Why Lean Six Sigma and Employee Engagement Initiatives Improve Your Company Culture

A productive business is one that is able to manufacture quality products effectively and at low cost…correct?  In reality, a productive business is also one that’s able to manufacture quality products effectively while improving overall employee morale. Unhappy employees can be just as damaging to a business’ bottom-line as bad products or processes.

In addition to hurt productivity, poor employee morale can ultimately lead to turnover. The time and resources used to recruit and train new team members can be better invested elsewhere. This is why it’s critical to constantly improve your company culture – Lean Six Sigma and employee engagement initiatives can help!

Communication is Key

Communication is critical for any quality manufacturer to foster.  If your employees don’t understand your product or your business’ goals, they’re more likely to make mistakes or errors that can cost you and your company in the long-term. 

It is extremely effective for any business to communicate their goals—present and future, concrete and abstract—to all of their employees right from the beginning.  The longer an employee goes without understanding the company they work for, the less likely they’ll feel engaged and connected to your business.  Harvard Business Review reported that 95% of employees don’t understand or don’t know their business’ strategy. Communicating this information will put you a step above your competitors who are not doing the same thing.

How Lean Six Sigma Fosters Communication

Lean is based on the premise of identifying waste in all areas of a business, but this can only occur through employee buy-in. Lean principles are unique because positive changes are driven by employees at all levels, not just management. This cultivates staff who are constantly looking for ways to identify and remove non-value added activities. Lean Six Sigma is specifically designed to improve employee buy-in and communication.

The Power of Teamwork

Keeping your employees engaged and connected is also possible through effective teamwork.  Employees that have comfortable rapport with each other have a higher morale and feel a deeper connection with their business. Offering out-of-office team building and networking dinners can be a great start to fostering deeper connections amongst your employees, and it is also recommended to hold regular weekly or monthly meetings with employees from each office or department. 

Finally, the next best way to build employee engagement is through teaching. You want to present yourself to your employees as the role model you would want to be led by, and much of that involves communication, coordination and patience. Employees respond better to managers who they believe they can communicate with easily, and are more satisfied when they feel like their thoughts and opinions are being heard. 

If you’re looking to improve your organization through Lean Six Sigma, click here for more information.

Since 1991, MMTC has assisted Michigan’s small and medium-sized businesses compete and grow. Through personalized services fitted to meet the needs of clients, we develop more effective business leaders, drive product and process innovation, promote company-wide operational excellence and foster creative strategies for business growth and greater profitability. Find us at www.mmtc.org.