CCT 693

Michael Lihon

Action research to continuously motivate participation, of production

workers, on changes to support process improvement

• Overview• Methodology:

– Cycles and Epicycles– Descriptions on Action to be taken– Reflections and Dialogue

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

What is continuous Improvement?

Continuous improvement, in regard to organizational quality and performance, focuses on improving customer satisfaction through continuous and incremental improvements to processes, including by removing unnecessary activities and variations.

Overview

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

Overview

The purpose of this Action research: to identify working environment conditions to keep workers continuously motivated to participate in continuous improvement within an organization.

The results of this Action Research: Will help identify personalized working conditions that will enhance the performance of the group.

Who have been identified for the Action Research? Three Groups of worker, supervisors, and myself.

The element in this Action Research: Incentive as one of the five elements necessary for managing complex change.

The benefits form this Action Research: to learn and apply new personalize motivational tools to improve working conditions and production performance.

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

Overview

The purpose of this Action research: to identify working environment conditions to keep workers continuously motivated to participate in continuous improvement within an organization.

The results of this Action Research: Will help identify personalized working conditions that will enhance the performance of the group.

Who have been identified for the Action Research? Three Groups of worker, supervisors, and myself.

The element in this Action Research: Incentive as one of the five elements necessary for managing complex change.

The benefits form this Action Research: to learn and apply new personalize motivational tools to improve working conditions and production performance.

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

Action Research to better understand specific needs of production-

manufacturing-teams to continuously motivate their participation for change to

support process improvement

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

Creating the cultural structure for change

vision +  Skills  + Incentive +  Resources +

Action plan

=  Change

                     

    Skills +  Incentive +  Resources+

 Action

plan=  Confusion

                     

vision +      Incentive  + Resources 

+Action

plan = Anxiety

                     

vision  + Skills      + Resources+

 Action

plan =

Gradual change

                     

vision  + Skills +  Incentive +     Action

plan = Frustration

                     

vision +  Skills +  Incentive  + Resources+

   =  False start

From Demystifying Six-Sigma, Alan Larson

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

Overview

The purpose of this Action research: to identify working environment conditions to keep workers continuously motivated to participate in continuous improvement within an organization.

The results of this Action Research: Will help identify personalized working conditions that will enhance the performance of the group.

Who have been identified for the Action Research? Three Groups of worker, supervisors, and myself.

The element in this Action Research: Incentive as one of the five elements necessary for managing complex change.

The benefits form this Action Research: to learn and apply new personalize motivational tools to improve working conditions and production performance.

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

Overview

The purpose of this Action research: to identify working environment conditions to keep workers continuously motivated to participate in continuous improvement within an organization.

The results of this Action Research: Will help identify personalized working conditions that will enhance the performance of the group.

Who have been identified for the Action Research? Three Groups of worker, supervisors, and myself.

The element in this Action Research: Incentive as one of the five elements necessary for managing complex change.

The benefits form this Action Research: to learn and apply new personalize motivational tools to improve working conditions and production performance.

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

Overview

The purpose of this Action research: to identify working environment conditions to keep workers continuously motivated to participate in continuous improvement within an organization.

The results of this Action Research: Will help identify personalized working conditions that will enhance the performance of the group.

Who have been identified for the Action Research? Three Groups of worker, supervisors, and myself.

The element in this Action Research: Incentive as one of the five elements necessary for managing complex change.

The benefits form this Action Research: to learn and apply new personalize motivational tools to improve working conditions and production performance.

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

Creating the cultural structure for change

vision +  Skills  + Incentive +  Resources 

+Action

plan=  Change

                     

    Skills +  Incentive +  Resources+

 Action

plan=  Confusion

                     

vision +      Incentive  + Resources 

+Action

plan = Anxiety

                     

vision  + Skills      + Resources+

 Action

plan =

Gradual change

                     

vision  + Skills +  Incentive +     Action

plan = Frustration

                     

vision +  Skills +  Incentive  + Resources+

   =  False start

From Demystifying Six-Sigma, Alan Larson

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

Overview

The purpose of this Action research: to identify working environment conditions to keep workers continuously motivated to participate in continuous improvement within an organization.

