Employee Involvement White Collar Work Force (Phase 1)
Abstract
This Task has investigated the improvement of white-collar productivity in a shipyard through employee involvement techniques. Two functional areas of the host shipyard, electrical and structural (hull), were investigated through the use of Action Teams composed of both white-collar and blue-collar workers. The approach was (1) to improve communications in both directions, and (2) to strengthen working relationships among the groups represented on the teams. Meetings of each Action Team were held for one hour per week. At first the meetings were control by a Facilitator to ensure that tie subject matter and the ensuing discussions stayed on the track. After about 7 meetings, both teams selected a Chairman and a Recorder from within their membership, and thereafter the involvement of the Facilitators was progressively reduced. Many subjects were treated, but white-collar productivity remained the real target. After six months of operation, the Action Teams had proven their worth, and the Task was concluded. This Final Report explains the actions taken to set up and implement the Action Teams. They were sufficiently successful that the senior management at PSI (the host shipyard) intends to continue them beyond the completion of this Task. Furthermore active consideration is being given to establishing similar Action Teams in the other functional areas of the shipyard. Clearly, this research effort has shown the advantages available from better communications and working relationships between the white-collar segment of a shipyard and the production work force users of the white-collar products.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA451618
Entities
Organizations
- National Steel and Shipbuilding Company