Rock Products

DEC 2014

Rock Products is the aggregates industry's leading source for market analysis and technology solutions, delivering critical content focusing on aggregates-processing equipment; operational efficiencies; management best practices; comprehensive market

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www.rockproducts.com ROCK products • DECEMBER 2014 53 of the rules and processes you have put in place. Do they re‐ flect the reality of today? I have seen a lot of policies that were written a long time ago and are clearly outdated. Get actively involved in this assessment process. Do not shuffle it off to HR or some corporate function. Get some hourly folks involved so they take ownership for the rules that affect them. Grandfather everyone in. Make it clear that past trans‐ gressions are a free pass. Once you ensure that your policies are what you want and need, the clock starts ticking again. Let everyone know that, from now on, working outside of what you expect will not be tolerated and will result in some sort of redirection or discipline. Over‐communicate this, as a lot of people will have devel‐ oped habits over time that cannot be changed overnight. Train everyone. If your policies and procedures were out‐ dated and you refreshed them, people will need to learn the new requirements and get feedback on whether or not they are doing them correctly. Do not assume anything. Even the most veteran employees may need some coaching on how to do things the proper way. A Back to Basics train‐ ing program may be in order. In addition, you may have some fairly new employees that learned the shortcuts and not the company endorsed way. Model the behavior you expect. We have all experience managers who tell employees to do something a certain way, and then do it differently themselves. That behavior completely undermines the policies and procedures that you are trying to get compliance with. Your peo‐ ple watch you very closely, so make sure you are walking the talk. Monitor adherence. Set up regular monitoring processes to ensure that all employees are doing what is asked with policies and procedures. Get hourly employees involved in policing themselves and co‐workers. Keep in mind that we are human beings and sometimes take the path of least resistance. That path might be a shortcut that does not support your policies and procedures. Do not expect a single pronouncement to get people to change their behavior, regular monitoring is vital. Company and plant policies and procedures are in place for a reason. If the reason they were initially put in place is no longer valid, change them. If the reasons continue to be valid, it is up to you to communicate, model and monitor the way things should be. E

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