Micronclean Knowledge Forum

It is a topic for a whole separate post but briefly SKIEs covers:

Stewardship

An ethic that not only embodies the responsible planning and management of resources but also the way we disseminate and perpetuate the values and ethos of the business.

Knowledge

Should pervade the business and form the backdrop against which Micronclean's activities are played out. It is the precursor and enabler to all that we do. Without knowledge we are fumbling in the dark.

Innovation

Our primary strategic choice is to position ourselves as the technological market leader and this fact is the core to so much of what the company does and indeed defines the business.

Excellence

The business process to continually improve the quality conformance and cost base of the business's products and services.

To read more about SKIEs, click here.

Embedding SKIEs culture throughout the business is an ongoing process and it is the continual focus on them as part of peoples every day jobs that ensures they are the bedrock on which we build the future of the company. As part of this, the idea for the Micronclean Knowledge Forum was born. This is a cross-departmental, coordinator level, SKIEs focused forum for learning and development. Quite a mouthful, but it's really about Knowledge transfer. Transfer of ideas, information and techniques from the guest presenters to the forum and then from the members to their colleagues and staff back in the workplace. It is by this continuous transfer of knowledge between all members of staff and awareness of how SKIEs fits in to our everyday working lives that we see the greatest benefit.

Meetings take place bi-monthly for around 5 hours and each session consists of series of presentations, activities and lectures. Employees initially sign-up for a year, so attend 6 sessions but we often have people continuing the following year as the content changes annually. This not only provide the attendees with a greater understanding of the company but also a wider range of tools and techniques that they can take back and use on a daily basis.

• Continuous improvement

• Offering Value and The 12 week year

• Presenting and Public Speaking Skills

• Marketing

• Mysteries of the Balance Sheet

• Irradiation

• Building a Sterile Pack Production Unit

• Time management

Activities have included:

• Setting up a rival laundry company and presenting back to our Managing Director

• Looking 5 and 10 years forward presenting back how the company will look in terms of structure, products/services and finances

• Succession Planning

• Identifying the top 5 challenges facing the business over the next 10 years, proposing solutions and presenting back to the Board

• Identifying areas for improvement around the business

Over 50 employees have been involved with the forum over the last 5 years and the impact can certainly be felt around the organisation. One of the key benefits we have seen is greater co-operative working between departments as new bonds are formed through shared knowledge and working together on activities and presentations.

Author

Mark Robinson

System Analyst
Member of the SKIEs Council