Listening sessions

When listening to employees is literally worth its weigth in gold!

Does a problem seem to be widespread?  Is there unrest within a team? Do you want to look for the root cause of certain difficulties? Do you need to solve problems related to quality, productivity, sales, customer focus, high costs, commitment, behavior … ?

Listening sessions with external persons open doors and often lead to surprising results.

 

Quality problems

 

Analysis

  • Quality problems in a plant of plastic films for packaging, 12 lines, 3 shifts
  • Manufacturer of the machines does not find the cause.
  • 25%-35% production waste is a constant

Approach/Solution

  • Listening sessions with workers reveal that machines are disrupted by them after work to get the monthly premium for the most productive team.
  • System is adjusted: higher premiums and per 3 shifts

Results

  • Waste reduced by 95%
  • Production costs significantly reduced
  • Plant competitiveness significantly increased
  • New productivity premiums per 3 shifts works as a motivator

 

Internal conflict situation

Analysis

  • Unrest in a European call center for vehicle assistance leads to spontaneous strike
  • Underlying reasons not clear
  • An urgent solution is needed

Approach/Solution

  • Listening sessions with employees show that there is a breach of trust with a Team Leader
  • Many other underlying frustrations and problems also come to light

Results

  • Work organization has evolved in collaboration with the employees
  • Team Leader realizes herself that she will function better in a different work environment
  • Focus on the creation of a feedback culture

Drop in sales

Analysis

  • Declining sales in an industrial group active in EMEA
  • Cause is difficult to identify by the company itself

Approach/Solution

  • Listening sessions in 6 countries, sales teams but also technical support
  • Cause revealed: sales structure and organisation with technical support leads to internal difficulties and impact sales potential negatively

Results

  • Redesign of the overall customer approach with input from the listening sessions
  • Significant increase in sales and margin sustainable over time
  • Profit drastically increased
CASES