The results of this Action Research: Will help identify personalized working conditions that will enhance the performance of the group.

Who have been identified for the Action Research? Three Groups of worker, supervisors, and myself.

The element in this Action Research: Incentive as one of the five elements necessary for managing complex change.

The benefits form this Action Research: to learn and apply new personalize motivational tools to improve working conditions and production performance.

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

Methodology

Cycles and Epicycles of Action Research

KAQF

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Michael Lihon

What do we KKnow?(Q: How do you Know that? --

What's the evidence, assumptions, and reasoning?)

AAction: What could people do on the basis of this knowledge?

(Q: Which people or group?)

QQuestions for Inquiry: What more do we Need to know—in order to clarify what people could do or to revise/refine the knowledge

How to FFind this out?(Q: Will your method of

research best enable you to Find this out?)

1. In some places at some time people have managed to motivate workers to change and participate in continuous improvement. These people have exceeded expectations of their own goals, and have been recognized by their peers and company news-letters.

Benchmark what other production groups within the same company have done. Once I have benchmark motivational tools used to improve behaviors of production workers, simulate the same motivational conditions to the other groups. If there are three departments, the workers of each department and their supervisors will be involved to identify possible changes if they occur. Alert supervisors the possibility of increase of group performance.

What did the efforts to motivate consist of?

How did they assess the effectiveness of each part of their efforts?

Since when have they notice changes from negative to positive behaviors.

Who were the people involved when those changes occurred?

What changes in the operational system have occurred close to the time when changes in behaviors have occurred?

One on one interview with all workers involved in past and present situations. Usually upper-management who has been working for a large number of years in the organization can separate the changes by periods and make the connection with changes in management. Match past Key performance indicators with changes in management. Research publications for behavioral theories in change management.

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

2. Some groups have better disposition to work problems out. They constantly offer to help in other projects and spend more time at work. They are recognized by internal awards on their performance and positive attitude. Certain projects ran with no major production problems, as supposed to other groups from whom workers are the controversies in the organization and are often under some kind of warning.

Interview the people who received wards form the company and ask them questions on what they think will be the best scenario for them to work. Interview workers who found themselves in trouble with management to find out reasons for their behavior. Simulate best and worse working conditions for them, and let them demonstrate with real scenarios the reasons for their frustrations.

What where the details of the condition in where the different situations, good or bad, occurred? What personal approach he or she thinks work the best for them to perform well at work or make them lose interest in their work?What do their supervisors or managers think went wrong? Was the problem as misinterpretation of company rules?To what extent company rules are applied to some and not to others?

Inquire among the members of that particular team, what do they think is working for them. Gather information from internal Six-Sigma group’s knowledge and research data they might have on incentive and motivational tools.

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Michael Lihon

3. Some people like to spend a lot of time in the workplace. They are constantly asking to work overtime and are always willing to stay pass the hour to set-up next day’s project. Most of the time these people have great problem-solving dispositions.

One-on-one interview to understand their thinking view about work, and try to convey this thinking to other workers. Ask this person to share personal view with the rest of the group.

What do they think will kill the positive environment they are in? What is the strategy the leader of their group is taking? What specific needs are they fulfilling at work that they might not find anywhere else?What amount of time do they spend actually working and how much time they spend socializing.

Describe to him or her particular situation where workers are not motivated, and ask for feedback. Questionnaire on good and bad things at work.

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

What kind of surveys were done in the past?

Found two surveys from 2006 and 2005

•How were they surveys presented to the workers

•What were the responses (Data)

•What were the changes

•Did it work?

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

2005Biologics DepartmentInternal SurveyMark True or False

1. Quality problems and incidents increase when key staff takes

vacation or sick time.

