Be patient
Miller knew that many, if not most, of his employees would probably be unhappy about having to stand instead of being able to sit
while working. So he spoke with experts who could provide data
that indicated his people would actually be better off standing.
He printed out their findings and showed them to his employees.
“When you stand and you can move to the left and the right,
you’re going to be less tired,” Miller says. “These are all proven
facts. That’s one of the reasons people went to modular manufacturing. It’s actually less abusive.”
In terms of getting the ball rolling on engaging his employees in
his plan, Miller avoided an all-company meeting or a mass e-mail
that would simply tell them what was going to happen.
“Do it during lunchtime,” Miller says. “Do it during break time.
Do it with showing pictures of the equipment. The bottom line is,
once you know you’re going to do it, the sooner the better. People
need time to adjust to things. Make sure that you’re there doing it.
Not just applying it, but that you’re there in the beginning to the
end in implementing the process. Breaking the news to them is
part of it.”
As you get closer to actually going forward with the idea, be prepared with facts and figures that show employees how the change
will benefit them.
Incentives can also be very helpful in getting employees to feel
better about the change you want to make.
“We set up a whole bonus structure,” Miller says. “‘If you produce
500 units a day in two weeks, each one of you gets a $100 bonus.
If you go up to 600 a day, each one of you will get a $150 bonus.’
They loved it. You get them to behave and the feelings can transfer.”
Take caution about keeping the bonus plan under control, however.
“Offer them a little more money because it’s going to be a little
harder in the beginning,” Miller says. “But don’t make it where
their lifestyle is going to change four weeks later.”
The thing you need to remember is that it will often take time to
win people over on change.
“Get them to do what needs to be done,” Miller says. “How do
you do that without changing their feelings? You’re not. The behavior will overcome their feelings. Forget about winning them over
in a meeting. Get them to do what you want done and the rest will
come. Just because somebody gives you a really weird look, just
stay focused.”
