Lisa Howard 1 If we build it, will they come? Evaluating the benefits of providing factory employees...
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Transcript of Lisa Howard 1 If we build it, will they come? Evaluating the benefits of providing factory employees...
Lisa Howard1
If we build it, will they come?If we build it, will they come?
Evaluating the benefits of providing factory Evaluating the benefits of providing factory employees with access to their company’s Intranetemployees with access to their company’s Intranet
Lisa HowardLisa HowardHoneywell InternationalHoneywell International
May 19, 2003May 19, 2003
Lisa Howard3
The Current SettingThe Current Setting
• “Better communication”
• “There needs to be more
communication”
•“Communication – whether good or
bad”
• “Need communication”
• “Greater sharing of information”
• “Better communication –
especially on status of our businesses”
Lisa Howard4
The Current SettingThe Current Setting
• Minneapolis manufacturing operation -- producing guidance and navigation avionics.
• 800 “unplugged” union workers have little to no electronic access to company information:
– No web access– No e-mail– No personal computer
• Main communication vehicle: Posted notices on bulletin boards.
• Non-union counterparts have Intranet, Internet, and e-mail access.
Lisa Howard5
Continuing Debate Over Electronic AccessContinuing Debate Over Electronic Access
• No significant employee demand for electronic access.
• Some factory supervisors say employees are “getting the message.”
• Communication process is not broken – why try to fix it?
• Company wants more and more information and services on line.
• Some factory supervisors say employees feel uninformed – “You never told me!”
• Communication process needs help -- satisfaction ratings from quarterly surveys of this group are lowest within organization.
Fact: Communications manager feels messages are being sent into “outer space.”
But…
Lisa Howard6
Literature Findings Show…Literature Findings Show…
Literature review offered some insights on communication satisfaction levels among factory employees.
Findings:
• Blue collar workers feel uninformed
• Employees have long preferred receiving messages face to face
• They want all information tailored to them–How does what you are telling me affect me?
• Electronic access can deliver many benefits
to both organizations and employees
Lisa Howard7
Potential Solution to Communications Potential Solution to Communications DilemmaDilemma
• Pilot test three electronic kiosks to provide web access.
• “Information Stations” strategically placed throughout factory.
• Kiosks consist of computer, monitor and printer housed in semi-private setting.
Lisa Howard9
My ResearchMy Research
• Surveys conducted prior to, and following, introduction of kiosks to determine if this population places any value on electronic delivery of business information.
• Results would help dictate future of kiosks/electronic access for this audience.
• Findings could be generalized beyond Honeywell -- for any company struggling with a research question like mine...
Lisa Howard10
My Research QuestionMy Research Question
Will electronic delivery of company
information to Honeywell’s union
employees increase their communication
satisfaction ratings from 2002 to 2003?
Lisa Howard11
Two Surveys DeliveredTwo Surveys Delivered
• Company-sponsored pre- and post-kiosk surveys sent to all 800 factory employees:
– Surveys distributed: March 2002 and February 2003
• Both studies addressed:
– Effectiveness and usefulness of communication vehicles
– Preferred methods for receiving messages
• Second study added “kiosks” as vehicle choice.
Lisa Howard12
Structure of SurveysStructure of Surveys
• Survey snapshot:
– 24 Likert-like questions on paper survey
– Anonymous/administered through inter-office mail
– Drawings used to increase response rates
Lisa Howard13
Sample QuestionsSample Questions
Survey asked…
• “Select your top three preferred communication methods for keeping you informed day to day.”
• “Please match the topic below with your choice of method for receiving such news.”
• “How do you access the Intranet or Internet at work?”
Lisa Howard14
Overcoming Roadblocks Before SurveyingOvercoming Roadblocks Before Surveying
• Employees “surveyed out” from other initiatives.
• They don’t want what they don’t know.
Kiosk awareness would be critical success factor.
Three kiosks might not be enough to allow easy access.
• Without web site tailored to their informational needs, factory employees may not respond to the Intranet’s offerings.
Lisa Howard16
Responses to My ResearchResponses to My Research
• Pre-kiosk survey:
– Administered to all 800 employees
– 230 employees responded
– Margin of error: +/-5% with 95% accuracy
• Post-kiosk survey:
– Administered to all 800 employees
– 116 employees responded
– Margin of error: +/-8% with 95% accuracy
Lisa Howard17
What I LearnedWhat I Learned
Comparing 2002 to 2003 results:
• Satisfied or somewhat satisfied with company’s effort to keep them informed
– Increased from 63% to 70%
• Think current delivery methods are timely
– Increased from 64% to 67%
• Ratings may have improved, but 8% margin of error on second survey makes this impossible to prove
• Face to face remained method considered most useful, followed by print or bulletin board postings
Lisa Howard18
What I LearnedWhat I Learned
• Availability of electronic access
– From 2002 to 2003, more employees (from 63% to 74%) said they were accessing Intranet on the job.
– From 2002 to 2003, more employees (from 45% to 65%) agreed Intranet makes them more productive:
– Half said they were proficient in surfing the web; half considered themselves beginners or without skills.
– Preferred method for accessing Intranet/Internet was departmental computer.
Lisa Howard19
What I LearnedWhat I Learned
• Face-to-face communication remains this group’s preferred method for receiving information.
– Comparison of data from two surveys shows little change in employee opinion regarding usefulness of Intranet/Internet
– Both ranked near, or just below, middle of “usefulness list”
– Results shown on following slides…
Lisa Howard20
What I LearnedWhat I Learned
Usefulness of Communication Vehicles2002 Survey
69%64%
57%53% 53%
50% 48% 47%43% 42%
31% 28%
74%73%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Face
to F
ace
Bullet
in Boa
rd
Print/W
ork
Print/H
ome
Mon
itor
Intra
net
Poste
rs
Inte
rnet
Public
Add
ress
Town
Mee
tings
EE New
s
Video
Voicem
ail
Communication Vehicle
Useful
Useless
Lisa Howard21
What I LearnedWhat I Learned
Usefulness of Communication Vehicles2003 Survey
85%78%
69%64%64%
59%57%56%48%47%44%40%36%
26%
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
Bulle
tin B
oard
Face
to F
ace
Print/W
ork
Print/H
ome
Poste
rs
Town
Mee
ting
Mon
itor
EE New
s
Inte
rnet
from
Kio
sk
Intra
net fr
om K
iosk
Video
Public
Add
ress
E-mai
l
Voice
mai
l
Communication Vehicle
Useful
Useless
Lisa Howard22
What I LearnedWhat I Learned
• There is desire for Intranet/Internet access:
– Kiosks may not be ideal mode of access
– Only 4% of surveyed population visited/utilized kiosk; 76% used departmental computer to log on
How do you Access Intranet/Internet at Work?
Source: March 2003 Survey
76%
4%
20%DepartmentComputer
Kiosk
PersonalComputer
Lisa Howard24
Potential Next StepsPotential Next Steps
• Conduct factory focus groups to uncover root cause for low usage of kiosks.
• Issue with…
– Location?
– Training?
– Supervisor attitudes?
Lisa Howard25
• Kiosks will continue – at least for near term. No new kiosks will be added.
• Continue to press for factory-specific web site.
• May provide weekly electronic newsletter in print format -- post near entrances/exits.
Potential Next StepsPotential Next Steps