Just before the Christmas holiday period, Manufacturing Excellence had their final team meeting of the decade! The team were congratulated and thanked for their hard work which had contributed to another successful year in the company.
The meeting consisted of team activities which would allow us to use our business improvement knowledge to perform the task effectively. The aim of the challenge was to manufacture six perfectly made Lego vehicles. We had already tried to assemble one in pairs, and it had been a fiddly task which took a considerable amount of time – so we knew effective teamwork would definitely be needed to complete six in the allocated time!
First, the different parts of the task were divided into steps and spilt between the team members, so everyone had a specific job and knew what they needed to do. The teams implemented lean techniques to create an efficient production line with a steady flow. Workplace organisation strategies were implemented so that all of the parts were separate, and the individual elements that people needed were easily accessible. Visual management techniques were also used; team members wrote instructions in front of them as a visual reminder for which steps they needed to follow. Finally, the team had to communicate and work together throughout the manufacturing process. If a station had too many demands and led to a hold-up, people would offer an extra pair of hands and move round to keep the production line running like a well-oiled machine! This activity was a great way to practice what we preach and implement our knowledge to increase and improve workplace culture.
To look back on the positive year we have had, we discussed company achievements and success stories within the companies we have worked with. We felt a sense of pride to be able continue to help our clients continuously improve their business and provide a more efficient way of working. Everyone was asked to think of an accomplishment of their own, whether personal or professional, which they’d be happy to share with the team. This was a positive activity, celebrating the achievements we have made this year and congratulating our fellow friends and colleagues. Finally, to get ourselves into the festive spirit, we had our annual Secret Santa. This was a lovely way to end the meeting before letting our hair down at the Christmas party!
After a busy day, we were ready for a fun-filled party! We had our Christmas party at The Bridge in Wetherby which was a fantastic night! After a 3-course meal and plenty of laughs in the photobooth, we danced the night away and sang our hearts out to cheesy tunes! After all, at Manufacturing Excellence we believe if you work hard, you deserve to play hard too!