Step Up Employee Training with TWI
By: Sam Wagner
Donnelly Custom Manufacturing Company knows that proper training is vital to performance and continuous improvement.
However, traditional training methods lengthened the process and employees were not retaining enough information. Donnelly’s continued commitment to improvement meant a more advanced training procedure; to ensure employees fully understand their jobs, improve quality and maintain low employee turnover.
Following WWII, TWI was introduced to Japan to help them rebuild. A proven success; American manufacturers are re-adopting TWI. TWI provides supervisors with critical leadership and analytical skills to help train employee teams and recommend improvements.
The program fosters improvement in quality and encourages people to work better (smarter), not harder.
HOW TO GET STARTED
TWI consists of three teachings: Job Methods, Job Instruction and Job Relations. Front-line supervisors are essential to this process. Much of their time is spent dealing with people and process issues by counseling and promoting change.
At Donnelly, one employee in each of the three TWI areas was selected to implement the process. The selected candidates’ certification consisted of a week-long course. Certified trainers then taught other employees in five day, 2 hour sessions. Day one consists of the basics, and the four following days allow for participants to solve real-life challenges from everyday work and operate under the “learning by doing” philosophy.
JOB METHODS
Job Methods teaches supervisors how to analyze jobs to reduce cost, work in progress and inventory. This process gathers people’s ideas to eliminate waste, and prepare people to become problem identifiers and solvers; while working together with what’s available. The team-oriented process involves:
- Break down the job
- Question every detail
- Develop the new method
- Apply the new method
JOB RELATIONS
TWI Job Relations teaches supervisors to evaluate and take proper action to solve and prevent conflicts with people, problems often ignored because they are too personal or uncomfortable. This builds relationships and cooperation to solve problems before they get out of control.
This time is spent applying and practicing methodology with participants’ issues and simultaneously observing other students applying the method.
Results include stronger employee relations, improved morale and more consistent attendance.
JOB INSTRUCTION
TWI’s third phase is Job Instruction. This teaches supervisors how to train employees to do a job correctly and efficiently. The goals are:
- Reduced training time
- Fewer accidents
- Increased production and profits
- Less tool and equipment damage
- Improved quality
- Less scrap and rework
Supervisors are shown how to set up a training plan that focuses on simple, important steps. The job is stripped down to its most important steps, key points and rationale.
RESULTS
TWI began in August 2006, and Donnelly has trained 25 percent of its 230 workers in Job Methods and implemented more than 300 improvements.
Based on TWI’s Job Instruction training methods, it has resulted in a dramatic cut in training time: from months to days. Meanwhile, turnover rates continue to remain low.
Job Relations training has resulted in improved scores on employee fairness surveys, increase in supervisors’ confidence, reduced job stress, and improved communications among workers.
Donnelly has since shared these methods with suppliers and customers and helps them to implement the same improvement processes in their operations.
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