Many years ago I watched a tv documentary (probably BBC with the Open University) about business consultants.
There was a small - medium engineering company. These firms tend to be split between white collar office and management work, and blue collar shop floor work.
The consultant went in, had a bit of a chat with the management, and then went onto the shop floor. After a bit of resistance he got a lot of great information. When someone is sitting at a machine pushing a button for 8 hours a day one thing they know is what makes that harder and what might make it easier.
He got all these suggestions and put together a plan. All the blue collar staff were energised, active, keen to be involved. He then told them he was going to make a presentation to management. He asked the shop-floor workers what they thought would happen.
"They'll ignore you" was the reply. "No!" he said, "They'll see the work we're put in, and they'll see the benefits to them, and they'll put in some changes!"
He called the meeting. He gave his presentation. All the management sat, waiting for someone else to make a first move.
Obviously they did not agree with any of the suggested changes. They heard the story about the car factory worker who saved his company thousands with a simple bag over the licence plate suggestion. They didn't care.
"What you don't seem to realise is that we've already thought about all of this before we put the machines in" - it's like kaizen never existed.
There's a reason many work cultures are fucked.
But, you know, it is a good idea and I wish you luck if you try it!
PS: obviously the point is not "shop floor great, management bad", because I've met many lazy shop floor workers.
There was a small - medium engineering company. These firms tend to be split between white collar office and management work, and blue collar shop floor work.
The consultant went in, had a bit of a chat with the management, and then went onto the shop floor. After a bit of resistance he got a lot of great information. When someone is sitting at a machine pushing a button for 8 hours a day one thing they know is what makes that harder and what might make it easier.
He got all these suggestions and put together a plan. All the blue collar staff were energised, active, keen to be involved. He then told them he was going to make a presentation to management. He asked the shop-floor workers what they thought would happen.
"They'll ignore you" was the reply. "No!" he said, "They'll see the work we're put in, and they'll see the benefits to them, and they'll put in some changes!"
He called the meeting. He gave his presentation. All the management sat, waiting for someone else to make a first move.
Obviously they did not agree with any of the suggested changes. They heard the story about the car factory worker who saved his company thousands with a simple bag over the licence plate suggestion. They didn't care.
"What you don't seem to realise is that we've already thought about all of this before we put the machines in" - it's like kaizen never existed.
There's a reason many work cultures are fucked.
But, you know, it is a good idea and I wish you luck if you try it!
PS: obviously the point is not "shop floor great, management bad", because I've met many lazy shop floor workers.