Suggestion schemes
A well-founded suggestion scheme will generate a flow
of ideas for avoiding unexpected excess
consumption. However, there are pitfalls, notably the burden
placed upon those charged with assessing the suggestions. As
much effort (or more) goes into refusing a useless idea as
is needed for a good one, and delay in getting a judgment
is one of the most common complaints from those who have
submitted their ideas. Another problem is the jealousy which
can arise when an individual wins a prize for what is
seen as an 'obvious' idea, especially if his or her colleagues
are subsequently expected to cooperate with changed work
practices.
One idea for circumventing these problems is the 'waste watching
team'. This allows a group of workers to collaborate
developing one idea at a time for submission as a
syndicate. The rules must call for the costs and benefits
to be fully worked out. Ideally, the team must be allowed
protected time for shop-floor meetings and perhaps a budget
for expert advice or materials for prototype trials. This
approach scores because:
- It reduces the volume of suggestions to be assessed
- It improves the quality of suggestions filed (to the
extent that feasibility may actually have been
proved)
- The people who make the suggestions, and their
colleagues, will have a sense of ownership
and loyalty
If your maintenance work is contracted out, it
will probably be to your advantage to include the contractor's
personnel in your suggestion scheme.
Elements of the utility management process
Top-level objectives