The Continuous Improvement Program at Queensland’s Hervey Bay City Council is yielding positive results across the organisation after only 18 months of implementation. Employees committed to the program, based on the Japanese style Kaizen Teian system, as part of Council’s fourth enterprise agreement in March 2002.
Approximately 100 staff were given continuous improvement awareness training and 18 staff volunteered to act as facilitators to assist work teams to develop their improvement ideas. The facilitators were then trained in the use of several problem solving techniques and process improvement tools.
“It focuses on employee participation and the continual and gradual accumulation of small improvements,” said Marlene Schmidt, Organisational Development Officer. “The emphasis is on employee contribution to productivity improvements and promoting an environment in which employees are empowered to make positive changes to the way they work. It is particularly encouraging that no employees have used the process to simply point out problems without offering possible solutions.”
Hervey Bay City Council’s Continuous Improvement Program is supported by a multi-faceted approach including the following:
- making it simple for staff to propose improvements
- healthy competition between Council Departments for the highest number of implemented ideas
- publication of achievements
- a reward and recognition strategy which encourages and rewards employee productivity.
As at July 2003 staff suggestions had resulted in one off cost savings of $50,000 and ongoing actual savings to the Council each year of $237,000.
“The key is to recognise that every employee has the capability to solve problems and improve things,” Marlene Schmidt said. “Council’s Continuous Improvement Program provides the mechanism to capture and respond to staff suggestions. The overall aim is to make continuous improvement a systematic habit within the organisation.”
For further information, contact Michelle Murray-Cox, Communications Officer, on (07) 4197 4352.
