Briefing back-up

17 June 2008
Back-up training for the daily briefings system is being rolled out across Automotive plants in Europe.

Workshops for the team leaders and first operators who deliver the briefings have been piloted in the Finnish plants, followed by San Salvo in Italy.
"We discovered that the daily briefings system simply wasn't working at some sites," said Finnish communications manager Tarja Tolonen, who has launched a 'training toolbox' designed to help team leaders and first operators identify and fix the problems.
"In many cases the briefings just weren't happening every day as they are required to - often because of concerns about time - or else the information wasn't getting through for some other reason.
"By holding brainstorming sessions for the people involved we have allowed them to work out the problems and the solutions for themselves, instead of having a system imposed on them from above."
Tarja calculates that there have been "significant" improvements, particularly at the Tampere plant, and Laitila is now also moving ahead rapidly.
In Italy, communications manager Francesca Boffa said that there had been "very positive" feedback from San Salvo and the training has also been rolled out to the Sagunto and Settimo sites.
"Communications showed up as a global priority in the employee survey," said Automotive communications manager Jaana Maijanen.
"Fortunately we had already acknowledged the need for this type of training and the workshops have proved effective and will be rolled out wherever necessary."