Workplace
Success Stories - Best Practices 2002
Recognition
Strategies for a Diverse Workforce
|
Practice
Name: Staff Exchange Day |
Workplace
Issues Addressed: |
Description
of the practice
This
voluntary program allows selected employees to work in one of
six other facilities for a day. Participating employees are led
through the facility, introduced to other employees, and trained
to do the necessary tasks. The program responds to the needs cited
by the staff by allowing employees to volunteer to exchange work
locations/assignments with an employee in another facility/job
title for a day, allowing employees to travel to areas within
the department that they have seldom, if ever, had the chance
to experience.
Benefits
of adopting the practice
It
has increased communication and interaction among staff at all
levels, broken down barriers that existed between department groups,
promoted understanding of the similarities and differences between
employees, and strengthened the concept that no matter how different
they may seem on the surface, there is a strong common bond between
people who work with and care for animals. Other benefits include:
increased morale, better teamwork, greater appreciation of differences,
increased willingness to share information more freely between
units/facilities, enhanced communication, cessation of rumors,
jealousy, & unfounded tension between groups, and a greater
sense of community. This practice meets the needs of a diverse
workforce in the following ways: There is staff input in process.
Staff initiated the idea. The program is inclusive -- any employee
can participate. Builds bonds between facilities.
How
this practice works
Staff
Exchange Day was created to enhance communication among employees
from six different work sites, in response to recurring concerns
from employees that they did not know each other. Exchanging positions
with another employee is a great way to create a strong sense
of understanding in any workgroup. Employees say it provides a
learning experience, and they now understand what other people
do and appreciate the differences in their jobs. Besides the new
appreciation of knowledge and expertise in the unit, there is
greater willingness to share information and coordinate efforts
across facilities. As the director noted, "The idea came directly
from staff (a lesson learned to listen to the staff) and it's
easy to do once you've thought it out." A committee of 10 designed
the program. Employees volunteer for hosting and visiting. Participants
are grouped by facility, and random drawings of people and sites
are chosen at each quarterly staff meeting. Exchanges occur twice
a year.
What
you need in place to replicate this practice
1)
A director who is open to the idea. 2) Management team needs to
come together and agree to do it. 3) An appointed coordinator
of the exchange. 4) Facility managers plan and coordinate the
site visit activities. 5) Staff have to be able to select out
of it. 6) Establish some good communication skills. (This unit
allowed "open discussion" time during staff meetings for staff
to tell stories about their visits and share their experiences.
This unit also has an "all-staff value survey" done on a quarterly
basis, where they received positive feedback about the program.)
7) Ensure good training is in place (as employees will be doing
work at site they visit, and the visiting employee's work must
also be covered for the day by their peers).
Tangible
improvements to the department as a result of adopting this practice
The department noted several tangible improvements, including:
enhanced communication, improved morale, greater sense of community,
more appreciation of differences, employees feel acknowledged,
appreciation of knowledge/expertise within the department, team
spirit, barriers broken down, and reduced feelings of isolation.
Why
this practice was so successful and is worth replicating
1)
It can be adapted to any department or work site on campus; it
can be done interdepartmentally and even between UC campuses.
The Director writes: "It is FUN and a definite morale booster."
An employee writes: "I loved being around the hyenas and being
around the people. I even enjoyed the physical work and cleaning
the pens. It really made me appreciate what they do and how hard
they work. There was an experimental procedure that day and I
got to watch. I was especially interested in that and learned
a lot. The technician was so informative--telling me everything
she was doing and explaining all the details. It was a great day!"