Case Studies
The Issue
The HR team and Team One instigated a cultural change initiative as a response to workplace fatalities and a discouraged workforce.
The Solution
This programme was rolled-out across the whole of the Group to include Operations, Finance, Marketing, Compliance, HR and IT. As we all worked on the same site, the intention was to develop a sense of “one”; to challenge each other to be more positive and proactive with such tools as the “Power Train”; and to inspire the workforce with positive role-modelling from Team One facilitators.
The Process
The objectives of this programme were
1. To increase safety awareness and to create a proactive safety environment measured through:
- A higher number of near misses reported
- A reduction in the number of MTIs (Medical Treatment Incidents) and a decreasing trend in the MTIFR (Medical Treatment Injury Frequency Rate)
- A reduction in the number of LTIs (Lost Time Injury) and a decreasing trend in the LTIFR (Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate)
2. Behaviour and attitude changes measured by less absenteeism, sickness and better team performance
3. An increase in confidence in 5 key areas after completing the course:
- I am able to work with a positive attitude
- I am prepared to view life from other people’s point of view
- I can communicate with management
- I am clear of my responsibilities in health & safety
- I take responsibility for health & safety around my workmates
The Result
While the statistics show a marked improvement in the areas of health and safety, participants have also used the principles of this programme to improve other areas of their lives, as shown in the anecdotal evidence.
The Client Said
“We have seen better team performance through enhanced production statistics. New production records have been set and overall production is up 20%.”
Anecdotal Evidence and an Increase in Confidence
- Shift Managers and Team Leaders have created ‘Power Trains’ with their crews and have displayed them in the plants.
- An employee of 8-years service with literacy problems motivated as a result of the sessions to seek assistance to improve.
- An employee of 10-years service motivated as a result of the sessions to put himself forward for development in an area out of his comfort zone.
- Learning about colleagues’ home lives / personal situations and having a greater respect and understanding for them.
The Issue: Formerly a Government Department, this client had evolved through the State Owned Enterprise phase, acquiring a lot of small businesses to become a large private company. There were significant issues of cultural inertia from the history of the organisation which adversely affected performance and productivity.
The Process: Team One were asked to co-design a programme that would infuse every level of leadership with a strong adherence to the new values the organisation wanted to embrace. A PowerTrain based programme, entitled Values at Work was implemented for 500 managers and staff in leadership positions. Following the feedback from the initial Roll-out we were asked to continue rolling this out to their 2000 strong workforce.
The Result: Since the Staff Roll-out we have had report of much higher staff attitude towards their workers and their work. Three months after the implementation of the programme, one of their largest clients called the senior managers to a meeting at which he told them that as clients, they had noticed a huge improvement in the attitude and performance from the staff on the contracts they were delivering to that client and asked what they had done to achieve this.
The Client Said: The CEO said “Participants from our Company gave this programme the highest ratings I have ever seen, confirming our belief that it is helping us to drive cultural changes throughout the organisation” Following the workforce roll-out the HR Manager publicly thanked Team One for “Implementing this training throughout their organisation which has can only be described as an adrenalin shot to the heart of our organisation”
The Issue: To have the concepts of safe behaviour instilled in the workforce so that working safely and looking out for each other becomes an accepted part of the way people work on the site.
The Process: We ran 13 two-day workshops as the first phase of our Safety Behavioural Change Programme. Everyone – all 270 employees – attended the program starting with the Senior Management Team.
All the workshops were highly participatory – breaking out into small groups, work shopping topics and then presenting their group’s work back to the bigger group. Everyone was required at some time over the 2 days to present and for many this was a big challenge.
The material was all about personal accountability, communication, family, teamwork and personal development.
“It was a powerful reinforcement of the safety vision when people stood in front of their mates and presented what their groups had developed in order to ensure a safe working environment.”
The Result: Following the initial courses the client had gone 9 months without a Lost Time Incident. Nine months accident free – especially in times when we have been exceptionally busy was a new record.
The Client Said: “I am convinced that as a consequence of the Team One work we will see an improvement in our safety performance and additionally we will have more communication, better teamwork and ultimately, a better performing business.
The Team One work was rated so highly by our people because its relevance goes beyond the workplace and impacts into all areas of their lives. The material is simple yet encompasses so much – it is fresh, innovative and well presented.
We have turned the corner – we want to use the Team One work to consolidate our performance Year to Date, and we believe our vision of “no accidents, no harm to anyone working on our sites” is both realistic and achievable.”
Manufacturing
The General Manager of this business unit had worked with Team One in a previous business unit of one of New Zealand’s largest companies, getting fantastic results. He called on Team One to once again improve performance, productivity, engagement and EBIT.