2. Process performance (quality and output) is the same from shift to

shift

3. Planned process changes/product changes go smoothly

4. Different operators run the same equipment differently

5. The same rules, methods, and conditions have exited for a long time

and things are not getting better

6. Process performance deteriorates with the age of the equipment

7. Problems in key performance areas (e.g.: quality, delivery,

productivity) have been addressed numerous times only to return

after a short absence

8. Different departments (and individuals within departments) have or

appear to have different goals and objectives associated with their

output

9. Equipment failures and outages create chaos for the organization

because dealing with them is almost always reactionary

10. Processes are run to the best of the operator’s ability and

adjustments, and corrections are made based on judgment and

experience ( as supposed to data)

11. When experienced employees change jobs or leave, problems spring

up in the area they left

12. Process performance modification and control is not documented

empirically

13. Many problems of quality, traceability, and accountability are traced

to between shift transfers or hand off

14. Expedited orders slow down (even get lost) between shifts and/or

between departments

2006Biologics DepartmentInternal Survey

Do you agree or disagree with the following statements

I know what to do every day. Agree_____ Disagree _____

I have a clear understanding of my roles and responsibilities.

Agree_____ Disagree _____

I have adequate tools and equipment to perform my job.

Agree_____ Disagree _____

My work environment is well organized. Agree_____ Disagree

_____

My group is adequately staffed to perform the day to day operations.

Agree_____ Disagree _____

I received adequate instructions to perform my job. Agree_____

Disagree _____

I receive adequate training. Agree_____ Disagree _____

I receive reward and/or recognition for good performance.

Agree_____ Disagree _____

I receive clear and objective performance feedback. Agree_____

Disagree _____

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

Quality problems and incidents increase when key staff takes

vacation or sick time.

Process performance (quality and output) is the same from

shift to shift

Planned process changes/product changes go smoothly

Different operators run the same equipment differently

The same rules, methods, and conditions have exited for a

long time and things are not getting better

Process performance deteriorates with the age of the

equipment

2005Biologics DepartmentInternal SurveyMark True or False

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

Problems in key performance areas (e.g.: quality, delivery,

productivity) have been addressed numerous times only to return after

a short absence

Different departments (and individuals within departments) have or

appear to have different goals and objectives associated with their

output

Equipment failures and outages create chaos for the organization

because dealing with them is almost always reactionary

Processes are run to the best of the operator’s ability and

adjustments, and corrections are made based on judgment and

experience ( as supposed to data)

When experienced employees change jobs or leave, problems spring

up in the area they left

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

Process performance modification and control is not

documented empirically

Many problems of quality, traceability, and accountability

are traced to between shift transfers or hand off

Expedited orders slow down (even get lost) between

shifts and/or between departments

When someone important is due to visit, you have to take

special time (and sometimes much effort) to clean things

up

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

2006Biologics DepartmentInternal Survey Do you agree or disagree with the following statements1. I know what to do every day. Agree_____ Disagree _____2. I have a clear understanding of my roles and responsibilities. Agree_____

Disagree _____ 3. I have adequate tools and equipment to perform my job. Agree_____

Disagree _____4. My work environment is well organized. Agree_____ Disagree _____5. My group is adequately staffed to perform the day to day operations.

Agree_____ Disagree _____ 6. I received adequate instructions to perform my job. Agree_____ Disagree

_____7. I receive adequate training. Agree_____ Disagree _____ 8. I receive reward and/or recognition for good performance. Agree_____

Disagree _____9. I receive clear and objective performance feedback. Agree_____

Disagree _____

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

What is going to be different about next survey?

Possible questions to be asked in the questionnaire for the action research project.What do you think we need to do to make this environment more work-friendly?What do we need to do to make you feel good about working with your current co-workers and in this place?What would you do to make this job a better place to work?What do you think you need form your supervisor to make you feel part of this team/company?What will motivate you to work in harmony at this place?What do you need to feel part of the organization and make you work with a better attitude?What do you think you need to make you feel like this were your own business?What would you change about this place to make it better?

CCT 693

Michael Lihon

CCT 693

Michael Lihon