our master list of records/forms for QMS documents. Should they be listed as a QMS document? Or is departmental control good enough?

Thanks Again for All your input.
JR
 
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