Team One began working with this organisation in May 2010. The following are the results of one production plant.
EBIT
• F10 Team One starts work with the organisation at the end of F10
• F11 increased 1245%
• F12 increased 121%
The increase in EBIT alone generated a return on the training investment of 360% in the first year.
Rate (sheets/hr)
• F10 139.2
• F11 157.2 +12.93%
• F12 169.0 +7.5%
Productivity is measured in sheets per hour. When Team One first presented the target of 150 sheets per hour they were met with resistance from the entire workforce. After working through the issues using the Team One tools the production teams were open to trying to achieve the goal. The entire site achieved it within two weeks of completing the training and have continued to improve this KPI ever since. Imagine a consistently hourly improvement in production of 20% over two years.
Safety
• TRIFR (end of F10) 14.46
• TRIFR (end of F11) 0
• TRIFR (to May) 0
The Total Recordable injury frequency rate fell to 0 immediately after the completion of Team One training. Many hazards have been identified and resolved and team members make sure they look out for each other.
DIFOT
• F10 94.1 %
• F11 97.7 %
• F12 98.7 %
Customer complaints fell and DIFOT improved consistently after the completion of the course. A follow up course, held in 2012 further assisted in the improvement of these figures.
Never before had we encountered an organisation with 0% engagement as this survey result shows. Measured six months after the first Team One course, disengagement levels had reduced by 32.8% and engagement had increased by 30.4%.
In 2012 Hancock’s health and safety performance had plateaued. The company had already invested in improving systems and processes. However, Hancock’s recognised they also needed to invest in improving the culture and leadership of the organisation.
At this point, Tawera Nikau from Team One was engaged to come work alongside staff and contracting crews to begin addressing the culture of the working environment.
“Where Team One was coming from was that people had experiences in their life (*lens scratches) that were influencing the ways they behaved – the culture. Team One essentially gave them tools to address those and to move forward,” says Rowan Struthers, Operations Manager of Hancocks Forest Managment.
Five years on and Hancock’s have developed a culture where the biggest benefits of the training can be seen in the strong communication and engagement amongst all staff.
As Paddy Penwarden, Harvesting Forester, says in the above video “Everyone’s looking after everyone now, covering their back and they’re not afraid to say something”.
Congratulations Hancock we are thrilled to see the improvements and to have been a part of your organisational cultural transformation.
This study typifies why it is so important to invest and develop in the health and culture of an organisation.
*Lens Scratches -Just as we have lenses we can look through on the outside of our eyes, we also have lenses behind our eyes. None of us sees reality as it truly is. All of us interpret truth and reality by filtering and viewing it through our hidden lenses. These are all shaped by all the past experiences – emotion, fears, dreams – and information that we have accumulated over time. We consistently receive rave reviews of how addressing lens scratches, in our programmes, has positively impacted the personal & professional lives of course participants.
Success Stories
Result: 500% increase in gross turnover in six months
WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTOR – TEAM DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING Two divisions, wholesale and retail sales not speaking to each other. Conference nearly called off because Wholesale Division didn’t want to be in the same seminars as Retail. Called on Team One to facilitate Team development weekend including training in communication, customer services and team skills. Facilitated the adoption of motto: Let’s enjoy Winning Together and revamped systems so both teams could work together.
Result: Following conference, highest sales month on record as teams worked together for the first time ever.
TRAVEL COMPANY – CHANGE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME Following drastic slashing in sales commissions by Airlines, client needed a training programme that would encourage and enable staff to change the way they do business in a more difficult trading environment. Team One provided change management and staff training for over 700 staff.
Result: Increased turnover, profit doubled and staff morale dramatically up — all against industry trends.
RESTAURANT CHAIN – MANAGEMENT TRAINING AND CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING Management training and personal growth needed for staff so could promote from within. Worked a programme over a period of months, including goal focus and setting.
Result: 300% increase in dessert sales after two weeks of implementation of ideas.
LARGE SOLE – CHANGE MANAGEMENT Major restructuring had left office staff demoralised and hurt. Called on Team One. What they did is a secret, but morale and communication went through the roof and we can do it for your organisation too!
Result: Better communication between managers and staff, higher morale, lower staff turnover.
TERTIARY EDUCATION INSTITUTION Large facility training organisation, one facility under-performing, low student numbers, under budget on fee income, high staff turnover and losing money Team One did Power Train leadership development programs for their management team and lecturers. They adopted the framework and remained in partnership for two years.
Result: within two years staff moral had improved, quality of teaching had dramatically improved, all attributed to the Power Train.