When it's your company, of course you care about delivering
quality products and services. But how do you get your employees to
feel the same way?
David Guidry, president of machine parts manufacturer Guico
Machine Works Inc. in Harvey, Louisiana, says it's really not
that difficult. "Problems come from a lack of knowledge, not a
lack of trying," Guidry says. "Everyone here understands
what we're trying to do, what we're up against." To
make sure communication lines remain open and strong, the
company's management team meets daily, the shop personnel meet
three times a week, and Guidry meets formally with the entire
company every two weeks and can be found on the shop floor
regularly.
Recognition plays a critical role in Guidry's communication
process. Positive performance is acknowledged and rewarded in front
of the entire organization. Guidry also regularly invites customers
and community members to tour the facility. "Our people are
proud to be showed off to visitors," Guidry says.
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Another key element of Guidry's strategy is providing clear
and consistent opportunities for all employees to grow with the
organization. "We always try to promote from within,"
Guidry says. "Employees can see the steps of succession. The
workers who have been here longer set an example for new
people-they are role models the newcomers can relate to."
To deliver quality, Guidry says people need to know what their
job is and how to do it, and this can usually be accomplished
through traditional training methods. Problems occur, he adds, not
with what people either clearly know or don't know but with
what they think they know. As part of the training process, Guidry
creates an awareness of this issue and fosters an environment that
encourages workers to ask for help whenever they are unsure.
"Quality is a clear identification of what you are trying
to achieve," Guidry says. "Our people know what is
expected of them, and they do it."
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