Listen to the Workers

摘要

One of the most important elements to consider when embarking on a total quality management (TQM) program is recognizing that TQM is an employee involvement process. Capturing the ideas of individuals actually performing the work is essential to the success of any TQM endeavor. All too often, however, managers get so caught up in their day-to-day activities that they fail to listen to the workers. This can result in missing the bottom-line successes that TQM offers. The following case studies, one occurring within a TQM environment and one taking place outside such an environment, illustrate how listening to workers can result in big TQM payback opportunities.