Sensor Partners, Working smarter not harder

Sensor Partners is a private company located in Drunen, the Netherlands. It  is a medium-sized production, consulting and sales company in the field of quality control and technical process monitoring. It employs 15 staff.

Working smarter and more flexible
Given the current economic situation it was important to optimize existing processes and to introduce self-managing teams. This required a quality improvement. All employees were trained in the tools to make work instructions together.

Approach
First, the Board  of Sensor Partners has made clear her mission and vision, strategy and values and the implications this has for each of the employees. Then the employees were involved in the realization of efficient work processes. Through new task assignments and a fixed knowledge level for each job, work processes are streamlined and responsibilities divided.

Through remedial teaching there is mainly directed at awareness and developing personal views on the functioning of a self-managing team. There were personal development plans drawn up to ensure a high level of intrinsic motivation rather than extrinsic motivation factors that have shown a short term expiration date. There is prepared a new mutual communication methodology in accordance with the principle 5xW + H (who, what, where, when, why and how). Managers were coached in situational leadership based on new responsibilities and the knowledge level model jointly prepared by employees.

Results
The workplace innovation process has ensured that Sensor Partners has left the crisis of 2007 behind in a stronger position. They focus now on the core, namely sensors. There is a clear division of tasks and responsibilities. Thanks to the implemented change there became 50 % more power in sales by working more efficiently and innovatively. Employees are more versatile, more committed, have more responsibility and work with pleasure, furthermore the absenteeism is low.

Preconditions
The changes do need to be secured. Therefor a handbook has been made.

More information
See the company’s website: www.sensor.nl and www.socialeinnovatiebrabant.nl

Themes: Dynamic management & leadership; Team working, Self organisation

Sector: High tech, smart materials

Source: Case

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