A multi-year intervention in an American chemical manufacturing plant led to a 91% improvement in employee engagement, correlated with a 167% increase in production quality and an 83% decrease in reportable safety incidents.

Overview

Situation: a speciality chemical manufacturing plant with 285 employees, based in the eastern United States, confronted reality: their employees were disengaged, their safety record was not satisfactory, and the “safety programs” were not working. They needed a different approach.

Solution: After data collection and debriefing, the company worked with Six Seconds’ Partner Tom Wojick to embark on a collaborative program focused on the Why, What, and How of increasing employee engagement for a culture of safety.

Results: They experienced a dramatic increase in engagement, production quality, and safety, while transforming their workplace into a positive place to work.

Situation

Management and employees both recognized that their plant was struggling. One employee, echoing the feelings of many of his coworkers and managers, stated, “We have tremendous possibilities and potential, but we can’t seem to find a way to make it all come together.’’ A lack of trust, respect, and meaningful input into decisions for all contributed to a culture of disconnection and alienation. Employees were unwilling to report “near-miss” incidents for fear of retaliation, allowing serious safety lapses to go unrecognized. Production quality was low. An attitude of “us vs. them” was pervasive.