BUILDING EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT
Dotson uses five practices to complement its $10,000 Project program for evaluating large capital investments. According to company executives, these practices give employees the freedom, knowledge and confidence to participate. Cross Training. Employees are cross trained in multiple positions in order to promote involvement beyond coming to work and doing one thing every day. Continuing Education. Dotson’s employee education program has two components. First, the company subsidizes tuition for employees to take professional continuing education courses directly related to their current job. A second education program allows people to pursue passions in any area they choose. Industry Involvement. Dotson supports employee participa- tion in community and industry groups. Employees are encour- aged to be active in the local chapter of the American Foundry Society, and the company currently has two employees on the
saves approximately 3 lbs. of metal per mold. However, operators also discovered an unexpected negative to the machine—the light curtain for the core setter introduces an extra step to place filters in the mold. Continual discussions, analysis and
review allow the company to ensure the installation is truly performing as expected and whether problems need to be addressed.
Project Speed Bumps
Even with a well-defined process and engaged and empowered employ- ees to guide a company, some failures will occur. However, failure allows
local chapter board and two on the national board. Gemba. A Gemba is defined by Dotson as a group of employ- ees visiting a supplier, customer or other manufacturing facility with the intention of benchmarking, networking or problem solving. Employees who go on Gemba trips are able to see other metalcasting facilities doing similar work. Many will go with a list of questions to learn about topics from sintering furnaces to equipment maintenance. Internal Communications. The Dotson metalcasting facility contains 15 touch screen kiosks that display a weekly digital newspaper, employee activities and a performance metrics module. Updates for each $10,000 Project appear several times in the newspaper as the project team goes through the process and the equipment is installed. The newspaper module also is used as a vehicle to promote the company’s core values, strat- egy and communication, as well as showcase employee accomplishments and involvement.
for growth opportunities. Individuals involved in $10,000 Projects for Dot- son have indicated knowing they could occasionally fail and still be considered a successful part of a team has given them the confidence to push bound- aries and pursue alternative strate- gies. While the majority of Dotson’s $10,000 Projects have been successful, there is always room for improvement. In October 2010, Dotson installed
impact sensing and monitoring equipment on all forklifts. Te goal was to institute a paperless mainte- nance recording system and ensure immediate notice of forklift abuse. After a serious impact, the equipment
would be turned off until a supervi- sor keyed a release. In this instance, the equipment performed as planned, but the project suffered from a failure to involve all the right parties from the beginning. Part of the workforce began using the equipment with suc- cess, while in another portion of the facility the system was disconnected shortly after installation. Te importance of employee
involvement was made clear in 2009, when Dotson purchased a used pickup for $9,500. With additional options, the cost of the vehicle went over $10,000. Employees who drove the truck believed management had violated policy by not using a $10,000 Project team. Te solution was to set up a $10,000 Project, put the truck in storage and let the team know if they decided it wasn’t what they wanted, it would be sold. Te group decided to keep the truck and was in favor of the purchase once they were able to have input and approve it. At Dotson, data and employee
involvement both are valued when making a decision about a capital investment. Sometimes, a project doesn’t turn out as planned even when the equipment is a perfect fit. Dean Spitzer, a leading authority on perfor- mance measurement and management, sums up the idea in his writing. “It is not about the numbers, but
the conversation that takes place around the numbers,” he says.
Brad Butler makes molds on the new Roberts Sinto FBOX molding machine. 28 | MODERN CASTING April 2012
Jodi Lumsden is finance and administrative man- ager for Te Dotson Company, Mankato, Minn.
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